Goldilocks was caught at last,
they put her into care.
The date was set, the jury found,
The sheriff fetched the bears.
He told them they would have to stand
and tell Judge all they knew.
Father bear said that he would
and Mummy bear would too.
Young baby bear jumped up and down
and asked “will I be there?
She stole my food, she wrecked my bed
She broke my little chair!”
And so the three bears went to court.
Her guilt was plain to see.
Her face was long, the trial short,
The jury cried “GUILTY!”
But when they tried to take her down
she cried “these cuffs are tight!”
They tried again, they were “too loose!”
The third time was “just right!”
,
Paul Hughes 2009
.
The alternative last few lines, which I prefer but which parents might baulk at, are as follows:
.
But when they tried to string her up
She cried “this noose is tight!”
They tried again, it was “too loose,”
the third time was “just right.”
I loved this poem! At first I thought it was going to be a simple ballad type, but the end was a funny and delightful surprise. Thanx! Was thinking i could use it in my classroom as an example of ‘what could happen next’, and how our shared prior knowledge makes this understood and therefore, funny.
This poem is awesome..i love it!!
What a wonderful little poem! I need to share this with my grandaughter Anna. She is learning children’s stories like Goldilocks, and this would make a great sequel!
Plus I think it is easy enough where she could memorize it.
Thank you for sharing!
Mary