The Three Bears are the classic trio of fairytale ursines, consisting of a large papa bear, medium-sized mama bear, and tiny baby bear, from the Fairy Tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears. In an early Sesame Street skit, an Anything Muppet version of the family attempts to count each other. They sound off in turn but then go round again and reach the number 7 before Goldilocks intervenes.

Goldilocks uses the family's beds, chairs, and plates to prove conclusively that they are the three bears. The family is happily relieved when their number is confirmed. Their peace of mind is short-lived, however; once Goldilocks says they can now enact the story of the three bears, the family is terrified by the thought of wild bears in their midst and run around in terror.

Other incarnations of the three bears appeared in books, but it wasn't until the 1990s that the family unit of Baby Bear, Papa Bear, and Mama Bear took up permanent residence on Sesame Street.

References

• Fozzie and two bears pose as "The Three Bears" (in name only; they're gangsters actually) in episode 518 of The Muppet Show.
• In The Muppets on Puppets, during the "Cinderella" story, Little Girl Sue (as Cinderella) goes to visit her sick granny, but instead winds up at the Three Bears House and samples the porridge.

In a Muppet comic strip by Guy and Brad Gilchrist, it's suggested that Fozzie Bear is related to the family.

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