1837 The Three Bears was first printed in 1837 by English poet Robert Southey. The story was published in Southey's collection The Doctor (1834–47). The Three Bears, like Mure's family, was a favorite story among Southey's family. William Tyler, Southey's uncle, was most likely the one who introduced him to The Three Bears. It is said that he told this story to many people before it was finally printed. One of these people was his wife, Elizabeth, who apparently loved this story so much that she had a copy made for themselves. This copy is now in the British Library. The version we know today is based on Mrs. Southey's copy of The Three Bears. It includes some changes done by Southey himself. For example, in Mrs. Southey's version, the mother bear has only two cubs; while in Southey's original, there were three bears. Also, in Mrs. Southey's version, the third bear is never seen; while in Southey's original, you can see all three bears at once. These are just two examples of how many changes have been done to this story over time. There are several versions of The Three Bears: modern ones, old ones, and rare ones. So, be careful not to believe everything you read!