The story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is often given the pun “Ghouldilocks” (ghoul + Goldilocks) in Halloween jokes. A riddle has been cited in print since at least 2001 and 2003:
Q: Which ghost/monster/vampire/zombie ate too much porridge?
A: Ghouldilocks.
Wikipedia: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
“Goldilocks and the Three Bears” and the older still “The Story of the Three Bears” are two variations of a 19th-century fairy tale. The original tale tells of a badly-behaved old woman who enters the forest home of three bachelor bears whilst they are away. She sits in their chairs, eats some of their porridge, and sleeps in one of their beds. When the bears return and discover her, she starts up, jumps from the window, and is never seen again. The other major version brings Goldilocks to the tale (replacing the old woman), and an even later version retained Goldilocks, but has the three bachelor bears transformed into Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear.
10 June 1990, Newsday (Long Island, NY), “Smiles,” Kidsday sec., pg. ?
What fairy tale gives monsters the shivers?
Ghouldilocks and the three brrrs.
Molly O’Donnell, Southampton
Google Books
The Big Nap:
A Chet Gecko Mystery
By Bruce Hale
San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Inc.
2001
Pg. 13:
“But I know which zombie ate too much porridge.”
“Eh? Who’s that?”
Natalie’s eyes twinkled. “Ghouldilocks!” she cackled.
1 November 2003, Evening Mail (Birmingham, UK), pg. 42:
Which ghost ate too much porridge? Ghouldilocks!
Google Books
1001 Cool School Yard Jokes
By Glen Singleton
Heatherton, Victoria: Hinkler Books
2004
Pg. 198:
Which ghost ate the three bears’ porridge?
Ghouldilocks.
Google Groups: Palace of Adult Humor
Vampire Jokes
Dangermo...@aol.com
11/9/06
(...)
Which vampire ate the three bears porridge ?
Ghouldilocks !
Twitter
Bollywood Sargam
@bollywoodsargam
Vampire jokes - 9101 Joke: Which vampire ate the three bears’ porridge?
Ghouldilocks. .... http://tinyurl.com/l9xu4u
2:10 PM - 6 Jul 2009
Twitter
Bollywood Sargam
@bollywoodsargam
Ghost jokes - 5153 Joke: Which ghost ate too much porridge? Ghouldilocks. .... http://tinyurl.com/lyo54q
7:53 PM - 12 Jul 2009
Google Books
Horrid Henry’s Joke Book
By Francesca Simon
Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2010
Pg. 6:
Which monster ate the three bears’ porridge?
Ghouldilocks.
Google Books
Insults Anywhere Kids Presents
Joke Book Of The Living Dead
By Franklin Yantz
Insults Anywhere
2014
Pg. ?:
Which vampire ate the three bears porridge ?
Ghouldilocks !
Twitter
Lucky Score
@LuckyScoreNet
Which ghost ate too much porridge?
Ghouldilocks.
#Joke from #GhostJokes in #Jokes, #Humor and #Satire
10:48 PM - 25 Apr 2018
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
Recent entries:
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“Online flirting is all fun and games until someone buys a plane ticket” (5/27)
•
“Only in America can you get arrested for feeding the homeless & be sentenced to community service” (5/27)
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“In Texas, the shortest distance between two points is likely under construction” (5/27)
•
“New York is the only town where the shortest distance between two points is under construction” (5/27)
•
Entry in progress—BP (5/26)
More new entries...
Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
This site is edited by Barry Popik.