The
Three Billy Goats Gruff
Once upon a time there were three
billy goats. The name of all three was “Gruff”. They were going up to the
hillside to make themselves fat.
On the way up was a bridge over a
cascading stream they had to cross. Under the bridge lived a great ugly troll. It
had eyes as big as saucers, and a nose as long as a poker.
So first of all came the youngest
Billy Goat Gruff to cross the bridge.
“Trip, trap, trip, trap!” went the
bridge.
“Who’s that tripping over my bridge?”
roared the troll.
“Oh, it is only I, the tiniest Billy
Goat Gruff. I’m going up to the hillside to make myself fat,” said the billy
goat, with such a small voice.
“Now, I’m coming to gobble you up,”
said the troll.
“Oh, no! pray don’t take me. I’m too
little, that I am,” said the billy goat. “Wait a bit till the second Billy Goat
Gruff comes. He’s much bigger.”
“Well, be off with you,” said the
troll.
A little while after came the second
Billy Goat Gruff to cross the bridge.
Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap,
went the bridge.
“Who’s that tripping over my bridge?”
roared the troll.
“Oh, it’s the second Billy Goat
Gruff, and I’m going up to the hillside to make myself fat,” said the billy
goat, who hadn’t such a small voice.
“Now I’m coming to gobble you up,”
said the troll.
“Oh, no! Don’t take me. Wait a
little till the big Billy Goat Gruff comes. He’s much bigger.”
“Very well! Be off with you,” said
the troll.
But just then up came the big Billy
Goat Gruff.
Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap!
went the bridge, for the billy goat was so heavy that the bridge creaked and
groaned under him.
“Who’s that tramping over my bridge?”
roared the troll.
“It’s I! The big Billy Goat Gruff,”
said the billy goat, who had an ugly hoarse voice of his own.
“Now I’m coming to gobble you up,”
roared the troll.
“Well, come
along! I’ve got two spears,
And I’ll poke
your eyeballs out at your ears;
I’ve got besides
two great stones,
And I’ll crush
you to bits, body and bones.”
That was what the big billy goat
said. And then he flew at the troll. He poked his eyes out with his horns, and
crushed him to bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into the cascade. After
that he went up to the hillside. There the billy goats got so fat they were
scarcely able to walk home again. And if the fat hasn’t fallen off them, why,
they’re still fat; and so,
Snip, snap,
snout.
This tale’s told
out.
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