Once upon a time there were three billy goats, who
were to go up to the hillside to make themselves fat, and the name of all three
was "Gruff."
On the way up was
a bridge over a cascading stream they had to cross; and under the bridge lived
a great ugly troll, with 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, and 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 curling-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, and poked his eyes out with his horns, and crushed him to
bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into the cascade, and 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.
