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Once upon a time there were three goats who lived together up in the high mountains.
They were all called Billy Goat Gruff.
There was the little Billy Goat Gruff.
There was the middle Billy Goat Gruff.
And then there was the big Billy Goat Gruff.
One summer morning, the three goats stood looking across to the other side of the valley.
Over there lay a green meadow with the juiciest grass you could imagine.
“Look at all that grass!” said the little Billy Goat Gruff.
“It looks lovely,” said the middle Billy Goat Gruff.
“Then let’s go over there and eat until we’re big and strong,” said the big Billy Goat Gruff.
But there was a problem.
To get to the meadow, they had to cross an old wooden bridge over the roaring river.
And under that bridge lived a troll.
A big, ugly troll with eyes as big as dinner plates and a nose as long as a broomstick.
The troll did not like it when anyone walked across his bridge.
But the three Billy Goats Gruff were hungry.
So the little Billy Goat Gruff went first.
Trip, trap.
Trip, trap.
Trip, trap.
His little hooves clattered against the wooden bridge.
Suddenly a deep voice came from the darkness under the bridge:
“WHO IS THAT TRAMPING ON MY BRIDGE?”
The little Billy Goat Gruff stopped.
“Oh, it’s only me. The smallest Billy Goat Gruff. I’m going over to the meadow to eat until I’m big and fat.”
The troll stuck his big head out from under the bridge.
“Then I’m coming up to eat you!”
“Oh no, please don’t,” said the little Billy Goat Gruff. “I’m so small that there’s hardly any meat on me. You’d do better to wait for my big brother. He’ll be along in a little while.”
The troll thought it over.
A bigger goat did sound better, after all.
“Oh, very well, off you go!” grumbled the troll.
The little Billy Goat Gruff hurried across the rest of the bridge.
Soon he was standing safely on the other side, eating the green grass.
Then came the middle Billy Goat Gruff.
Trip, trap.
Trip, trap.
TRIP, TRAP.
His hooves sounded a little heavier on the old planks of the bridge.
The troll heard him right away.
“WHO IS THAT TRAMPING ON MY BRIDGE?”
“It’s me,” said the middle Billy Goat Gruff. “I’m going over to the meadow to eat until I’m big and fat.”
The troll crawled out of his hiding place.
“Then I’m coming up to eat you!”
“No, no,” said the middle Billy Goat Gruff. “You mustn’t eat me. Just wait a little. My big brother is coming after me. He is much bigger than I am.”
The troll licked his lips.
An even bigger goat?
That sounded good.
“Oh, very well, off you go!” said the troll.
The middle Billy Goat Gruff hurried across the bridge and joined his little brother in the meadow.
The two goats ate the juicy grass.
But all the while they kept looking back toward the bridge.
For now their big brother was missing.
It wasn’t long.
Then came the big Billy Goat Gruff.
TRIP, TRAP.
TRIP, TRAP.
TRIP, TRAP!
His big hooves struck the wood so hard that the whole bridge shook.
The troll jumped up.
“WHO IS THAT TRAMPING ON MY BRIDGE?”
The big Billy Goat Gruff stopped in the middle of the bridge.
“IT’S ME!” he bleated in his deep voice.
The troll stuck out his head.
“Then I’m coming up to eat you!”
But the big Billy Goat Gruff did not run away.
He stood perfectly still.
He scraped one hoof against the planks of the bridge.
And then he lowered his head, so that his big, strong horns pointed straight at the troll.
“Come on, then!” said the big Billy Goat Gruff.
The troll climbed up onto the bridge.
He stretched out his long arms and ran at the goat.
But the big Billy Goat Gruff charged.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
His hooves hammered against the bridge.
The troll barely had time to understand what was happening.
BAM!
The big Billy Goat Gruff hit the troll with his strong horns.
The troll flew backwards through the air.
“AAAAAAAH!”
SPLASH!
Right into the roaring river.
The water seized the troll and carried him farther and farther away.
Soon the big Billy Goat Gruff couldn’t see him anymore.
He shook himself, lifted his head, and calmly continued across the bridge.
Trip, trap.
Trip, trap.
On the other side, his two brothers were waiting.
And together the three Billy Goats Gruff walked up to the meadow.
There was green grass as far as the eye could see.
They ate and ate.
The little Billy Goat Gruff grew round in the belly.
The middle Billy Goat Gruff grew big and strong.
And the big Billy Goat Gruff ate more than the two of them together.
And if they haven’t had enough yet…
then they’re probably still walking around the meadow, eating.
Snip, snap, snout, and that’s the story out.
