Harriette Taylor Treadwell

Three Billy Goats Gruff

Once there were three billy goats.

There was Little Billy Goat Gruff.

There was Big Billy Goat Gruff.

And there was Great Big Billy Goat Gruff.

The goats' home was by a bridge.

Over the bridge was a hillside.

There was grass on the hillside.

The billy goats wanted the grass.

They wanted to eat it.

They wanted to get fat.

Little Billy Goat Gruff said, "I will go over the bridge."

Great Big Billy Goat said, "A big troll is under the bridge. Trolls eat billy goats."

Little Billy Goat Gruff said, "The troll will not eat me. Trolls do not eat little billy goats."

Little Billy Goat Gruff went on the bridge.

The bridge said, "Trip-trip."

The troll said, "Who trips over my bridge?"

"Little Billy Goat Gruff trips over the bridge."

"Why do you trip over my bridge?"

"I want to eat the grass on the hillside."

"You shall not trip over my bridge. I will eat you."

"Do not eat me. Big Billy Goat Gruff will come. You can eat him."

"Go on, then," said the troll.

"Trip-trip, trip-trip, trip-trip."

And little Billy Goat Gruff went to the hillside.

Big Billy Goat Gruff said, "The troll did not eat little Billy. I will go over the bridge."

Big Billy Goat Gruff went on the bridge.

"Trip-trip, trip-trip," said the bridge.

The troll said, "Who trips over my bridge?"

"Big Billy Goat Gruff trips over the bridge."

"Why do you trip over my bridge?"

"I want to eat the grass on the hillside."

"You shall not eat the grass. I will eat you."

"Do not eat me. Great Big Billy Goat Gruff is big. He will come over the bridge. You can eat him."

"Go on, then," said the troll.

"Trip-trip, trip-trip, trip-trip."

And Big Billy Goat Gruff went to the hillside.

Great Big Billy Goat Gruff said, "I will go over the bridge. I can make the troll run."

Great Big Billy Goat Gruff went on the bridge.

The bridge said, "Trip-trip, trip-trip, trip-trip."

The troll said, "Who trips over my bridge?"

"Great Big Billy Goat Gruff trips over the bridge."

"Why do you trip over my bridge?"

"I want to eat the grass on the hillside."

"You shall not trip over my bridge. I will eat you."

Great Big Billy Goat Gruff said,

"Come from under the bridge.

I want to see you.

I want you to see me.

I want you to see my big horns."

The troll came from under the bridge.

He saw Great Big Billy Goat Gruff.

He saw his big horns.

Great Big Billy Goat Gruff ran at the troll with his horns.

The troll fell into the water.

Then Great Big Billy Goat Gruff went to the hillside.

The billy goats ate the grass.

And they got fat.