Once upon a time, there were three billy goats, and their last name was Gruff. There was the littlest Billy Goat Gruff, the middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff, and the great big Billy Goat Gruff.

All three goats wanted to go up to the hillside to eat the sweet green grass and make themselves fat. But on the way, they had to cross a bridge over a rushing river.

And under that bridge lived a terrible troll. He had eyes as big as saucers and a nose as long as a poker.

The littlest Billy Goat Gruff was the first to cross the bridge. Trip, trap, trip, trap, went his little hooves on the wooden planks.

"WHO'S THAT TRIP-TRAPPING OVER MY BRIDGE?" roared the troll.

"Oh, it's only me, the littlest Billy Goat Gruff," said the goat in his tiny voice. "I'm going up to the hillside to eat the sweet grass."

"I'm coming to gobble you up!" said the troll.

"Oh no, please don't eat me. I'm so small, I'm hardly a mouthful. Wait for my brother — he's much bigger than me."

"Well then, be off with you," grumbled the troll.

So the littlest Billy Goat Gruff crossed the bridge. Trip, trap, trip, trap.

Next came the middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff. TRIP, TRAP, TRIP, TRAP, went his hooves on the bridge.

"WHO'S THAT TRIP-TRAPPING OVER MY BRIDGE?" roared the troll.

"It's me, the middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff, going up to the hillside to eat the sweet grass."

"I'm coming to gobble you up!" said the troll.

"Oh no, don't eat me. Wait for my brother — he's much, much bigger than me."

"Very well, be off with you!" said the troll.

So the middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff crossed the bridge. TRIP, TRAP, TRIP, TRAP.

Then came the great big Billy Goat Gruff. TRIP, TRAP, TRIP, TRAP! The bridge groaned and creaked under his weight.

"WHO'S THAT TRIP-TRAPPING OVER MY BRIDGE?" thundered the troll.

"IT IS I! THE GREAT BIG BILLY GOAT GRUFF!" said the goat in a voice just as loud as the troll's.

"I'm coming to gobble you up!" snarled the troll, and he climbed onto the bridge with his horrible claws and his terrible teeth.

But the great big Billy Goat Gruff lowered his head and charged. He butted that troll so hard that he flew up into the air, over the railing, and splash — down into the rushing river. And the river carried the troll away, and nobody ever saw him again.

Then the great big Billy Goat Gruff crossed the bridge. TRIP, TRAP, TRIP, TRAP!

And the three Billy Goats Gruff went up to the hillside, where they ate the sweet green grass and got so fat they could hardly walk home again.

Snip, snap, snout. This tale's told out.