The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Where there's a will, there's a way, and for these three goats, the way is just over the bride! In this lively edition of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, join Rae Wilson as we venture over the bridge to greener pastures. Perfectly paced for a mid-day break or story time at home, this version is designed to keep listeners entertained.

While parenting styles and social norms have evolved since these fables were first told, the lessons they teach—about kindness, hard work, and honesty—remain as relevant as ever.


Music in this episode is created by:

"Frost Waltz (Alternate)" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Lazy Grin" David Renda (fesliyanstudios.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to Forget Me Not Fairy Tales. Classic stories for book lovers of all ages. The three Billy Goats Grub. Story collected by Peter Kristen Adsportsen and Jorn Moe. 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 burn 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 Grub to cross the bridge. Trip trap trip trap went the bridge. Who's that tripping over my bridge? roared the troll.

SPEAKER_01 1:18

Oh it is only I, the tiniest billy goat grub. And I'm going up to the hillside to make myself fat, said the billy goat with such a small voice.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

Now I'm coming to gobble you up, said the troll.

SPEAKER_01 1:40

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.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

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 groat, 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? 'Tis 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 so he flew at the troll, poked his eyes out with his horns, and crushed him to bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into the burden. And after that, he went up to the hillside. There, the billy goats got so fat they were scarce 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. Fairy tales contain many morals. One lesson from this story is Don't be a bully. Picking on others just because they are smaller is not kind and can lead to trouble. Remember, you are always smaller than someone else, and you don't want them to pick on you. Thanks for listening. If you'd like a cosier version of this story, become a member.