“Well! be off with you,” said the Troll.
A little while after came the second Billy Goat Gruff
across the bridge.
“Trip, trap! trip, trap! trip, trap!”
went the bridge.
“Who is 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. Nor had he such
a small voice, either.
“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 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 on my bridge?”
roared the Troll.
“It’s I! the big Billy Goat Gruff,”
said the Billy Goat, and he had a big hoarse voice.
“Now, I’m coming to gobble you up!”
roared the troll.
“Well come! I have two spears
so stout, With them I’ll thrust your eyeballs
out; I have besides two great big stones, With
them I’ll crush you body and bones!”
That was what the big Billy Goat said; so he flew
at the Troll, and thrust him with his horns, and crushed
him to bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into
the river, and after that he went up to the hillside.
There the Billy Goats got so fat that they were scarcely
able to walk home again, and if they haven’t
grown thinner, why they’re still fat; and so,—
“Snip, snap, stout.
This tale’s told out.”
Once on a time there was a King who had a daughter,
and she was so lovely that her good looks were well
known far and near. But she was so sad and serious
she could never be got to laugh, and besides, she was
so high and mighty that she said “No”
to all who came to woo her. She would have none
of them, were they ever so grand—lords or
princes,—it was all the same.
The King had long ago become tired of this, for he
thought she might just as well marry; she, too, like
all other people. There was no use in waiting;
she was quite old enough, nor would she be any richer,
for she was to have half the kingdom,—that
came to her as her mother’s heir.
So he had word sent throughout the kingdom, that anyone
who could get his daughter to laugh should have her
for his wife and half the kingdom besides. But,
if there was anyone who tried and could not, he was
to have a sound thrashing. And sure it was that
there were many sore backs in that kingdom, for lovers
and wooers came from north and south, and east and
west, thinking it nothing at all to make a King’s
daughter laugh. And gay fellows they were, some
of them too, but for all their tricks and capers there
sat the Princess, just as sad and serious as she had
been before.
