Three Billy Goats Gruff is a famous traditional fairy tale of Norwegian origin, in which three goats cross a bridge, under which is a fearsome troll who tries to prevent them from crossing it. Three Billy Goats Gruff is an "eat-me-when-I'm-fatter" tale (Aarne-Thompson type 122E). The fairy tale was collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in their Norske Folkeeventyr. A fairy tale is a story, either told to children or as if told to children, concerning the adventures of mythical characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and others. ... For other uses of the term, see goat (disambiguation). ... Trolls with an abducted princess (John Bauer, 1915). ... Antti Amatus Aarne (1867 - 1925) was a Finnish folklorist, who developed the initial version of what became the Aarne-Thompson classification system of classifying folktales, first published in 1910. ... Antti Amatus Aarne (December 5, 1867 – February 2, 1925) was a Finnish folklorist. ... Peter Christian Asbjørnsen (1812-1885) was a Norwegian writer who together with Jørgen Moe compiled and edited an authoritative collection of Norwegian folk tales. ... Jørgen Moe (1813-1882) was, through his collaboration with Peter Christian Asbjørnsen, responsible for collecting and editing Norwegian folk tales, Norske Folkeeventyr. ... Norske Folkeeventyr (Norwegian Folktales) is a collection of Norwegian folktales and legends by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. ...

Synopsis

Three billy goats live on one side of a stream. They look at the grass on the other side of the stream and decide that it is greener. The only way to cross the stream is over a bridge, under which lives a troll. The three goats cross the bridge one at a time, from the smallest to the largest. The first two goats are confronted by the troll, but persuade him to let them go by telling him that they are smaller than the next goat and will make an inferior meal. When the third goat crosses the bridge, the troll attempts to capture it. The troll is powerless against the strength of the Big Billy Goat Gruff, who easily butts the troll high into the air and into the deep, fast-flowing river, where it drowns. The three goats are then free to eat the delicious grass on the other side of the river, and to cross the bridge any time. The rule of three is a principle in writing that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things. ... Trolls with an abducted princess (John Bauer, 1915). ...

In other media

• In the Fables comic book created by Bill Willingham, it is revealed that the witch from Hansel and Gretel enchanted the goats to battle the troll. At least one escaped the Adversary and lives up at the Farm. The troll is a more important character; he is the sleeping security guard in the Fabletown's apartment complex and is named Grimble.
• In the episode Treehouse of Horror XI of The Simpsons, Bart and Lisa respectively are seen as Hansel and Gretel. Lisa has a book of fairy tales to stay one step ahead, but they come to a bridge. Lisa warns Bart there is a troll living under the bridge, like in the Three Billy Goats Gruff, and the troll resembles Moe Syzlak. He jumps out to scare "Hansel" and "Gretel", but then says, "I came on too strong again! I am so lonely!"
• In the episode Troll Bridge of the Real Ghostbusters series, the Ghostbusters have to deal with a bunch of nefarious Trolls blocking one of New York's main bridges.
• In the Elder Scrolls game Oblivion there is a "bridge troll" that commits suicide because he thinks he "isn't scary enough." The troll's body is found floating under the bridge with a suicide note.
• The story was adapted into a popular children's musical at Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia in the summer of 2007. It was called "Billy, Goat, & Gruff: The Musical" and was written by Gwen Edwards and Ben Mackel.

Fables is a Vertigo comic book series created and written by Bill Willingham. ... Bill Willingham (born December 1956 in Fort Belvoir, Virginia) is an American writer and artist of comic books. ... Artwork by Arthur Rackham, 1909. ... Treehouse of Horror XI is the first episode of The Simpsons twelfth season, as well as the eleventh Halloween episode. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Bart and his sister Lisa as news anchors. ... Lisa Marie Simpson is a character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Yeardley Smith; Lisa is the only character Smith voices on a regular basis. ... Artwork by Arthur Rackham, 1909. ... ... The Real Ghostbusters is a cartoon series based on the hit movie Ghostbusters. ... Bethesda Softworks Elder Scrolls 10th anniversary logo from 2004. ... The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, or Oblivion, is a single player fantasy-themed action-oriented computer role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks and the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary 2K Games. ... Barter Theatre The Barter Theatre, located in Abingdon, Virginia, opened on June 10, 1933. ...

External links

• SurLaLune website: annotated Three Billy Goats Gruff in the version from Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe, Popular Tales from the Norse George Webbe Dasent, translator. Edinburgh: David Douglass, 1888.
• Three Billy Goats Gruff with other regional variations and 122E stories.