THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF
(Frank Luther, based on the traditional Norwegian fairy tale)


Frank Luther - 1947





This is the story of the three billy goats Gruff

On a bluff, on a bluff, there lived three billy goats Gruff
Little billy goat, middle billy goat, great big billy goat Gruff

Every day, every day, they'd run and jump and play
Little billy goat, middle billy goat, great big billy goat Gruff

They'd run and run, and run and run, and run and run and run
They'd hop and hop, and hop and hop, you'd think they'd never stop

On a bluff, on a bluff, there lived three billy goats Gruff
Little billy goat, middle billy goat, great big billy goat Gruff

Across the river bridge was a meadow full of green, green grass
Under the bridge there lived a big, bad troll
And all day long he'd sit under the bridge and sing his bad troll song

I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol, I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol
I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol, fol-dee-rol-dee-rullee
I have three heads and I have three hats
I have three chins and I have three cats
I have six eyes and I have six ears
When I cry, I cry six tears

One day the three billy goats Gruff eat the last of the grass on their bluff
So, they decided to go over the bridge to the green, green meadow
With the red, red roses, where they could eat the green, green grass
Until they'd nearly burst
So, little billy goat Gruff started trip-trap, trip-trap
Over the rickety-rackety bridge

Trip-trap, trip-trap, hop and skip, hop and skip
But just when he reached the middle of the bridge
The big, bad troll stuck his head up and said
"Who's that trip-trapping over my bridge"
Little billy goat Gruff said, "It is I, little billy goat Gruff"
The big, bad troll said, "I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol, I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol
I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol and I'll eat you for supper"
Little billy goat gruff said, "Oh, Mister Toll, I'm so little
I wouldn't make even a sandwich for you
Wait for my brother who's coming right behind
He's much bigger than I am"

Well, the big bad troll said who would
So, little billy goat Gruff went trip-trap, trip-trap
Over the rickety-rackety bridge
Trip-trap, trip-trap, hop and skip, hop and skip
Clippity-clop, hoppity-hop over the rickety bridge

When little billy goat Gruff was safely across the bridge
Middle billy goat Gruff started trip-trap, trip-trap
Over the rickety-rackety bridge

Trip-trap, trip-trap, hop and skip, hop and skip
But just when he reached the middle of the bridge
The big, bad troll stuck his head up and said
"Who's that trip-trapping over my bridge"
The goat said, "It is I, middle billy goat Gruff"
The troll said, "I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol, I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol
I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol and I'll eat you for supper"
Middle billy goat Gruff said, "Oh, Mister Troll, I'm so little
I wouldn't make even a mouthful for you
Wait for my brother who's coming right behind
He's much bigger than I am"

The big bad troll said who would
So, middle billy goat Gruff went trip-trap, trip-trap
Over the rickety-rackety bridge
Trip-trap, trip-trap, hop and skip, hop and skip
Clippity-clop, hippity-hop over the rickety bridge

When middle billy goat Gruff was safely over the bridge
The great big billy goat Gruff started trip-trap, trip-trap
Over the rickety-rackety bridge

Tripp-trapp, tripp-trapp, hop and skip, hop and skip
But just when he reached the middle of the bridge
The big, bad troll stuck his head up and said
"Who's that trip-trapping over my bridge"
The goat said, "It is I, great big billy goat Gruff"
The troll said, "I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol, I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol
I'm a troll, fol-dee-rol and I'll eat you for supper"

But great big billy goat Gruff said, "Oh, no you won't, Mister Toll"
And great big billy goat Gruff put his head down, "Ba-a-a-a-a"
He put his horns out, "Ba-a-a-a-a", and he ran clickety-clackety
Rickety-lackety, slam bang and he hit that big, bad Troll  
And knocked him over the bridge, over the bushes,
Over the trees, over the hills, over the highest mountains 

So, great big billy goat Gruff went trip-trap, trip-trap
Over the rickety-rackety bridge
Trip-trap, trip-trap, hop and skip, hop and skip
Clippity-clop, hippity-hop over the rickety bridge

And so the three billy goats Gruff were over in the green, green meadow
With the red, red roses, eating the green, green grass until they nearly burst
And the big bad Troll never bothered them again
And they're the happiest billy goats Gruff you ever saw

Every day, every day, they'd run and jump and play
Little billy goat, middle billy goat, great big billy goat Gruff






(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - May 2014)