Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird by Vivian Vande Velde

Author:Vivian Vande Velde
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published: 2012-04-21T07:59:30.977000+00:00

SEVEN

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EIGHT

The Bridge

Once upon a time before there were toll bridges, there were troll bridges.

One day three billy goat brothers were munching on the tall, sweet grass on the south side of a river, when the smallest and youngest ot the billy goats happened to look up and notice that the grass on the north side of the river was taller yet and looked even sweeter. So the smallest billy goat headed off across the bridge, his tiny hooves going click-click over the wooden boards.

When he got halfway across, however, a long, skinny, hairy hand reached out from underneath the bridge and grabbed hold of his leg.

"Mmmm," a troll voice said, and the smallest billy goat could hear the smacking of troll lips. "This looks like a tasty treat for a midmorning snack."

"Oh, please don't eat me," the smallest billy goat pleaded. "I'm so small and skinny, it would hardly be worth the effort of eating me."

"A mouthful is better than none," the troll said, dragging the smallest billy goat closer and closer to the edge of the bridge.

"Yes, but," the smallest billy goat said, catching a glimpse of yellow troll eyes and sharp troll teeth, "my older brother, who's much bigger than I am, is right behind me. If you eat me, he's sure to see, and he'll never come across. If you let me go, you can eat him."

The troll looked over the smallest billy goat's shoulder and saw that there was, indeed, a somewhat larger billy goat approaching. The troll licked the smallest billy goat's leg but then let him go.

The smallest billy goat trotted across the bridge as fast as his skinny legs would carry him.

The middle billy goat—who was middle both in size and age—had noticed the tall, sweet-looking grass on the north side of the river, and now he saw his brother was there. So the middle billy goat headed off across the bridge, his medium-size hooves going tap-tap over the wooden boards.

When he got halfway across, however, a long, skinny, hairy hand reached out from underneath the bridge and grabbed hold of his leg.

"Mmmm," a troll voice said, and the middle billy goat could hear the smacking of troll lips. "This looks like a tasty treat for lunch."

"Oh, please don't eat me," the middle billy goat pleaded. "I'm so small and skinny, it would hardly be worth the effort of eating me."

"Two mouthfuls is better than none," the troll said, dragging the middle billy goat closer and closer to the edge of the bridge.

"Yes, but," the middle billy goat said, catching a glimpse of yellow troll eyes and sharp troll teeth, "my oldest brother, who's much, much bigger than I am, is right behind me. If you eat me, he's sure to see and he'll never come across. If you let me go, you can eat him.

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