s pull sideways, and with a strong
pull too."

Yes; the Bear did as the Fox had said, and held his tail a long, long
time down in the hole, till it was fast frozen in. Then he pulled it out
with a cross pull, and it snapped short off. That's why Bruin goes about
with a stumpy tail this very day.

169

The following is from Dasent's _Popular Tales
from the Norse_ and has long been a favorite
with the younger children by reason of its
remarkable compactness and its strong
accumulative force. The Troll of northern
stories is the Ogre of those farther south. The
story has a closing formula which may often
have been used for other stories as well. (For
an opening verse formula see the note on "The
Story of the Three Little Pigs," No. 151.)

THE THREE BILLY-GOATS GRUFF

Once on a time there were three Billy-goats who were to go up to the
hillside to make themselves fat, and the name of all the 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 Gruff to cross the bridge.

"Trip, trap; trip, trap!" went the bridge.

"WHO'S THAT tripping over my bridge?" roared the Troll.

"Oh! it is only I, the tiniest billy-goat Gruff; and I'm going up to the
hill-side to make myself fat," said the billy-goat, with such a small
voice.

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

"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; 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 hill-side
to make myself fat," said the billy-goat, 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 creake