Once upon a time, high up in the mountains, lived three billy goats. There was Big Billy Goat Gruff, Middle Billy Goat Gruff, and Little Billy Goat Gruff. They loved to eat the sweet, green grass on the other side of the bridge, but to get there, they had to cross a bridge guarded by a troll!
The troll wasn't a *mean* troll, but he was a very lonely troll. He grumbled a lot and liked to make loud noises to scare people away. He thought if he scared everyone, they wouldn’t bother him. Big Billy Goat Gruff decided to go first. He was very brave!
“Trip, trap, trip, trap!” went Big Billy Goat Gruff’s hooves on the bridge. The troll jumped up! “WHO GOES THERE?” he roared. Big Billy Goat Gruff didn’t get scared. He said, “It is I, Big Billy Goat Gruff, and I need to cross the bridge to get to the yummy grass.”
The troll said, “I might let you pass… if you’re strong enough to wrestle me!” Big Billy Goat Gruff was strong, but he didn’t want to wrestle. He said, “Mr. Troll, why are you so grumpy?” The troll was surprised. No one had ever *asked* him that before.
“Because… I’m lonely,” mumbled the troll. Big Billy Goat Gruff thought for a moment. Then he said, “Maybe if you had a friend, you wouldn’t be so lonely.” Just then, Middle Billy Goat Gruff and Little Billy Goat Gruff came to the bridge.
Middle Billy Goat Gruff said, “We brought you some wildflowers, Mr. Troll! We thought they might cheer you up.” Little Billy Goat Gruff offered the troll a juicy red apple. The troll’s eyes widened. He had never received a gift before.
He took the flowers and the apple, and a tiny smile appeared on his face. “Well,” he said, “I suppose you can all cross the bridge. And… maybe we can all be friends?” The three billy goats were delighted! They all crossed the bridge together, and the troll wasn’t grumpy anymore.
They all ate the sweet, green grass and chatted with the troll. The troll learned that being kind was much more fun than being scary. And the billy goats learned that even someone who seems grumpy might just need a friend. From that day on, the bridge wasn’t a scary place at all, but a place for friendship and yummy grass!