Decided that winter had lasted enough
So they went to the bridge leading to grasses so sweet
A pass claimed by a huge troll with nothing to eat
Little goat was first to brave the bridge and beneath
The beast rose from the darkness, showing its teeth
“Wait for my brother, the next one's much fatter”
Troll’s belly growled and that settled the matter
Middle goat came next and made the same plea
“Wait for my brother, he’s much bigger than me”
The troll wiped his mouth and just stepped to the side
Middle goat didn’t notice where his small brother died
Now the troll, prewarned of a brother the grandest
Rigged up the bridge planks as he carefully planned it
When the goat came to cross, his horns low for the fight
He charged hard at the troll, who stepped off to the right
Just in time and big goat ran right into the trap
Which almost worked perfect except for the strap
So instead of being tripped up and hung in the crash
Big goat fell in midstream with a mighty big splash
And a sharp ancient rock cracked his heavy skull clean
Then the cold current water washed away what was seen
“Wait for my brother, the next one's much fatter”
Troll’s belly growled and that settled the matter
Middle goat came next and made the same plea
“Wait for my brother, he’s much bigger than me”
The troll wiped his mouth and just stepped to the side
Middle goat didn’t notice where his small brother died
Now the troll, prewarned of a brother the grandest
Rigged up the bridge planks as he carefully planned it
When the goat came to cross, his horns low for the fight
He charged hard at the troll, who stepped off to the right
Just in time and big goat ran right into the trap
Which almost worked perfect except for the strap
So instead of being tripped up and hung in the crash
Big goat fell in midstream with a mighty big splash
And a sharp ancient rock cracked his heavy skull clean
Then the cold current water washed away what was seen
The troll eyed his lost food and furrowed his brow
He sat down on his bridge and was hungrier now
Middle goat filled his belly and counted the hours
Chewing the clover and smelling the flowers
Then at dusk he crept down from the big hill of grass
Setting his hooves on the bridge, attempting to pass
“Who’s that trip-trapping across my bridge?”
Said the troll, to the goat who came down from the ridge
"Wait,” said the goat, “my brothers follow, they’re fat”
He bleated out weak, staring down through the slats
'No brothers...” said the troll, as he smiled to gloat
And that was the end of the once middle goat
_
Pikthall is a writer and theoretician.
He sat down on his bridge and was hungrier now
Middle goat filled his belly and counted the hours
Chewing the clover and smelling the flowers
Then at dusk he crept down from the big hill of grass
Setting his hooves on the bridge, attempting to pass
“Who’s that trip-trapping across my bridge?”
Said the troll, to the goat who came down from the ridge
"Wait,” said the goat, “my brothers follow, they’re fat”
He bleated out weak, staring down through the slats
'No brothers...” said the troll, as he smiled to gloat
And that was the end of the once middle goat
_
Pikthall is a writer and theoretician.
** "Trip-Trapped" is an adaptive reimagining of the classic folktale "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" and was composed over the course of ten days with help from my five year old daughter.
