Once upon a time there were three Generals, who were to go up to Iraq to make themselves victorious, and the name of all three was "George's General."
On the way up was a bridge over a cascading stream 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 military man, George's General 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 military man, George's General, and I'm going up to Iraq to make myself victorious," said the military man, 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 military man. "Wait a bit till the second military man, George's General comes. He's much bigger."
"Well, be off with you," said the troll.
A little while after came the second military man, George's General 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 military man, George's General, and I'm going up to Iraq to make myself victorious," said the military man, 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 military man, George's General comes. He's much bigger."
"Very well! Be off with you," said the troll.
But just then up came the big military man, George's General.
Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap! went the bridge, for the military man was so heavily overconfident that the bridge creaked and groaned under him.
"Who's that tramping over my bridge?" roared the troll.
"It's I! The big military man, George's General," said the military man, who had an ugly hoarse voice of his own.
"Now I'm coming to gobble you up," roared the troll.
Well, come along! I've got two spears,
And I'll poke your eyeballs out at your ears;
I've got besides two curling-stones,
And I'll crush you to bits, body and bones.
That was what the big military man said. And then he flew at the troll, and poked his eyes out with his horns, and crushed him to bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into the cascade, and after that he went up to Iraq.
George's General forgot to watch his back though, and before you could say "trip trap" again, more trolls were swarming out from under the bridge. They pummeled George's General, and bloodied his nose, and so his boss "retired" him too.
The trolls, being trolls, forgot what they were doing, and went back to bashing each other over the head, and vying for the best place under the bridge. They knew, that sooner or later, the king would send another of George's Generals; and so,
Snip, snap, snout.
This tale's told out.
(Adapted from Three Billy Goats Gruff)