The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Carpenter, Stephen.  The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  HarperFestival, 1998.  Print.

Once upon a time there were three billy goats, all named Gruff.  They lived in a valley with very little grass and were very hungry.  Up the hillside there was a meadow full of grass and daisies and they wanted to go there to eat and get fat.  But to get to the other side there was a bridge and under that bridge lived a mean and ugly troll.  One by one the small and medium-sized goats cross the bridge, encounter the troll and persuade the troll to let them pass and wait for the large billy goat.  The big billy goat cross the bridge and the troll thinks that it is time for him to eat, but the big billy goat butts him with his horns, stomps the troll with his hooves and tosses him off the bridge and into the water.  The three billy goats enjoyed the meadow full of grass and daisies.

Cultural Origin:

This story comes from Norway where it was recorded in 1845 by Peter Christen Asbjorsen and Jorgen Moe.
Audience:

This story can be enjoyed by all ages in a variety of settings.  Classrooms and libraries are ideal settings.  I could also see this being possibly told at a petting zoo before children interact with live goats.

Adaptation:

This is such a classic story I do not think I would adapt in most cases.  One exception that comes to mind is if the story is being told to teen to incorporate some of their language into the story.  For instance, maybe the billy goats saying that not being able to cross the bridge is lame.