Caitlyn Lucey

Mrs. Durban

March 6, y
English 4

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Throughout the years the Norwegian fairy tale, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, has been
adapted numerous times. Through each adaption the story changes a little bit, they have all been
able to keep a psychological and gender critical view point. There are three major adaptations of
this popular story, one is from Norway and the other two originated in Germany and Poland. All
three of these adaptations show viewpoints in a Psychological and feminist lens.
The most popular and well known of the three is the Norwegian adaption by Peter
Christian Asbjrnsen and Jorgen Moe, the story was written in 1845. In this version, three billy
goats attempt to cross a bridge to get to greener pastures and each are confronted by a hungry
troll, living under the bridge. As each billy goat ventures across the bridge, they use their wit to
outsmart the troll and cross. In this adaption, the troll is not given a specific gender. Modern day
readers will view the troll as male, based off of the its appearance and demeanor. "A great ugly
troll , with eyes as big as saucers, and a nose as long as a poker." (Asbjrnsen and Moe) During

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the era this tale was written, female characters were portrayed as pleasant, tiny, fragile and
helpless; none of these are used to describe this troll.
The second most popular adaption, written by Karl Haupt, originated in Poland. This
version of the tale uses the same story line but uses a big bad wolf instead of a hideous troll. The
first two billy goats used their quick wit to pass, preying on the wolf's greediness. The wolf
allowed each one to pass in hopes of a bigger meal. Because of the wolf's greed and want for a
bigger meal he allowed the first two goats to pass. In the end, when the largest of the billy goats
came to pass, he didn't use his wit, he used his strength to overpower the wolf leaving him
hungry, hurt and broken. "He wanted the biggest and fattest mouthful, but instead got nothing -but pain." (Haupt) This version of the tale portrayed the wolf's psyche as one full of greed and
want.
The last of the three adaptations was written in Germany by Aldalbert Kuhn. It follows the
same storyline as the previous two. Though, unlike the previous two, both lenses are
prominently portrayed in this version. Elements of gender/feminism lens and psychological lens
are used. In this adapted tale, the billy goats are a family comprised of a baby boy, mother and
father. The father is the last goat to pass through the forest, fulfilling his role as a father and
protector he intimidates the wolf and scares him off. As in most fairy tales, the father is the
protector, one who is strong, brave and heroic. He lived up to these expectations by frightening
the wolf with his massive horns and shear size. "He was about to spring on him and grab him by
the throat when two things caught his attention: the ram's spikes and his bag. (Kuhn) This wolf
differs from the wolf in the previous tale by his psychological state. The first wolf was full of
greed and want, as is this one, but the first one was brave and stayed for the fight, this wolf took
off in fear.

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All three of these main adaptations of The Three Billy Goats Gruff have a central viewpoint
of feminism/gender, psychological, or a mixture of both. Through the years and different
versions of this fun, classical tale the story has changes slightly from author to author. One thing
that has been kept constant is its message on greed/want and feminism/gender generalizations.

Works Cited:
Adalbert Kuhn, "Wie die Ziegen nach Hessen gekommen sind," Sagen Gebruche und
Mrchen aus Westfalen und einigen andern, besonders den angrenzenden Gegenden
Norddeutschlands (Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus, 1859), v. 2, pp. 250-251. Translated by D. L.
Ashliman. Web. 03 Mar. 2016
Karl Haupt, "Die drei Ziegen," Sagenbuch der Lausitz, v. 2 (Leipzig: Verlag von Wilhelm
Engelmann, 1863), no. 320, p. 222. Web. 03 Mar. 2016
Padgett, John B. "Critical Approaches to Literature." --- CRITICAL APPROACHES TO
LITERATURE ---. N.p., 1997. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.
Peter Christen Asbjrnsen and Jrgen, Norske Folkeeventyr, translated by George Webbe
Dasent in Popular Tales from the Norse, 2nd edition (London: George Routledge and Sons, n.d.),
no. 37, pp. 275-276. Translation revised by D. L. Ashliman. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.
"Three Billy Goats Gruff." Three Billy Goats Gruff. Trans. D. L. Ashliman. N.p., 2000.
Web. 03 Mar. 2016.

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