The Fourth Billy Goat Gruff

The Fourth Billy Goat Gruff

Showed up to the bridge

Four hours too late

The goblin that had arrived

To take over the running

Of the bridge

Since the banishing

Of the troll

Who formerly held the position

Was surprised to see him

Arriving at such a tardy time

The Fourth Billy Goat Gruff

Explained that

When his three siblings left

To head out on the road

He had just started

Putting together

A fine plate of hay

And assorted grub

The next thing he knew

He had lost all track of time

And was late getting

A move on

Which was very unfortunate

But all he could do

Was double-step

As he made his way

To the bridge

Where his siblings

Had been detained

The goblin informed

The Fourth Billy Goat Gruff

That normally to cross the bridge

You’d solve a riddle

Given to you by a troll

But goblins are not known
For their riddle-giving

And so both the Fourth Billy Goat Gruff

And the goblin

Found themselves

At an impasse

‘Oh, I know!’

The goblin exclaimed

A gleam of joy

In her goblin eyes

‘I’ve got just the riddle’

The Fourth Billy Goat Gruff

Was very relieved

Because the sky

Was already turning dark

And soon he’d be

On the road at nighttime

Which is the least safe time

To be traveling

Through an enchanted land

Why, what if someone

Turned him

Into a prince?

That would be most unpleasant

‘Here’s the riddle,’

The goblin said

Rubbing its goblin hands together

Excited at the idea

Of doing something

Normally done

Only by trolls

‘Why--’ she posited ‘--Are we here?’

The Fourth Billy Goat Gruff

Was quite confused

‘Why are you and I here?’

‘No, why are we--as in all of us

Here’

This was troubling

The Fourth Billy Goat Gruff

Did not know

Why everyone

Who was everywhere

Was there

But there was no time

For over-thinking

When under-consideration

For his siblings

Had made him

Late in the first place

‘I would guess’ said the Goat

‘That we’re here

For lack of anywhere

Better

To be’

That wasn’t the right answer

But then again

There wasn’t a right

Or wrong answer

To begin with

And so the goblin

Allowed the Fourth Billy Goat Gruff

To pass

And soon enough

He met up with his siblings

And the goblin gave up

Guarding bridges

As she only knew riddles

That didn’t have proper answers

And that made her a poor replacement

For a troll

Although it did increase traffic

Along the bridge

As more people passed than ever

We suppose this story

Doesn’t have much of a moral

But like a goblin’s riddle

Not every story

Has a satisfying answer

But we suppose, like a bridge

The secret

Is just

To get over it