Jørgen Engebretsen Moe (1813–1882)

Three-time Caldecott medalist Marcia Brown, who was particularly known for her folkloric retellings, turns in this picture-book to the traditional Norwegian tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. On their way to mountain pastures in order to fatten up, the eponymous caprine siblings trip over a wooden bridge, one by one, each threatened by the fearsome troll living under the bridge, who wishes to eat them up. The two younger escape by promising a better meal, in the next Billy Goat Gruff, but the eldest makes good use of his horns, and finishes the troll off...

Originally published in 1841 as De tre bukkene Bruse, as part of Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Engebretsen Moe's Norske Folkeeventyr (Norwegian Folktales), this classic story was first translated into English in 1859 by George Webbe Dasent, as part of his Popular Tales from the Norse. Since that time it has become a beloved story in the Anglophone world, and there are countless retellings of it. This presentation of the tale uses the Dasent translation, pairing it with Brown's artwork. Although I don't have a strong attachment to this particular story - it wasn't one of my childhood favorites - I do enjoy it, and am always curious to see how different artists interpret the troll. Brown's troll is an interesting one, with a deep brown hue that matches the nearby trees, a long nose and long fingers, and jagged teeth. He manages to stand out, while also seeming like a natural extension of the woodland around him.

All in all, an enjoyable retelling of this well-known tale, one I would recommend to young folklore enthusiasts, and to fans of Marcia Brown's artwork.… (mehr)