What have in common
Royal Scots Regiment's Goat Major
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Norwegian fairy tale "Three Billy Goats Gruff"
A young soldier of the Royal Scots Regiment holding a black goat kid.
Western Front during the First World War,1918.
National Library History
As the French farmers were forced to flee their homes many animals were inevitably abandoned.
Some undoubtedly ended up in the cooking pot, but others like this kid seem to have been adopted.
The regiment has traditionally had a goat. The tradition dates from at least 1775, and possibly from the regiment's formation.
The goat is given full honours of a corporal by all ranks and attended to by the Goat Major.
The goat is the only serving member of the Armed Forces which is still entitled to the cigarette ration as it is good for his digestion.
Royal Scots Regiment
National Library History
A fully uniformed soldier wearing a flat cap and puttees is looking into the camera. He is holding a leash on the end of which is the fluffiest white goat with a huge set of dangerous looking curved horns.
The goat is always named 'Billy'.
Something more than good luck and goats!
"Three Billy Goats Gruff"
'De tre bukkene Bruse' in Norwegian
Collected by Peter Christen Asbjornsen and Jorgen Moe in their Norske Folkeeventyr, 1841-1844.
It has an "Eat-me-when-I'm-fatter" plot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO-5KgcfHmI
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
folktales of Aarne-Thompson
Once upon a time there were three billy goats, who were to go up to the hillside to make themselves fat, and the name of all three was "Gruff."
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 Billy Goat Gruff 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 Billy Goat Gruff , and I'm going up to the hillside to make myself fat," said the billy goat, 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 billy goat. "Wait a bit till the second Billy Goat Gruff comes. He's much bigger."
"Well, be off with you," said the troll.
A little while after came the second Billy Goat Gruff 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 Billy Goat Gruff , and I'm going up to the hillside to make myself fat," said the billy goat, 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 Billy Goat Gruff comes. He's much bigger."
"Very well! Be off with you," said the troll.
But just then up came the big Billy Goat Gruff .
Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap! went the bridge, for the billy goat was so heavy that the bridge creaked and groaned under him.
"Who's that tramping over my bridge?" roared the troll.
"It's I! The big Billy Goat Gruff ," said the billy goat, 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. |
There the billy goats got so fat they were scarcely able to walk home again.
And if the fat hasn't fallen off them, why, they're still fat; and so,
| Snip, snap, snout. This tale's told out. |
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0122e.html
