Sam The Troll

• Kelsey Bryan, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2017

One sunny day there lived a poor, starving troll called Sam, who desperately needed food. He lived under a rickety, old bridge (he used to live in the village until he was banished for eating someone’s finger). Now this troll was very nice but very underappreciated, most trolls were heartless creatures and people thought he was the same. But the truth was he was a cursed child. He had been cursed as a baby by a vile, old witch.
He tried not to, however, occasionally he started acting like a troll and ate bony goats, fat pigs, and feathered chickens.
One rainy day he was feeling especially ravenous, so he went outside to seek food. Suddenly, he saw a goat! No two goats! No three goats! In the distance, they were eating fresh, green grass. Hmmm… I know their grass will run out soon thought Sam.
He also knew his bridge (that led to juicy grass) would break soon. “I shall burn all their grass so they cross my bridge to the fresh grass on the other side before my bridge breaks he decided So, he did. The next morning a little bony goat cried “all of our fresh grass has been burnt!”
“We must cross that bridge”, replied a muscular goat. So, the little goat approached the bridge.
Suddenly, Sam felt his troll instinct coming. “No! not now he pleaded.”
But he couldn’t help himself, he leapt onto the bridge. “I will eat you up!” he roared angrily.
“No!” “don’t eat me, my brothers coming, he’s much bigger” the little goat begged.
“Oh, I’m sorry of course you may pass,” Sam replied, so the little goat crossed the bridge. After that a medium goat stepped onto the old bridge. Hmmm… he does look juicy, maybe just one bite Sam thought. “I will eat you!” Sam roared angrily. “No!” “don’t eat me!” yelped the medium goat. “My brother will be here soon!” “Oh, I’m sorry of course you can pass,” he said sheepishly, so the second goat crossed the bridge.
Suddenly a GIANT GOAT came “help me, a troll!” screamed the goat when it saw Sam. The goat ran towards Sam and bucked Sam into the icy water…Sam splashed around helplessly. “Goodbye cruel world!” he screamed then everything went black…
When Sam woke up he found himself washed up on the shore staring into the eyes of an old man.
“Are you OK?” asked the man. “Yeah,” replied Sam groggily.
“What happened to you?” asked the man. “I can tell by your eyes that you’re not a troll but you look like one!”
I was cursed by a witch as a baby explained Sam glumly.
“Oh dear,” “I can fix that!” exclaimed the old man waving his hands in a peculiar pattern. Sam rolled over and caught a glance of himself in the river. “I’m a child!” yelled Sam excitedly. “Thanks so much!”
After that, the magical old man adopted Sam they both lived happily ever after.