In a corner of a forest, down a dark and dismal path,
Lived a slimy little goblin with a horrid, little laugh.
He’d lived there for a hundred years, in his gloomy little house,
And no-one ventured near the place, not even the tiniest mouse.

He sat amid his treasures, shiny things that glistened.
He shook his precious money pots, to that lovely noise he listened.
They came from far-off lands, and belonged to queens and kinds -
But the goblin stole them all – the jewels, crowns and rings.

He was a horrid little creature, with a face of greeny brown.
He had huge, hairy eyebrows which stuck out when he frowned.
His suit was green, his eyes were black - he’d pimples on his nose -
He wore no shoes, but on his feet were great, black hairy toes.

A nastier creature you never saw in that forest dark -
Even slimy, snaky things, even wolves that bark
Were never quite as nasty as this hairy little chap
Who sat amid his treasures, with gold upon his lap.

One day a handsome prince rode by, clever wise and bold.
He meant to trick the goblin and take back all the gold.
“I have a map on which is marked a secret hoard of treasure.”
‘Give it to me!” the goblin cried. The prince just smiled, ‘With pleasure!”

Only the prince knew the path led right out to sea.
The greedy goblin snatched the map. “Now this belongs to me!”
He ran away with a wicked laugh, but his greed was all in vain -
He followed the path to the very end and was never seen again.