Grimble

This article is about the comic series character. You may be looking for his video game counterpart.

Grimble
Biographical information
Real name	Grimble
Status	Alive
Species	Troll (bridge troll) (Fable)
Gender	Male
Occupation	Security officer at the Woodlands (formerly)
Affiliation	Fabletown
Appearances
First issue	Fables #1 — "Chapter One: Old Tales Revisited"
Last issue	Fables #150 — "Farewell"; "The Last Clara Story"
Original source	Troll from "Three Billy Goats Gruff"

“	Folks don't think I notice much, but I do. I notice everything. I noticed a supposed starving slave eat his first meal in months with calm moderation. A supposedly weakened man who worked his way up to a thousand fencing lunges a day, within days rather than weeks or months. Need I go on? Care to tell me what your game is?	„
	~ Grimble to Prince Brandish in Fables #125 — "Riding in Cars with Gods: Chapter One of Snow White"

Grimble is a Fable bridge troll who works as a security guard at the Woodland building in Fabletown. He first appears in Fables #1 — "Chapter One: Old Tales Revisited."

History

Homelands

One day, a group of townsfolk went to see Frau Totenkinder with a predicament. A bridge troll had taken up residence beneath the nearby bridge, terrorizing anyone who tried to pass through and cutting off all trade with the outside world. Totenkinder reasoned that it was pointless to eliminate the beast, as where one bridge troll had once resided, others would inevitably appear. To provide a lasting solution to their problem, she used her magic to enchant three ram goats — known as the Three Billy Goats Gruff — so that whenever a new troll moved in under the bridge, they would scare them away. This way, the townspeople could enjoy peaceful crossings without any fear of being bothered by trolls.

Fabletown

After escaping the Homelands, Grimble becomes the security officer at the Woodland apartment building that forms the center of Fabletown. Despite his tendency to doze off at the security desk, he remains alert enough to notice people entering and exiting, even in his sleep. He has possession of an expensive glamour spell, but has been shown to assume bridge troll form for battle.

Threat of Mister Dark

During the fall of Fabletown due to the actions of Mister Dark, it is Grimble who snaps King Cole out of his melancholy and encourages him to carry on. The inhabitants of Fabletown are forced to relocate to the Farm.

When Bigby Wolf and Beast engage in a brutal fight in the Farm square, Miss Muffet looks on in terror, pleading with Grimble to intervene. However, Grimble is at a loss for how to end the brawl.

It is also Grimble who motivates King Cole during the evacuation to Haven after Mister Dark discovers the location of the Farm.

Life as a bird

Grimble is turned into a harmless bird by Prince Brandish when he begins to unravel his alias. Still in avian form, Grimble is sent to the secret stronghold where Brandish's heart is held. Grimble pecks it to pieces with his beak, thus ending Brandish's life once and for all.

Trapped in avian form with no way back to his home, he manages to adapt to being a bird and finds himself a nice new world to settle in, where he makes a new life for himself. Many years later, he is found there by Clara, and they strike up a romance.

Personality

“	You'd be surprised at how much registers with him, even when he's sawing logs.	„
	~ Bigby Wolf to Jack Horner in Fables #2 — "Chapter Two: The (Un)Usual Suspects"

Grimble is known to be extremely observant. Bigby attests to this, saying that Grimble can even notice people coming and going while he's asleep.

Killed victims

This list shows the victims Grimble has killed:

• Prince Brandish

Original source

Grimble is based on the unnamed troll from the fairy tale of the "Three Billy Goats Gruff." This is confirmed in Peter & Max: A Fables Novel, which states that "a certain famous bridge troll works as a security guard." His keen observation skills are a reflection of his bridge troll ancestry: In the fairy tale, the troll is very alert and always taking note of those who cross his bridge.

Trivia

In Fables #6 — "Road Trip: Part One of Animal Farm," we see three books which Grimble keeps behind his desk in the foyer of the Woodland: a New York phone directory, Troll Bridge by Neil Gaiman, and Shreck! Gaiman has never written a book titled Troll Bridge, although Terry Pratchett, Gaiman's co-author of the novel Good Omens from 1990, has written a short story with that title, published in 1991. Shreck! is presumably a reference to the picture book Shrek! from 1990 by William Steig, about a repugnant green monster who leaves home to see the world and ends up marrying an ugly princess. It is the basis of the movie series of the same name.