"Esio Trot" is a children's novel written by British author Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. Published in 1990, it was the last of Dahl's books to be published in his lifetime. "Esio Trot" is the story of an old, lonely man (Mr Hoppy), trying to make a connection with a person that he has loved from afar (a widow named Mrs Silver).

Mrs Silver has a small pet tortoise, Alfie, whom she loves very much. She mentions to Mr Hoppy that even though she has had Alfie for many years, her pet has only grown a tiny bit in weight. She confesses that she wishes she knew of some way to make her little Alfie grow into a larger, more dignified tortoise.

Mr Hoppy suddenly thinks of a way to give Mrs Silver her wish and win her affection. He writes the following words on a slip of paper:

ESIO TROT, ESIO TROT,

TEG REGGIB REGGIB,

EMOC NO, ESIO TROT,

WORG PU, FFUP PU, TOOHS PU,

GNIRPS PU, WOLB PU, LLEWS PU!

EGROG! ELZZUG! FFUTS! PLUG,

TUP NO TAF, ESIO TROT, TUP NO TAF,

TEG NO, TEG NO, ELBBOG DOOF.

Explaining that these magic words, when whispered in Alfie's ear three times a day, will cause Alfie to grow bigger and bigger. Mrs Silver is doubtful, but agrees to try. (The words are, reversed, Tortoise, tortoise, get bigger bigger! Come on, tortoise, grow up, puff up, shoot up! Spring up, blow up, swell up! Gorge! Guzzle! Stuff! Gulp! Put on fat, tortoise, put on fat! Get on, get on, gobble food!).

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