The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
Children's literature
The Tailor strapped the girdle round his waist and set out into the
wide world, for he considered his workroom too small a field for his
bravery. Before he set forth he looked round about him, to see if there
was anything in the house he could take with him on his journey; but he
found nothing except an old cheese, which he took possession of. In
front of the house he observed a bird that had been caught in some
bushes, and this he put into his wallet beside the cheese. Then he went
on his way merrily, and being light and quick he never felt tired. His
way led up a hill on the top of which sat a powerful Giant, who was
calmly surveying the landscape. The little Tailor went up to him, and
greeting him cheerfully said: “Good-day, friend; there you sit at your
ease viewing the whole wide world. I’m just on my way there. What do
you say to accompanying me?” The Giant looked contemptuously at the
Tailor, and said: “What a poor, wretched little creature you are!”
“That’s a good joke,” answered the little Tailor, and unbuttoning his
coat he showed the Giant the girdle. “There, now, you can read what
sort of a fellow I am.” The Giant read: “Seven at a blow,” and thinking
they were human beings the Tailor had slain, he had a certain respect
for the little man. But first he thought he’d test him; so taking up a
stone in his hand, he squeezed it till some drops of water ran out.
“Now you do the same,” said the Giant, “if you really wish to be
thought strong.” “Is that all?” said the little Tailor; “that’s child’s
play to me.” So he dived into his wallet, brought out the cheese, and
pressed it till the whey ran out. “My squeeze was better than yours,”
said he. The Giant didn’t know what to say, for he couldn’t have
believed it of the little fellow. To prove him again, the Giant lifted
a stone and threw it so high that the eye could hardly follow it. “Now,
my little dwarf, let me see you do that.” “Well thrown,” said the
Tailor; “but, after all, your stone fell to the ground; I’ll throw one
that won’t come down at all.” He dived into his wallet again, and
grasping the bird in his hand he threw it up into the air. The bird,
enchanted to be free, soared up into the sky, and flew away never to
return. “Well, what do you think of that little piece of business,
friend?” asked the Tailor. “You can certainly throw,” said the Giant;
“but now let’s see if you can carry a proper weight.” With these words
he led the Tailor to a huge oak-tree which had been felled to the
ground, and said: “If you are strong enough, help me carry the tree out
of the wood.” “Most certainly,” said the little Tailor: “just you take
the trunk on your shoulder; I’ll bear the top and branches, which is
certainly the heaviest part.” The Giant laid the trunk on his shoulder,
but the Tailor sat at his ease among the branches; and the Giant, who
couldn’t see what was going on behind him, had to carry the whole tree,
and the little Tailor into the bargain. There he sat behind in the best
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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