Onesummer's morning a littletailorwassittingonhistablebythewindow; hewasingoodspirits, andsewedwithallhismight. Thencame a peasantwomandownthestreetcrying: 'Goodjams, cheap! Goodjams, cheap!' Thisrangpleasantlyinthetailor's ears; hestretchedhisdelicateheadoutofthewindow, andcalled: 'Comeuphere, dearwoman; hereyouwillgetridofyourgoods.' Thewomancameupthethreestepstothetailorwithherheavybasket, andhemadeherunpackallthepotsforhim. Heinspectedeachone, lifteditup, puthisnosetoit, andatlengthsaid: 'Thejamseemstometobegood, soweighmeoutfourounces, dearwoman, andifitis a quarterof a poundthatisofnoconsequence.' Thewomanwhohadhopedtofind a goodsale, gavehimwhathedesired, butwentawayquiteangryandgrumbling. 'Now, thisjamshallbeblessedbyGod,' criedthelittletailor, 'andgivemehealthandstrength'; sohebroughtthebreadoutofthecupboard, cuthimself a piecerightacrosstheloafandspreadthejamoverit. 'Thiswon't tastebitter,' saidhe, 'but I willjustfinishthejacketbefore I take a bite.' Helaidthebreadnearhim, sewedon, andinhisjoy, madebiggerandbiggerstitches. Inthemeantimethesmellofthesweetjamrosetowherethefliesweresittingingreatnumbers, andtheywereattractedanddescendedonitinhosts. 'Hi! whoinvitedyou?' saidthelittletailor, anddrovetheunbiddenguestsaway. Theflies, however, whounderstoodnoGerman, wouldnotbeturnedaway, butcamebackagaininever-increasingcompanies. Thelittletailoratlastlostallpatience, anddrew a pieceofclothfromtheholeunderhiswork-table, andsaying: 'Wait, and I willgiveittoyou,' struckitmercilesslyonthem. Whenhedrewitawayandcounted, therelaybeforehimnofewerthanseven, deadandwithlegsstretchedout. 'Areyou a fellowofthatsort?' saidhe, andcouldnothelpadmiringhisownbravery. 'Thewholetownshallknowofthis!' Andthelittletailorhastenedtocuthimself a girdle, stitchedit, andembroideredonitinlargeletters: 'Sevenatonestroke!' 'What, thetown!' hecontinued, 'thewholeworldshallhearofit!' andhisheartwaggedwithjoylike a lamb's tail. Thetailorputonthegirdle, andresolvedtogoforthintotheworld, becausehethoughthisworkshopwastoosmallforhisvalour. Beforehewentaway, hesoughtaboutinthehousetoseeiftherewasanythingwhichhecouldtakewithhim; however, hefoundnothingbutanoldcheese, andthatheputinhispocket. Infrontofthedoorheobserved a birdwhichhadcaughtitselfinthethicket. Ithadtogointohispocketwiththecheese. Nowhetooktotheroadboldly, andashewaslightandnimble, hefeltnofatigue. Theroadledhimup a mountain, andwhenhehadreachedthehighestpointofit, theresat a powerfulgiantlookingpeacefullyabouthim. Thelittletailorwentbravelyup, spoketohim, andsaid: 'Goodday, comrade, soyouaresittingthereoverlookingthewide-spreadworld! I amjustonmywaythither, andwanttotrymyluck. Haveyouanyinclinationtogowithme?' Thegiantlookedcontemptuouslyatthetailor, andsaid: 'Youragamuffin! Youmiserablecreature!'
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'Oh, indeed?' answeredthelittletailor, andunbuttonedhiscoat, andshowedthegiantthegirdle, 'theremayyoureadwhatkindof a man I am!' Thegiantread: 'Sevenatonestroke,' andthoughtthattheyhadbeenmenwhomthetailorhadkilled, andbegantofeel a littlerespectforthetinyfellow. Nevertheless, hewishedtotryhimfirst, andtook a stoneinhishandandsqueezedittogethersothatwaterdroppedoutofit. 'Dothatlikewise,' saidthegiant, 'ifyouhavestrength.' 'Isthatall?' saidthetailor, 'thatischild's playwithus!' andputhishandintohispocket, broughtoutthesoftcheese, andpressedituntiltheliquidranoutofit. 'Faith,' saidhe, 'thatwas a littlebetter, wasn't it?' Thegiantdidnotknowwhattosay, andcouldnotbelieveitofthelittleman. Thenthegiantpickedup a stoneandthrewitsohighthattheeyecouldscarcelyfollowit. 'Now, littlemiteof a man, dothatlikewise,' 'Wellthrown,' saidthetailor, 'butafterallthestonecamedowntoearthagain; I willthrowyouonewhichshallnevercomebackatall,' andheputhishandintohispocket, tookoutthebird, andthrewitintotheair. Thebird, delightedwithitsliberty, rose, flewawayanddidnotcomeback. 'Howdoesthatshotpleaseyou, comrade?' askedthetailor. 'Youcancertainlythrow,' saidthegiant, 'butnowwewillseeifyouareabletocarryanythingproperly.' Hetookthelittletailorto a mightyoaktreewhichlaytherefelledontheground, andsaid: 'Ifyouarestrongenough, helpmetocarrythetreeoutoftheforest.' 'Readily,' answeredthelittleman; 'takeyouthetrunkonyourshoulders, and I willraiseupthebranchesandtwigs; afterall, theyaretheheaviest.' Thegianttookthetrunkonhisshoulder, butthetailorseatedhimselfon a branch, andthegiant, whocouldnotlookround, hadtocarryawaythewholetree, andthelittletailorintothebargain: hebehind, wasquitemerryandhappy, andwhistledthesong: 'Threetailorsrodeforthfromthegate,' asifcarryingthetreewerechild's play. Thegiant, afterhehaddraggedtheheavyburdenpartoftheway, couldgonofurther, andcried: 'Harkyou, I shallhavetoletthetreefall!' Thetailorsprangnimblydown, seizedthetreewithbotharmsasifhehadbeencarryingit, andsaidtothegiant: 'Youaresuch a greatfellow, andyetcannotevencarrythetree!'
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Theywentontogether, andastheypassed a cherry-tree, thegiantlaidholdofthetopofthetreewheretheripestfruitwashanging, bentitdown, gaveitintothetailor's hand, andbadehimeat. Butthelittletailorwasmuchtooweaktoholdthetree, andwhenthegiantletitgo, itsprangbackagain, andthetailorwastossedintotheairwithit. Whenhehadfallendownagainwithoutinjury, thegiantsaid: 'Whatisthis? Haveyounotstrengthenoughtoholdtheweaktwig?' 'Thereisnolackofstrength,' answeredthelittletailor. 'Doyouthinkthatcouldbeanythingto a manwhohasstruckdownsevenatoneblow? I leaptoverthetreebecausethehuntsmenareshootingdownthereinthethicket. Jumpas I did, ifyoucandoit.' Thegiantmadetheattemptbuthecouldnotgetoverthetree, andremainedhanginginthebranches, sothatinthisalsothetailorkepttheupperhand.
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Thegiantsaid: 'Ifyouaresuch a valiantfellow, comewithmeintoourcavernandspendthenightwithus.' Thelittletailorwaswilling, andfollowedhim. Whentheywentintothecave, othergiantsweresittingtherebythefire, andeachofthemhad a roastedsheepinhishandandwaseatingit. Thelittletailorlookedroundandthought: 'Itismuchmorespaciousherethaninmyworkshop.' Thegiantshowedhim a bed, andsaidhewastoliedowninitandsleep. Thebed, however, wastoobigforthelittletailor; hedidnotliedowninit, butcreptinto a corner. Whenitwasmidnight, andthegiantthoughtthatthelittletailorwaslyingin a soundsleep, hegotup, took a greatironbar, cutthroughthebedwithoneblow, andthoughthehadfinishedoffthegrasshopperforgood. Withtheearliestdawnthegiantswentintotheforest, andhadquiteforgottenthelittletailor, whenallatoncehewalkeduptothemquitemerrilyandboldly. Thegiantswereterrified, theywereafraidthathewouldstrikethemalldead, andranawayin a greathurry.
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Thelittletailorwentonwards, alwaysfollowinghisownpointednose. Afterhehadwalkedfor a longtime, hecametothecourtyardof a royalpalace, andashefeltweary, helaydownonthegrassandfellasleep. Whilsthelaythere, thepeoplecameandinspectedhimonallsides, andreadonhisgirdle: 'Sevenatonestroke.' 'Ah!' saidthey, 'whatdoesthegreatwarriorwanthereinthemidstofpeace? Hemustbe a mightylord.' Theywentandannouncedhimtotheking, andgaveitastheiropinionthatifwarshouldbreakout, thiswouldbe a weightyandusefulmanwhooughtonnoaccounttobeallowedtodepart. Thecounselpleasedtheking, andhesentoneofhiscourtierstothelittletailortoofferhimmilitaryservicewhenheawoke. Theambassadorremainedstandingbythesleeper, waiteduntilhestretchedhislimbsandopenedhiseyes, andthenconveyedtohimthisproposal. 'Forthisveryreasonhave I comehere,' thetailorreplied, 'I amreadytoentertheking's service.' Hewasthereforehonourablyreceived, and a specialdwellingwasassignedhim.
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Thesoldiers, however, weresetagainstthelittletailor, andwishedhim a thousandmilesaway. 'Whatistobetheendofthis?' theysaidamongthemselves. 'Ifwequarrelwithhim, andhestrikesabouthim, sevenofuswillfallateveryblow; notoneofuscanstandagainsthim.' Theycamethereforeto a decision, betookthemselvesin a bodytotheking, andbeggedfortheirdismissal. 'Wearenotprepared,' saidthey, 'tostaywith a manwhokillssevenatonestroke.' Thekingwassorrythatforthesakeofoneheshouldloseallhisfaithfulservants, wishedthathehadneverseteyesonthetailor, andwouldwillinglyhavebeenridofhimagain. Buthedidnotventuretogivehimhisdismissal, forhedreadedlestheshouldstrikehimandallhispeopledead, andplacehimselfontheroyalthrone. Hethoughtaboutitfor a longtime, andatlastfoundgoodcounsel. Hesenttothelittletailorandcausedhimtobeinformedthatashewas a greatwarrior, hehadonerequesttomaketohim. In a forestofhiscountrylivedtwogiants, whocausedgreatmischiefwiththeirrobbing, murdering, ravaging, andburning, andnoonecouldapproachthemwithoutputtinghimselfindangerofdeath. Ifthetailorconqueredandkilledthesetwogiants, hewouldgivehimhisonlydaughtertowife, andhalfofhiskingdomas a dowry, likewiseonehundredhorsemenshouldgowithhimtoassisthim. 'Thatwouldindeedbe a finethingfor a manlikeme!' thoughtthelittletailor. 'Oneisnotoffered a beautifulprincessandhalf a kingdomeverydayofone's life!' 'Oh, yes,' hereplied, 'I willsoonsubduethegiants, anddonotrequirethehelpofthehundredhorsementodoit; hewhocanhitsevenwithoneblowhasnoneedtobeafraidoftwo.'
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Thelittletailorwentforth, andthehundredhorsemenfollowedhim. Whenhecametotheoutskirtsoftheforest, hesaidtohisfollowers: 'Juststaywaitinghere, I alonewillsoonfinishoffthegiants.' Thenheboundedintotheforestandlookedaboutrightandleft. After a whileheperceivedbothgiants. Theylaysleepingunder a tree, andsnoredsothatthebrancheswavedupanddown. Thelittletailor, notidle, gatheredtwopocketsfulofstones, andwiththeseclimbedupthetree. Whenhewashalfwayup, heslippeddownby a branch, untilhesatjustabovethesleepers, andthenletonestoneafteranotherfallonthebreastofoneofthegiants. For a longtimethegiantfeltnothing, butatlastheawoke, pushedhiscomrade, andsaid: 'Whyareyouknockingme?' 'Youmustbedreaming,' saidtheother, 'I amnotknockingyou.' Theylaidthemselvesdowntosleepagain, andthenthetailorthrew a stonedownonthesecond. 'Whatisthemeaningofthis?' criedtheother 'Whyareyoupeltingme?' 'I amnotpeltingyou,' answeredthefirst, growling. Theydisputedaboutitfor a time, butastheywerewearytheyletthematterrest, andtheireyesclosedoncemore. Thelittletailorbeganhisgameagain, pickedoutthebiggeststone, andthrewitwithallhismightonthebreastofthefirstgiant. 'Thatistoobad!' criedhe, andspranguplike a madman, andpushedhiscompanionagainstthetreeuntilitshook. Theotherpaidhimbackinthesamecoin, andtheygotintosuch a ragethattheytoreuptreesandbelabouredeachothersolong, thatatlasttheybothfelldowndeadonthegroundatthesametime. Thenthelittletailorleaptdown. 'Itis a luckything,' saidhe, 'thattheydidnottearupthetreeonwhich I wassitting, or I shouldhavehadtosprintontoanotherlike a squirrel; butwetailorsarenimble.' Hedrewouthisswordandgaveeachofthem a coupleofthrustsinthebreast, andthenwentouttothehorsemenandsaid: 'Theworkisdone; I havefinishedbothofthemoff, butitwashardwork! Theytoreuptreesintheirsoreneed, anddefendedthemselveswiththem, butallthatistonopurposewhen a manlikemyselfcomes, whocankillsevenatoneblow.' 'Butareyounotwounded?' askedthehorsemen. 'Youneednotconcernyourselfaboutthat,' answeredthetailor, 'theyhavenotbentonehairofmine.' Thehorsemenwouldnotbelievehim, androdeintotheforest; theretheyfoundthegiantsswimmingintheirblood, andallroundaboutlaythetorn-uptrees.