The Valiant Little Tailor · page 21 2101‘I am not pelting you,’ answered the first, growling.102They disputed about it for a time, but as they were weary they let the matter rest, and their eyes closed once more.103The little tailor began his game again, picked out the biggest stone, and threw it with all his might on the breast of the first giant.104‘That is too bad!’ cried he, and sprang up like a madman, and pushed his companion against the tree until it shook.105The other paid him back in the same coin, and they got into such a rage that they tore up trees and belaboured each other so long, that at last they both fell down dead on the ground at the same time.106Then the little tailor leapt down.107‘It is a lucky thing,’ said he, ‘that they did not tear up the tree on which I was sitting, or I should have had to sprint on to another like a squirrel; but we tailors are nimble.’108He drew out his sword and gave each of them a couple of thrusts in the breast, and then went out to the horsemen and said: ‘The work is done; I have finished both of them off, but it was hard work!109They tore up trees in their sore need, and defended themselves with them, but all that is to no purpose when a man like myself comes, who can kill seven at one blow.’110‘But are you not wounded?’ asked the horsemen.111‘You need not concern yourself about that,’ answered the tailor, ‘they have not bent one hair of mine.’112The horsemen would not believe him, and rode into the forest; there they found the giants swimming in their blood, and all round about lay the torn-up trees.113The little tailor demanded of the king the promised reward; he, however, repented of his promise, and again bethought himself how he could get rid of the hero.114‘Before you receive my daughter, and the half of my kingdom,’ said he to him, ‘you must perform one more heroic deed.115In the forest roams a unicorn which does great harm, and you must catch it first.’116‘I fear one unicorn still less than two giants.117Seven at one blow, is my kind of affair.’118He took a rope and an axe with him, went forth into the forest, and again bade those who were sent with him to wait outside.119He had not long to seek.120The unicorn soon came towards him, and rushed directly on the tailor, as if it would gore him with its horn without more ado.121‘Softly, softly; it can’t be done as quickly as that,’ said he, and stood still and waited until the animal was quite close, and then sprang nimbly behind the tree.122The unicorn ran against the tree with all its strength, and stuck its horn so fast in the trunk that it had not the strength enough to draw it out again, and thus it was caught.123‘Now, I have got the bird,’ said the tailor, and came out from behind the tree and put the rope round its neck, and then with his axe he hewed the horn out of the tree, and when all was ready he led the beast away and took it to the king.124The king still would not give him the promised reward, and made a third demand.125Before the wedding the tailor was to catch him a wild boar that made great havoc in the forest, and the huntsmen should give him their help.126‘Willingly,’ said the tailor, ‘that is child’s play!’127He did not take the huntsmen with him into the forest, and they were well pleased that he did not, for the wild boar had several times received them in such a manner that they had no inclination to lie in wait for him.128When the boar perceived the tailor, it ran on him with foaming mouth and whetted tusks, and was about to throw him to the ground, but the hero fled and sprang into a chapel which was near and up to the window at once, and in one bound out again.129The boar ran after him, but the tailor ran round outside and shut the door behind it, and then the raging beast, which was much too heavy and awkward to leap out of the window, was caught.130The little tailor called the huntsmen thither that they might see the prisoner with their own eyes.131The hero, however, went to the king, who was now, whether he liked it or not, obliged to keep his promise, and gave his daughter and the half of his kingdom.132Had he known that it was no warlike hero, but a little tailor who was standing before him, it would have gone to his heart still more than it did.133The wedding was held with great magnificence and small joy, and out of a tailor a king was made.134After some time the young queen heard her husband say in his dreams at night: ‘Boy, make me the doublet, and patch the pantaloons, or else I will rap the yard-measure over your ears.’135Then she discovered in what state of life the young lord had been born, and next morning complained of her wrongs to her father, and begged him to help her to get rid of her husband, who was nothing else but a tailor.136The king comforted her and said: ‘Leave your bedroom door open this night, and my servants shall stand outside, and when he has fallen asleep shall go in, bind him, and take him on board a ship which shall carry him into the wide world.’137The woman was satisfied with this; but the king’s armour-bearer, who had heard all, was friendly with the young lord, and informed him of the whole plot.138‘I’ll put a screw into that business,’ said the little tailor.139At night he went to bed with his wife at the usual time, and when she thought that he had fallen asleep, she got up, opened the door, and then lay down again.140The little tailor, who was only pretending to be asleep, began to cry out in a clear voice: ‘Boy, make me the doublet and patch me the pantaloons, or I will rap the yard-measure over your ears.141I smote seven at one blow.142I killed two giants, I brought away one unicorn, and caught a wild boar, and am I to fear those who are standing outside the room.’143When these men heard the tailor speaking thus, they were overcome by a great dread, and ran as if the wild huntsman were behind them, and none of them would venture anything further against him.144So the little tailor was and remained a king to the end of his life.1 2← previous How Partlet Died and Was Buried, and How Chanticleer Died of Grief next →Hansel and Gretel↑ back to Grimms' Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2591/19/page/2/