You can certainly throw, said the giant, but now we will see if you are able to carry anything properly. He took the little tailor to a mighty oak tree which lay there felled on the ground, and said, if you are strong enough, help me to carry the tree out of the forest. Readily, answered the little man, take the trunk on your shoulders, and I will raise up the branches and twigs, after all, they are the heaviest. The giant took the trunk on his shoulder, but the tailor seated himself on a branch, and the giant who could not look round, had to carry away the whole tree, and the little tailor into the bargain, he behind, was quite merry and happy, and whistled the song, three tailors rode forth from the gate, as if carrying the tree were child's play. The giant, after he had dragged the heavy burden part of the way, could go no further, and cried, hark you, I shall have to let the tree fall. The tailor sprang nimbly down, seized the tree with both arms as if he had been carrying it, and said to the giant, you are such a great fellow, and yet can not even carry the tree.
They went on together, and as they passed a cherry-tree, the giant laid hold of the top of the tree where the ripest fruit was hanging, bent it down, gave it into the tailor's hand, and bade him eat. But the little tailor was much too weak to hold the tree, and when the giant let it go, it sprang back again, and the tailor was tossed into the air with it. When he had fallen down again without injury, the giant said, what is this. Have you not strength enough to hold the weak twig. There is no lack of strength, answered the little tailor. Do you think that could be anything to a man who has struck down seven at one blow. I leapt over the tree because the huntsmen are shooting down there in the thicket. Jump as I did, if you can do it. The giant made the attempt, but could not get over the tree, and remained hanging in the branches, so that in this also the tailor kept the upper hand.
The giant said, if you are such a valiant fellow, come with me into our cavern and spend the night with us. The little tailor was willing, and followed him. When they went into the cave, other giants were sitting there by the fire, and each of them had a roasted sheep in his hand and was eating it. The little tailor looked round and thought, it is much more spacious here than in my workshop. The giant showed him a bed, and said he was to lie down in it and sleep. The bed, however, was too big for the little tailor, he did not lie down in it, but crept into a corner. When it was midnight, and the giant thought that the little tailor was lying in a sound sleep, he got up, took a great iron bar, cut through the bed with one blow, and thought he had finished off the grasshopper for good. With the earliest dawn the giants went into the forest, and had quite forgotten the little tailor, when all at once he walked up to them quite merrily and boldly. The giants were terrified, they were afraid that he would strike them all dead, and ran away in a great hurry.
The little tailor went onwards, always following his own pointed nose. After he had walked for a long time, he came to the courtyard of a royal palace, and as he felt weary, he lay down on the grass and fell asleep. Whilst he lay there, the people came and inspected him on all sides, and read on his girdle, seven at one stroke. Ah, said they, what does the great warrior here in the midst of peace. He must be a mighty lord. They went and announced him to the king, and gave it as their opinion that if war should break out, this would be a weighty and useful man who ought on no account to be allowed to depart. The counsel pleased the king, and he sent one of his courtiers to the little tailor to offer him military service when he awoke. The ambassador remained standing by the sleeper, waited until he stretched his limbs and opened his eyes, and then conveyed to him this proposal. For this reason have I come here, the tailor replied, I am ready to enter the king's service. He was therefore honorably received and a special dwelling was assigned him.
The soldiers, however, were set against the little tailor, and wished him a thousand miles away. What is to be the end of this, they said among themselves. If we quarrel with him, and he strikes about him, seven of us will fall at every blow, not one of us can stand against him. They came therefore to a decision, betook themselves in a body to the king, and begged for their dismissal. We are not prepared, said they, to stay with a man who kills seven at one stroke. The king was sorry that for the sake of one he should lose all his faithful servants, wished that he had never set eyes on the tailor, and would willingly have been rid of him again. But he did not venture to give him his dismissal, for he dreaded lest he should strike him and all his people dead, and place himself on the royal throne. He thought about it for a long time, and at last found good counsel. He sent to the little tailor and caused him to be informed that as he was such a great warrior, he had one request to make of him.
In a forest of his country lived two giants who caused great mischief with their robbing, murdering, ravaging, and burning, and no one could approach them without putting himself in danger of death. If the tailor conquered and killed these two giants, he would give him his only daughter to wife, and half of his kingdom as a dowry, likewise one hundred horsemen should go with him to assist him. That would indeed be a fine thing for a man like me, thought the little tailor. One is not offered a beautiful princess and half a kingdom every day of one's life.
Oh, yes, he replied, I will soon subdue the giants, and do not require the help of the hundred horsemen to do it, he who can hit seven with one blow has no need to be afraid of two.
