GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES - online book

130 Fairy Stories Adapted & Arranged for young people

Home Main Menu Order Support About Search



Share page  


Previous Contents Next

92
THE BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR.
One fine summer morning, a little tailor" sat rat his open window on a table at work; and many good things could he buy with the money he earned, for he was a clever little tailor.
A farmer's wife came down the street, crying, "Good jam for sale—good jam for sale." The voice had a lively sound to the ears of the little tailor; so he put his soft head out of the window and cried, " Come here, my good woman; this is the place to sell your goods."
The woman ascended the three steps with her heavy basket, and stood before the tailor, who asked her to uncover it, and show him how much she had. As soon as he saw the contents, he rose from his table, and putting down his nose to smell, he exclaimed, "This jam smells so good that I must have four ounces—that is a quarter of a pound; I cannot afford more.,? The woman, who had hoped to sell a large quantity, gave him what he wished for, but went away quite angry and discontented.
"Oh, how I shall enjoy this!" cried the tailor, who cared nothing for the woman's grumbling; " it will give me strength and energy for my work." Then he fetched the bread from his cup­board, cut off a piece the whole size of the loaf, and spread the jam upon it "That will not taste bitter," he said; "but before I take even a bite, I must finish this waistcoat.1' Then he placed the bread on a chair near, and seating himsejf, sewed and stitched away with a spirit full of joy.
In the meantime, the smell of the jam rose to the wall, where numbers of flies were clustered together; so tempting was it, that they flew down in swarms just to taste.
" Hallo ! who invited you ?" cried the tailor, as he drove away the unbidden guests.
But it was of no use. The flies did not understand German. They would not be sent away, but returned again in larger com­panies than ever. Then ran the little tailor " head over heels," as people say, and pulling from the chimney corner a piece of cloth,