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94 THE BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR. |
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can you do this?" and he took up a large stone and squeezed it till the water came from it.
"Oh, that is nothing," exclaimed the tailor, "it is but play to me f and taking out the soft cheese from his pocket, he squeezed it till the whey ran from it, crying out at the same time, " Beat that, if you can."
The giant knew not what to say; the strength of the little tailor quite astonished him. However, he took up another stone, and threw it to such a height in the air that it was impossible to see where it went.
"Certainly, that is clever," said the tailor; "but the stone will fall somewhere. I will throw one up that shall not come down again." He put his hand in his pocket, and drawing out the bird, threw it up into the air.
Overjoyed at regaining its freedom, the bird rose immediately, and spreading its wings, was soon far out of sight.
" What do you think of that performance, comrade ?" he asked.
"You can throw very well, certainly," replied the giant; "but I should like to see if you can draw a heavy weight as easily as you can throw."
He led the little tailor to a forest, in which lay an enormous oak which had fallen to the ground. " Now, then," he said, " if you are as strong as you say, just help me to carry this tree out of the forest."
" Most willingly," replied the little man. " You take the trunk on your shoulders, and leave me the leaves and the boughs; they are the heaviest."
The giant lifted the trunk on his shoulders, but the cunning little tailor seated himself among the branches, unseen by the giant, who had therefore to carry the whole tree and the tailor into the bargain, without knowing it.
Our little friend was so merry as he went along, that he could not help whistling and singing, " Three tailors rode from the door away," as if carrying trees was mere child's play.
The giant, however, had not gone far when he began to stagger under his heavy load. " I cannot move a step further," he cried. " Don't you hear, I shall let the tree fall."
At this, the tailor sprung lightly down, seized the tree writh both hands, and exclaimed, " Well, you can't be so very strong, not to be able to carry such a tree as this." |
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