In a small, bustling town, a little tailor was hard at work by his window when a jam seller caught his attention. He purchased some jam, spread it over his bread, and left it aside as he continued his work. Soon, flies attracted by the jam swarmed over his bread. In a fit of annoyance, the tailor swatted them and, to his surprise, killed seven in one blow.
Astonished by his feat, he crafted a belt inscribed with “Seven at One Blow” and set out into the world, boasting loudly, “Seven at One Blow! Can you believe it?” He was determined to let everyone know of his deed.
During his journey, he encountered a giant who scoffed at the inscription on his belt. Challenging the tailor’s strength, the giant squeezed water from a stone. The tailor, not to be outdone, quickly grabbed a piece of cheese and, pretending it was a stone, squeezed water from it, exclaiming, “That’s easy! See, I can do better!”
The giant, puzzled but still skeptical, threw a rock far into the distance. The quick-thinking tailor released a bird he had caught, which flew away, leading the giant to believe the tailor had thrown it.
Later, the giant and his friends, planning to kill the tailor in his sleep, were shocked to find him alive the next morning, as the tailor had cleverly avoided their trap. “Good morning! Did you sleep well?” the tailor greeted them cheerfully, causing the giants to flee in fear.
As he continued his travels, the tailor reached a kingdom where his reputation had preceded him. The king, mistaking him for a great hero, tasked him with defeating two troublesome giants, promising his daughter’s hand in marriage as a reward. “If you can defeat the two giants, you shall have my daughter’s hand in marriage,” the king declared.
Using his wits, the tailor tricked the giants into fighting each other, thereby fulfilling the king’s task without direct confrontation. Impressed yet begrudgingly, the king kept his promise, and the tailor married the princess, becoming a king himself.
Reflecting on his journey, the new king would often say, “Who would have thought? Seven at One Blow!”
Also Read: The Wise Old Owl – The Wicked Prince
Follow Up Questions
- What clever tricks did the little tailor use to outsmart the giants?
- Why do you think the little tailor made a belt that said “Seven at One Blow”?
- How do you think the tailor felt when he became king?
Moral of The Story
The moral of The Brave Little Tailor is that cleverness and wit can overcome even the most daunting challenges. It suggests that intelligence and resourcefulness are more effective than brute strength, and that self-belief, coupled with a clever mind, can enable one to rise above their initial circumstances and achieve great things.