The valiant little tailorC1
One summer morning a little tailor was sitting on his board near the window, and working cheerfully with all his might, when an old woman came down the street crying, "Good jelly to sell! good jelly to sell!" The cry sounded pleasant in the little tailor's ears, so he put his head out of the window, and called out, "Here, my good woman, come here, if you want a customer."
So the poor woman climbed the steps with her heavy basket, and was obliged to unpack and display all her pots to the tailor. He looked at every one of them, and lifting all the lids, applied his nose to each, and said at last, "The jelly seems pretty good; you may weigh me out four half ounces, or I don't mind having a quarter of a pound." The woman, who had expected to find a good customer, gave him what he asked for, but went off angry and grumbling. "This jelly is the very thing for me," cried the little tailor; "it will give me strength and cunning; "and he took down the bread from the cupboard, cut a whole round of the loaf, and spread the jelly on it, laid it near him, and went on stitching more gallantly than ever.
夏季一个阳光明媚的早晨，一个小裁缝坐在靠窗的台子旁，竭尽全力地做着手中活儿。 这时，街上走来一个农家妇女，边走边吆喝："买果酱啦！物美价廉呀！"小裁缝觉得这声音挺悦耳，于是就将一头卷发的脑袋伸出了窗外，喊叫道：
"上这儿来吧，亲爱的太太，您的货这儿有人要！"
农妇手提沉甸甸的篮子，跨上台阶，来到小裁缝跟前，按照他的吩咐打开一只又一只的罐子。小裁缝挨个仔细察看，还把罐子举到鼻子跟前闻了又闻，最后才说道："给我来四盎司，亲爱的太太，半镑也行。"
农妇原来以为找到了好买主呢，她把小裁缝要的那一点点果酱如数秤给他之后，就气呼呼地嘟哝着走了。
"愿上帝保佑，"小裁缝嚷嚷道，"这些果酱能给我带来好胃口。"
他从柜子里拿出面包，切了一片下来，把果酱涂在上面。 "我心里有数，不会不可口的，"他说，"不过我得先做完这件背心再吃。"
于是，他把涂了果酱的面包放在身旁，继续缝了起来，心里感到美滋滋的，针脚就一针比一针大了。
The valiant little tailorC2
All the while the scent of the sweet jelly was spreading throughout the room, where there were quantities of flies, who were attracted by it and flew to partake. "Now then, who asked you to come?" said the tailor, and drove the unbidden guests away. But the flies, not understanding his language, were not to be got rid of like that, and returned in larger numbers than before. Then the tailor, not being able to stand it any longer, took from his chimney-corner a ragged cloth, and saying, "Now, I'll let you have it!" beat it among them unmercifully. When he ceased, and counted the slain, he found seven lying dead before him. "This is indeed somewhat," he said, wondering at his own gallantry; "the whole town shall know this." So he hastened to cut out a belt, and he stitched it and put on it in large capitals "Seven at one blow!"
"The town, did I say!" said the little tailor; "the whole world shall know it!" And his heart quivered with joy, like a lamb's tail. The tailor fastened the belt round him, and began to think of going out into the world, for his workshop seemed too small for his worship. So he looked about in all the house for something that it would be useful to take with him, but he found nothing but an old cheese, which he put in his pocket. Outside the door he noticed that a bird had got caught in the bushes, so he took that and put it in his pocket with the cheese. Then he set out gallantly on his way, and as he was light and active he felt no fatigue.
这时，果酱香甜的气味招引来了一群聚在墙上的苍蝇，它们纷纷落在面包上，要品尝一下这美味佳肴。
"哪有你们的份啊？"小裁缝说着把苍蝇赶跑了。 苍蝇才不理睬他说了什么，怎么也不肯走，于是落在面包上的苍蝇越来越多了。 这下子，小裁缝火冒三丈，随手抓起一条毛巾，朝着苍蝇狠命地打了下去，打死了整整七只苍蝇，有的连腿都给打飞了。
"你可真了不起！"他说道，不禁对自己的勇敢大加赞赏，"全城的人都应该知道你的壮举。"说罢，小裁缝风风火火地为自己裁剪了一条腰带，缝好后，在上面绣了几个醒目的大字："一下子打死七个！""不仅仅是全城，"他突然喊了起来，"还得让全世界的人都知道！"说到这儿，他的心激动得欢蹦乱跳，活像一只小羊羔的尾巴。
小裁缝把腰带系在腰间，打算出去闯世界，因为在他看来，凭着他的英勇无畏精神，再留在小小的作坊里，就大材小用啦。 动身前，他四下里搜寻了一番，看看有没有值得带上的东西，却只发现了一快陈干酪，就随手装进口袋里。 在门前，他发现灌木丛中绊住了一只小鸟，便捉来放进装干酪的口袋里。
随后，他得意洋洋地上了路。 由于个子矮小，他身轻如燕，走起来一点儿也不感到累。
The valiant little tailorC3
The way led over a mountain, and when he reached the topmost peak he saw a terrible giant sitting there, and looking about him at his ease. The tailor went bravely up to him, called out to him, and said, "Comrade, good day! there you sit looking over the wide world! I am on the way thither to seek my fortune: have you a fancy to go with me?"
The giant looked at the tailor contemptuously, and said, "You little rascal! you miserable fellow!" - "That may be!" answered the little tailor, and undoing his coat he showed the giant his belt; "you can read there whether I am a man or not!" The giant read: "Seven at one blow!" and thinking it meant men that the tailor had killed, felt at once more respect for the little fellow. But as he wanted to prove him, he took up a stone and squeezed it so hard that water came out of it. "Now you can do that," said the giant, "that is, if you have the strength for it."
走着走着，来到一座大山上。 他到了山顶一看，发现一个力大无比的巨人正坐在那儿，悠然自得地环顾左右。 小裁缝壮着胆子走到巨人跟前，跟他打招呼：
"你好，伙计。你坐在这儿眺望大世界，是吧？我正要去闯闯世界咧，怎么样，有没有心思跟我一快儿去？"
巨人轻蔑地瞟了他一眼，扯着嗓子对他说："你这个小可怜虫！弱不禁风的小瘪三！"
"啊哈，你这么小看我，是吗？你再往这儿瞧瞧！"小裁缝回答道。 说着解开上衣，露出腰带来给巨人看。 "你念一念就知道我是何等人啦。"
巨人念了起来："一下子打死七个"。 以为这位裁缝一下子打死的是七个人，心里不禁对小裁缝产生几分敬意。 不过，他决心要和小裁缝先试试身手，于是，就拣起一快石头来，用手使劲一捏，捏得石头滴出了水。
"要是你真有力气，"巨人说，"也来这么一手吧。"
The valiant little tailorC4
"That's not much," said the little tailor, "I call that play," and he put his hand in his pocket and took out the cheese and squeezed it, so that the whey ran out of it. "Well," said he, "what do you think of that?"
The giant did not know what to say to it, for he could not have believed it of the little man. Then the giant took up a stone and threw it so high that it was nearly out of sight. "Now, little fellow, suppose you do that!"
"Well thrown," said the tailor; "but the stone fell back to earth again, I will throw you one that will never come back." So he felt in his pocket, took out the bird, and threw it into the air. And the bird, when it found itself at liberty, took wing, flew off, and returned no more. "What do you think of that, comrade?" asked the tailor. "There is no doubt that you can throw," said the giant; "but we will see if you can carry." He led the little tailor to a mighty oak-tree which had been felled, and was lying on the ground, and said, "Now, if you are strong enough, help me to carry this tree out of the wood."
"就这个呀？"小裁缝说，"对本人来说，跟玩儿似的。"说着把手伸进口袋里，掏出那快软绵绵的干酪来，轻轻一捏，乳汁就冒了出来。
巨人看了不知说什么才好，却怀疑这么个小人儿是不是真有那么大的力气。 随后，他又拣起一快石头来，朝空中猛地一抛，石头飞得那么高，用肉眼几乎看不见了。
"喏，"巨人说，"可怜的小矮子，你也来一下。"
"的确，扔得挺高，"小裁缝回敬道，"可是你扔的那快石头还是掉回到了地上。本人给你露一手，扔出去就不会再掉回来。"
说罢，他从口袋里把那只小鸟抓出来，往空中一扔。 重获自由的小鸟欢欢喜喜地飞走了，头也不回地一下便无影无踪。 "喂，伙计，这一手还行吧？"小裁缝问道。
"我不否认，扔东西你还行。"巨人回答说，"现在我再瞧瞧你能不能扛动沉重的东西。"
他把小裁缝领到一棵已砍倒在地的大橡树跟前。 "你要是真有力气，就帮我把这棵树从林子里抬走。"
The valiant little tailorC5
"Willingly," answered the little man; "you take the trunk on your shoulders, I will take the branches with all their foliage, that is much the most difficult." So the giant took the trunk on his shoulders, and the tailor seated himself on a branch, and the giant, who could not see what he was doing, had the whole tree to carry, and the little man on it as well. And the little man was very cheerful and merry, and whistled the tune: "There were three tailors riding by" as if carrying the tree was mere child's play. The giant, when he had struggled on under his heavy load a part of the way, was tired out, and cried, "Look here, I must let go the tree!"
The tailor jumped off quickly, and taking hold of the tree with both arms, as if he were carrying it, said to the giant, "You see you can't carry the tree though you are such a big fellow!"
They went on together a little farther, and presently they came to a cherry-tree, and the giant took hold of the topmost branches, where the ripest fruit hung, and pulling them downwards, gave them to the tailor to hold, bidding him eat. But the little tailor was much too weak to hold the tree, and as the giant let go, the tree sprang back, and the tailor was caught up into the air. And when he dropped down again without any damage, the giant said to him, "How is this? haven't you strength enough to hold such a weak sprig as that?"
好的，"小裁缝说，"你扛树干，我扛树枝，这树枝可是最难弄的呀。"
巨人扛起树干，小裁缝却坐在了一根树枝上面。 巨人没法回头看，不得不整个扛着大树，还扛着坐在树枝上的小裁缝。
小裁缝坐在后面，心旷神怡，快乐地吹着口哨，还唱了几句"三个裁缝骑马出了城"这首歌，抬树对他来说仿佛就是一场游戏而已。
巨人扛着沉重的大树走了一段路程，累得上气不接下气，嚷嚷着说他再也走不动了，必须把树放下来。
小裁缝一下子跳了下来，用两只胳膊抱住树身，做出一副一路上抬着大树的样子，接着对巨人说，"亏你这么个大块头，连棵树也扛不了！"
他们一快儿往前走着，来到一棵樱桃树前，树冠上挂满了熟透的樱桃。 巨人一把抓住树冠，拉低后递给小裁缝，让他吃个够。 可小裁缝哪有这么大的力气抓住樱桃树呢，巨人一松手，树就忽地一下直起了身，小裁缝也随着被弹到了空中。
小裁缝安然落地，巨人嚷嚷道："咳！你连抓住这么一根小树枝的力气也没有啊？"
The valiant little tailorC6
"It is not strength that is lacking," answered the little tailor; "how should it to one who has slain seven at one blow! I just jumped over the tree because the hunters are shooting down there in the bushes. You jump it too, if you can." The giant made the attempt, and not being able to vault the tree, he remained hanging in the branches, so that once more the little tailor got the better of him.
Then said the giant, "As you are such a gallant fellow, suppose you come with me to our den, and stay the night." The tailor was quite willing, and he followed him. When they reached the den there sat some other giants by the fire, and each had a roasted sheep in his hand, and was eating it. The little tailor looked round and thought, "There is more elbow-room here than in my workshop." And the giant showed him a bed, and told him he had better lie down upon it and go to sleep. The bed was, however, too big for the tailor, so he did not stay in it, but crept into a corner to sleep.
"这和力气有何相干！"小裁缝回答说，"本人一下子能打死七个，你以为我连根小树枝都抓不住吗？林子里有个猎人要朝我开枪，我才急急忙忙跑过树顶。你要是有能耐，跳给我瞧瞧。"
巨人试了一下，却没能跳过去，而被挂在了枝丫间。 这样一来，小裁缝又占了上风。
于是，巨人说："你是一个了不起的小勇士，就请你到我的山洞里去过夜吧。"
小裁缝很愿意，就跟着他去了。 他们来到洞中，只见还有一些巨人围坐在火堆旁，个个手里拿着一只烤羊，像吃面包似的在吃着。 小裁缝心想："这儿可比我的作坊好多啦。"巨人指给他一张床，叫他躺下休息。 可这张床对小裁缝来说，实在是太大了，他没有躺在床中间，而是爬到了一个角落里。
The valiant little tailorC7
As soon as it was midnight the giant got up, took a great staff of iron and beat the bed through with one stroke, and supposed he had made an end of that grasshopper of a tailor.
Very early in the morning the giants went into the wood and forgot all about the little tailor, and when they saw him coming after them alive and merry, they were terribly frightened, and, thinking he was going to kill them, they ran away in all haste.
So the little tailor marched on, always following his nose. And after he had gone a great way he entered the courtyard belonging to a King's palace, and there he felt so overpowered with fatigue that he lay down and fell asleep. In the meanwhile came various people, who looked at him very curiously, and read on his belt, "Seven at one blow!" - "Oh!" said they, "why should this great lord come here in time of peace? what a mighty champion he must be." Then they went and told the King about him, and they thought that if war should break out what a worthy and useful man he would be, and that he ought not to be allowed to depart at any price.
半夜时分，那个巨人以为小裁缝睡熟了，抓起一根大铁钉，照准床上猛地扎了下去，以为把这个小蚱蜢给解决了。
第二天拂晓，巨人们动身到林子里去，把小裁缝忘得一干二净。 小裁缝仍然像往常一样活蹦乱跳，无忧无虑，朝他们走去。 巨人们一见，以为小裁缝要打死他们，个个吓得屁滚尿流，拔腿就跑。 小裁缝呢，继续赶他的路，一直往前走去。
走了很久，小裁缝来到一座王宫的院子里。 这时，他已累得精疲力尽，便倒在地上睡着了。他正躺在那儿睡的时候，不少人过来，看见了他腰带上绣的字："一下子打死七个！""哎呀！"他们心想，"这一定是位了不起的英雄。和平时期他到这里来干什么呢？"他们立即去向国王禀报，说一旦战争爆发，此人大有用场，千万不能放他走呵。
The valiant little tailorC8
The King then summoned his council, and sent one of his courtiers to the little tailor to beg him, so soon as he should wake up, to consent to serve in the King's army. So the messenger stood and waited at the sleeper's side until his limbs began to stretch, and his eyes to open, and then he carried his answer back. And the answer was, "That was the reason for which I came," said the little tailor, "I am ready to enter the King's service." So he was received into it very honourably, and a separate dwelling set apart for him. But the rest of the soldiers were very much set against the little tailor, and they wished him a thousand miles away. "What shall be done about it?" they said among themselves; "if we pick a quarrel and fight with him then seven of us will fall at each blow. That will be of no good to us." So they came to a resolution, and went all together to the King to ask for their discharge. "We never intended," said they, "to serve with a man who kills seven at a blow." The King felt sorry to lose all his faithful servants because of one man, and he wished that he had never seen him, and would willingly get rid of him if he might. But he did not dare to dismiss the little tailor for fear he should kill all the King's people, and place himself upon the throne.
国王很赞赏这个主意，便差了一位大臣去找小裁缝，等他一醒来，就请他在军队里效力。 这位使者站在一旁，眼睁睁地看着熟睡中的小裁缝，直等到小裁缝伸了伸懒腰，慢慢睁开了双眼，才向他提出请求。
"我正是为此而来的，"小裁缝回答说，"本人很愿意为国王效劳。"
他于是受到了隆重的接待，得到了一处别致的住所。 可是其他军官却很妒嫉，巴不得他早点儿远远地离开这里。 "要是我们和他打起来，"他们交谈着，"他一下子就能打死我们七个，这可怎么是好呢？我们一败涂地呀。"后来，他们决定，一快儿去见国王，提出集体辞职。 "我们这号人呐，"他们跟国王解释说，"无法和一位一下子就打死七个人的大英雄共事。"
因为一个人而要失去所有忠心耿耿的军官，国王感到十分难过，希望压根儿就没见过这个小裁缝，巴不得能早早把他打发走。 可是，国王却没有这个胆量把他赶走，担心小裁缝把他和他的臣民都打死，自己登上王位。
