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.  He thought a long while about it and at last made up his mind what to do. 

He sent for the little tailor and told him that as he was so great a warrior he had a proposal to make to him.  He told him that in a wood in his dominions dwelt two giants who did great damage by robbery, murder, and fire, and that no man dared go near them for fear of his life.  But that if the tailor should overcome and slay both these giants the King would give him his only daughter in marriage and half his kingdom as dowry. 

›That would be something for a man like me!‹  thought the little tailor,  ›a beautiful princess and half a kingdom are not to be had every day,‹  and he said to the King,  »Oh yes, I can soon overcome the giants.  He who can kill seven at one blow has no need to be afraid of two.«  

 

next