; "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. 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."

"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-