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."

"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?"

"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, h