owever, too big for the tailor, so he
did not stay in it, but crept into a corner to sleep. 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. 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