There lived in a town a poor tailor who, day and night, was always making stitches with his needle on fine fabrics, making clothes over and over again. He could stitch so delicately and so small with his needle that his fame spread throughout the town, and everyone knew of the poor tailor's skill.
One fine day the tailor was visited by a rich and distinguished gentleman, a gentleman who held high office in the king's court.
- 'Hey, you tailor,' said the gentleman, 'I have heard of your wonderful skill. Here is this fine silver cloth; make me a fine dress of it for the third day, for I want to go to the king of Burkush's apartment in it. But let it be beautiful, do you hear! If you have it ready by the third day, you shall have five gold pieces. But if you make a mistake in the dress, I'll have your head.
The tailor sat down and began to sew the silver fabric dress. He was working late at night at the lantern shop, because the dress for the wedding of the King of Burkhu was urgent. The dress was well made, and the poor tailor went next door to borrow a silk bag from his rich neighbour. He wanted to take the beautiful dress home to the nobleman in it.
Yes indeed, but while the poor tailor was reaching for the bag, a screeching little mouse crawled out of its hole and quickly chewed the sleeve of the beautiful dress coat.
Oh, what should the poor tailor do now. How can he take this ragged dress to the gentleman, who will have his head cut off for it. What could he do, the tailor bundled his things in a small bundle and in his grief he fled into the world.
He walked, he walked, it was late at night when he came to a large field. The wind was blowing, the snow was falling, the tailor was also shivering in his clothes.
- I'll be damned if I don't find a human dwelling place, he thought, shivering. - And then he saw a small light in the distance. So he started up the tower towards the light and came to a lonely cottage.
- One life, one death, I'm going to break. - He banged on the window. - The poor wanderer wants lodging for the night.
- "Come in," said a thick voice angrily. "The shivering tailor entered. 'Well, my lord, he's come to the house of the red-bearded man-eating giant.
In the middle of the room a red fire was blazing with great flames, and over the fire on a huge spit the man-eating giant was roasting a whole ox for dinner.
He laughed fearfully when he saw the shivering, gaunt tailor.
- "Well, you tailor," he said, "you've come to the right place too. Now sit down by the fire and dry yourself, I'll eat you up on the third day anyway; but first you'll make me a nice robe of real tin, so that it won't leak, for you see my old robe is worn out.
The giant ate the whole ox for dinner in two bites, then drank a whole tub of pig and didn't even bother.
The next day, the giant went hunting, but he locked the door tightly so that the poor tailor could not escape. The tailor sat down in great sorrow to sew the giant's new tin dress.
At noon the giant came home and asked.
- How are you with the robe, you tailor?
- Your waist is ready.
- Well hurry up, because tomorrow night, hamm, I'm gonna eat you. Be ready by then!
The next morning, the giant went out hunting again, and the tailor went on sewing, terribly sad, because he knew that the giant would eat him by evening.
He stitched, stitched with his fine needle, suddenly he hears scratching. A little mouse stood in front of him and squeaked.
- What are you moping about, you poor tailor.
- 'Of course I shall be sad,' said the tailor, 'when the giant eats me for dinner tonight.
- 'Don't worry,' said the mouse, 'we'll help you. Sew up the giant's robe, but sew it so that the end of his sleeve is stained with lead, and when he sticks his arm in he can't pull it out again. In the cellar you will find a barrel of cormorants, all for you if you kill the giant.
The tailor took the little mouse's advice. The sleeve of the giant's robe was neatly stained with lead. The giant came home, quickly tried on his new robe, and then ate the poor tailor for dinner. Yes, but once he had put on the robe he could not take it off, he could not move in it.
And the tailor went down to the cellar and stuffed his pockets with flashing carnival stones. Then he took the giant's sword and cut off the man-eating giant's red-bearded head with it. As soon as the giant's head fell off, the little mouse turned into a fairy-like leprechaun. For the giant was an evil sorcerer who had turned the daughter of the King of Fairyland into a mouse.
The poor tailor married the beautiful girl, and music played in seventeen countries when they held a feast. Even I danced at that feast!
