“The Brave Little Tailor, or Seven at One Stroke.” Grimm’s Household Fairy Tales, translated by Ella Boldey, with illustrations by R. André, New York: McLoughlin Bros., 1890, pp. 91-96.

Tale Summary

A tailor sits at home and while making a vest kills seven flies at once with a cloth. Impressed by his actions he makes a belt saying, “seven at one stroke” and leaves for the city to make money on his accomplishment. While travelling, he runs into an ogre; when the ogre sees the tailor’s belt, he makes him prove his strength with multiple tasks. The tailor uses his wit to trick the ogre into thinking that he does the tasks. After leaving the ogre, he comes upon a kingdom where the king tells the tailor that if he can complete three tasks, he may have the princess’s hand in marriage and half the king’s wealth. The first task is to kill giants, the second is to catch a unicorn, and the third is to catch a wild boar. When marrying the princess, she realizes he is not a great soldier, but a tailor and tells her father to kill him. When the tailor overhears this, he devises a plan to stay alive and keeps his marriage and his fortune.