The tailor put on the girdle， and resolved to go forth into the world， because he thought his workshop was too small for his valor（valor n.英勇， 勇猛）. Before he went away， he sought about in the house to see if there was anything which he could take with him， however， he found nothing but an old cheese， and that he put in his pocket. In front of the door he observed a bird which had caught itself in the thicket. It had to go into his pocket with the cheese. Now he took to the road boldly（boldly adv.大胆地， 显眼地）， and as he was light and nimble（nimble adj.敏捷的）， he felt no fatigue. The road led him up a mountain， and when he had reached the highest point of it， there sat a powerful giant looking peacefully about him. The little tailor went bravely up， spoke to him， and said， “Good day， comrade， so you are sitting there overlooking the widespread world. I am just on my way thither（thither adv.到那边， 向那方）， and want to try my luck. Have you any inclination（inclination；n.倾斜， 弯曲， 倾度， 倾向， 爱好） to go with me.” The giant looked contemptuously（contemptuously adv.轻蔑地） at the tailor， and said， “You ragamuffin（ragamuffin n.衣裳褴褛的而又肮脏的人(尤指儿童)）. You miserable creature.”“Oh， indeed.” answered the little tailor， and unbuttoned his coat， and showed the giant the girdle， “There may you read what kind of a man I am.” The giant read， “Seven at one stroke.” And thought that they had been men whom the tailor had killed， and began to feel a little respect for the tiny fellow. Nevertheless， he wished to try him first， and took a stone in his hand and squeezed（squeeze v.压榨， 挤， 挤榨） it together so that water dropped out of it. “Do that likewise，” said the giant， “if you have strength.”“Is that all，” said the tailor， “that is child"s play with us.” And put his hand into his pocket， brought out the soft cheese， and pressed it until the liquid（liquid n.液体， 流体， 流音） ran out of it.“Faith，” said he， “that was a little better， wasn"t it.” The giant did not know what to say， and could not believe it of the little man. Then the giant picked up a stone and threw it so high that the eye could scarcely（scarcely adv.几乎不， 简直没有） follow it. Now， little mite（mite n.微小的东西， <口>小孩， 力所能及的微小贡献） of a man， do that likewise. “Well thrown，” said the tailor， “but after all the stone came down to earth again， I will throw you one which shall never come back at all.” And he put his hand into his pocket， took out the bird， and threw it into the air. The bird， delighted with its liberty， rose， flew away and did not come back. “How does that shot please you， comrade.” asked the tailor. “You can certainly throw，” said the giant， “but now we will see if you are able to carry anything properly（properly adv.适当地， 完全地）.” He took the little tailor to a mighty oak（oak n.［植］橡树， 橡木） tree which lay there felled on the ground， and said， “If you are strong enough， help me to carry the tree out of the forest.”“Readily，” answered the little man，“take the trunk（trunk n.干线， 树干， 躯干， 箱子， 主干， 象鼻） on your shoulders， and I will raise up the branches and twigs（twig n.嫩枝， 小枝， 末梢）， after all， they are the heaviest.” The giant took the trunk on his shoulder， but the tailor seated himself on a branch， and the giant who could not look round， had to carry away the whole tree， and the little tailor into the bargain， he behind， was quite merry and happy， and whistled the song， Three Tailors Rode Forth From The Gate，as if carrying the tree were child"s play. The giant， after he had dragged the heavy burden part of the way， “Could go no further，” and cried， “hark you， I shall have to let the tree fall.” The tailor sprang nimbly down， seized（seize v.抓住， 逮住， 夺取） the tree with both arms as if he had been carrying it， and said to the giant， “You are such a great fellow， and yet can not even carry the tree.”
小裁缝把腰带缠在身上，决心去闯荡世界，因为他认为，对于他的英勇来说，他的店太小。动身之前，他在房里寻视了一周，看看有什么好带的没有，他发现只有一块陈干酪可带，就把它放进袋里。在门前，他发现树丛中有一只被困的鸟，于是捉来和干酪放在了一起。随后他便勇敢地上了路，由于身轻并且敏捷，他走起来不感觉疲倦。他走到一座山上。到了山顶，看见那儿坐着一个非常健壮有力的巨人，正悠悠闲闲地东瞅瞅，西望望。小裁缝大着胆儿走过去，招呼他说：“你好，伙计，你坐在这儿观看广大的世界，我也正要到那边去碰碰运气，有兴趣一块儿走吗？”那巨人轻蔑地瞟了他一眼，道：“你这个小瘪三！你这个可怜虫！”“哦，真的吗？”小裁缝回答，同时解开上衣，让巨人看他腰间的带子。“你可以念一念，然后就知道我是怎样的人！”巨人念道：“一家伙揍死七个，”心想这裁缝揍死的一定是人，开始对眼前这个小不点儿产生了几分敬意。不过他还想先试试他，就拣起一块石头用力一捏，捏得石头滴出了水来。“也来一下吧，”巨人说，“要是你有力气的话！”“就这点本领么？”小裁缝问，“对咱们来说简直是儿戏！”说着从袋里掏出那块软乎乎的干酪，按着它到有液体流出来。“怎么样，厉害吧？”小裁缝说。巨人不知讲什么好，却不相信这小人儿真有那么大的力气。他又拾起块石头，一下子扔向空中，叫人用眼睛几乎看不见了，说：“喏，小侏儒，再来试试！”“扔得不错，”裁缝回答，“可石头最后还是掉回地上来了。咱给你扔一块，叫它永远不回来。”说着伸手进口袋抓出那鸟儿，把它扔进空中。鸟儿惊喜自己获得了自由，一下子蹿上高空，头也不回地飞向了远方。“这手还行吧，伙计？”小裁缝问。“扔石块你看来可以，”巨人回答，“可现在咱们再瞧瞧，看你是不是能扛点重东西。”他把小裁缝领到一棵已砍倒在地的大橡树前，说：“你要真有力气，就帮我把这棵树抬到森林去！”“好的好的，”小男子汉回答，“你只要把树干扛上肩，我就愿把枝枝丫丫全抬起来，这可是比你的重得多！”巨人扛起了树干，小裁缝却坐到一根树枝上，巨人没法回头看，不得不扛着整个的树还外加坐在上边的小裁缝。这小子在后边挺开心，兴致一来竟吹起口哨，吹的是“三个裁缝骑马出了城”这只歌子，抬树仿佛对他也是儿戏。巨人扛着沉重的树走了一段路，脚再也拖不动了，大声嚷道：“注意，我要放下啦！”小裁缝机敏地往下一跳，用两条胳臂抱住树身，就像抬着它的样子，一边对巨人说，“亏你这么大个块头，连这棵树都扛不起！”
They went on together， and as they passed a cherrytree， the giant laid hold of the top of the tree where the ripest fruit was hanging， bent it down， gave it into the tailor"s hand， and bade him eat. But the little tailor was much too weak to hold the tree， and when the giant let it go， it sprang back again， and the tailor was tossed（toss v.投， 掷） into the air with it. When he had fallen down again without injury， the giant said， “What is this. Have you not strength enough to hold the weak twig.” “There is no lack of strength.” answered the little tailor. “Do you think that could be anything to a man who has struck down seven at one blow.” “I leapt over the tree because the huntsmen are shooting down there in the thicket.” “Jump as I did， if you can do it.” The giant made the attempt， but could not get over the tree， and remained hanging in the branches， so that in this also the tailor kept the upper hand.
