Page 590 - Child's own book

all his force open the breast of the first giant. “ That is too
bad," he exclaimed, and springing up like a madman, he fell
upon his companion, who reckoned with like coin, and they
set to in such good earnest, that they uprooted trees and beat
one another about until they both fell dead on the ground. The
tailor soon came down, saying: “ What a bit of lock it is that
they did not root up the tree on which 1 sat, else like a squirrel
I must have jumped to another: but I am not one of the fly­
ing ones.” He then drew his sword and gave to each a tre­
mendous cut across the breast, and after that went to the knights
and said. “ The work is accomplished; I have given the finish­
ing stroke to both ; but it was a hard job, for, in their necessity,
they uprooted trees to defend themselves ; still nothing avails
when such an one as 1 come, who can kill seven at every blow,"
—u Are you then not wounded ? ” asked the knights.,>— “ There
is no fear of that," he replied* w Not a hair of my head have
they touched.” The knights, however, would not believe him
at all, and rode off into the forest, where they found the giaata
floating in their blood, with the uprooted trees around them.
The little tailor desired of the king his promised reward, but
he rued his promise, and thought anew how he could rid him­
self of our hero. u Before you can obtain my daughter and
the half of my empire,” said he, “ you mnst execute one more
heroic deed- In the forest there runs an unicorn who does great
harm. Von must first catch him "— *l I care still less for an
nnicom than two giants,” he replied. 1 Seven at one [blow!'
that is my motto.” He took a rope and an axe, and went away
to the forest, bidding those who were ordered to accompany him
to wait without. He had not to seek long, for presently the
unicorn came up and made a spring at the tailor, as if he would
pierco him. “ Gently, gently said he, K that is not done so
easily an d waiting till the animal was close to him, he slipped