The Valiant Little Tailor

A small tailor, swatting away flies drawn to his jam, killed seven at once in a single blow and, thrilled with his accidental feat, sewed a belt proclaiming "Seven at One Blow" and set off into the world to seek his fortune, letting everyone assume the boast referred to giants or warriors rather than insects.

A real giant, spotting the belt and taking the boast seriously, challenged him to a series of feats of strength. Whenever the giant crushed a stone to dust, the clever tailor secretly crushed a piece of cheese hidden in his hand instead, appearing just as strong. When the giant hurled a rock impossibly far, the tailor claimed he had thrown a bird that simply never came back down. Astonished and increasingly nervous, the giant and his companions eventually fled rather than face such a seemingly unstoppable warrior.

Word of his supposed feats reached the king, who, both impressed and wary, set the tailor to capturing two dangerous giants and a wild unicorn, hoping he would fail and be rid of. Through cleverness alone — tricking the giants into fighting each other, and luring the unicorn to charge into a tree where its horn stuck fast — the little tailor succeeded at every task, eventually marrying the king's own daughter, proving that wit could accomplish what strength alone never could.