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.
Fairy Tale Title
The Brave Little Tailor, or Seven at One Stroke
Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)
Brothers Grimm
Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)
Richard André
Common Tale Type
The Brave Tailor (Seven with One Stroke)
Tale Classification
ATU 1640
Page Range of Tale
pp. 91-96
Full Citation of Tale
Brothers Grimm. “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.
Original Source of the Tale
Brothers Grimm
Tale Notes
In this edition of the Grimm’s fairy tales, there are two detailed, black and white illustrations of giants depicted as very large, normal humans, not monstrous beings. However, they act like monstrous giants by eating sheep and living in a cave. There is also an illustration of the tailor catching a unicorn.
Research and Curation
Brooke Stricker, 2020
Book Title
Grimm's Household Fairy Tales
Book Author/Editor(s)
Brothers Grimm
Illustrator(s)
Richard André
Publisher
McLoughlin Bros.
Date Published
1890
Decade Published
1890-1899
Publisher City
New York
Publisher Country
United States
Language
English
Rights
Public Domain
Digital Copy
Book Notes
None