Seven Flies, One Swat—And a Kingdom!
Seven Flies, One Swat—And a Kingdom!
Did you know that the original 1812 Grimm tale was far more violent than today's versions? The tailor's clever tricks often led to gruesome ends for his enemies. Also, the number seven is magical in many cultures—lucky, perfect, and complete. But here, it's just flies! This story shows how a quick wit can turn a tiny accident into a giant adventure.
At the edge of a small village, there was a humble tailor's workshop. In the workshop lived a tailor who was small in stature but clever with his hands. Every day he sat by the window, head bent, stitching clothes thread by thread. Though his pockets were often empty, he always hummed a cheerful tune, a contented smile on his face.
One morning, sunlight streamed through the window onto the wooden table, and the little tailor was busy sewing a shirt. Suddenly, a cry came from outside: "Sweet jam! Fresh jam!" He looked up and saw a farmer's wife pushing a cart past. The little tailor felt in his pocket, pulled out a few copper coins, and bought a small jar of jam. He carefully opened the jar, and the rich fruity scent instantly filled the workshop.
He cut a slice of bread, spread the jam evenly on it with a knife, then set the bread on the table, planning to enjoy it after finishing the last few stitches. In the sunlight, the jam gleamed temptingly, and the little tailor smiled with satisfaction and went back to his work.
Just as the little tailor was bent over his sewing, a buzzing sound grew from afar. He looked up and saw a swarm of flies drawn by the sweet smell of the jam, circling above the bread. One, two, three… more and more flies landed on the jam, greedily sipping. The little tailor frowned; he didn't want his lunch ruined by these uninvited guests.
He set down his needle and thread, grabbed a scrap of cloth, and tiptoed toward the table. The flies, unaware, kept enjoying the feast. The little tailor aimed carefully and suddenly swung the cloth—smack!—a loud thud as the cloth hit the bread. He carefully lifted the cloth and counted: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven! Seven flies lay motionless on the jam.
The little tailor's eyes widened; he couldn't believe his luck. He jumped up excitedly and shouted, "Seven with one blow! I've killed seven flies with one swat! What an achievement!" He felt as if he had become a hero, his heart swelling with pride.
The little tailor decided to let the whole world know of his brave deed. He found a sturdy belt and embroidered on it in golden thread: "Seven with One Blow!" After embroidering, he tied the belt around his waist, puffed out his chest, and looked at himself in the mirror again and again, feeling quite dashing.
"I can't stay in this little workshop forever," he said to himself. "I'll go out into the world and let everyone see what I can do!" He packed a small bundle, putting in a piece of cheese and the little bird he had picked up by the window. He patted the bird's head and said, "Little fellow, come along with me; maybe you'll be a help."
He closed the workshop door, took a deep breath, and set off on his journey. The sunlight shone on him, and the words on his belt sparkled. He walked along the path, full of anticipation, wondering what adventures lay ahead.
After walking for a while, the little tailor came to a dense forest. Ancient trees towered in the forest, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves. He was enjoying the scenery when he suddenly heard heavy footsteps, and the ground trembled. He looked up and saw a giant walking toward him, ten times his height.
The giant looked down and saw the little tailor, and couldn't help laughing loudly: "Little runt, what are you doing in the forest? Careful, I might squash you with one step!" The little tailor was not afraid at all; he puffed out his chest and said, "Don't underestimate me—I'm a remarkable fellow." He pointed to the words on his belt: "Read this: 'Seven with One Blow'!"
The giant leaned in to look. Though he found it hard to believe, he decided to test the little fellow. He picked up a stone and squeezed it hard, crushing it to powder. "Can you do that?" the giant asked smugly. The little tailor was startled inside, but he showed no sign of it. He touched the cheese in his pocket, had a flash of inspiration, and said, "That's easy! Let me try."
The little tailor pulled the cheese from his pocket and held it in his hand. He pretended to squeeze it hard, and white juice squirted out from between his fingers, just like water being squeezed from a stone. The giant's eyes grew wide with amazement as he watched the 'water' flow. He stammered, 'You... you really can squeeze water out of a stone!' The little tailor smiled proudly and said, 'That's nothing. I can do even more amazing things.' The giant was half doubtful, but he already felt a bit of respect for this little fellow. He thought for a moment, then picked up a stone and said, 'Let's have another contest. See who can throw this stone higher.' The little tailor groaned inwardly—he didn't have that kind of strength! But he quickly had an idea. He took the stone, pretended to throw it with all his might, and at the same time quietly released the little bird from his pocket. The bird flew up high, flapping its wings, and disappeared into the clouds in an instant. The giant looked up at the sky and waited a long time, but the stone never came down. He couldn't help but exclaim, 'You threw it really high!'
The giant's respect for the little tailor grew even more, but he still wasn't quite satisfied. He decided to have one last contest. He pointed to a fallen tree and said, 'Let's see who can carry this tree from here to the edge of the forest.' The little tailor looked at the huge trunk and knew he could never lift it, but he had another trick up his sleeve. He said to the giant, 'All right, but since I'm stronger than you, I'll carry the branches end, and you carry the trunk end.' The giant thought this was strange, but he agreed. The little tailor jumped onto the branches and sat on them, letting the giant lift the trunk. The giant carried the trunk and felt all the weight on his side, but the little tailor said, 'Look, the end I'm carrying is much heavier than yours, because I'm sitting on it!' The giant believed him and was completely impressed by the little tailor's strength. He put down the tree and said to the little tailor, 'You are truly an amazing person. I invite you to spend the night in my cave.' The little tailor gladly accepted, but he was secretly on guard, not knowing if the giant had some evil plan.
The giant led the little tailor to his cave. The cave was big and deep, with a huge stone bed inside. The giant said, 'You can sleep on this bed tonight and rest well.' The little tailor looked at the bed, which was bigger than he was, and knew the giant might be planning to attack him while he slept. He pretended to be very grateful and thanked the giant again and again. After the giant left, the little tailor did not go to bed. He found a corner, curled up, and pretended to be asleep. Late at night, the cave was silent. Suddenly, he heard soft footsteps, then the sound of the giant lifting an iron club. The giant thought the little tailor was sleeping on the bed, so he smashed it with all his might. With a loud 'crash,' the stone bed shattered into pieces. The giant thought the little tailor was dead and went back to sleep peacefully. The little tailor hid in the corner, not daring to move, until he was sure the giant had gone far away. Then he breathed a sigh of relief. He thought, 'That was close! Good thing I didn't sleep in the bed.' He decided to leave this dangerous place as soon as it was light.
The next morning, the little tailor came out of the corner and acted as if nothing had happened. The giant was shocked to see the little tailor still alive. He stammered, 'You... how are you still alive? I clearly...' The little tailor interrupted him with a laugh, 'Did you think that little trick could hurt me? I slept like a baby last night.' Hearing this, the giant was even more terrified. He thought the little tailor must be a wizard with magical powers. He didn't dare keep the little tailor any longer and quickly said, 'You leave now. I don't want to see you again.' But the little tailor said deliberately, 'I'm not done playing yet, but since you insist, I'll say goodbye.' He swaggered out of the cave, with the giant following behind, afraid that he might change his mind. After leaving the forest, the little tailor looked back and saw the giant still standing there, looking terrified. He couldn't help but laugh and continued on his journey. He knew there were more adventures ahead, and he was ready to face them with his wits.
After leaving the giant, the little tailor continued on his journey. He walked for days and nights until at last he came to a magnificent castle. Its walls rose high into the clouds, and flags fluttered in the wind. As he approached the gate, the guards saw the words 'Seven at One Blow' embroidered on his belt. They dared not be rude and immediately brought him to see the king.
The king sat in a grand hall glittering with gold and jewels. He listened to the little tailor's story, only half believing it. He thought to himself, 'Could this little fellow really have killed seven giants? I shall test him.' So the king said, 'Brave tailor, I hear you are incredibly strong. Our kingdom has two giants who live in the forest, causing destruction everywhere. The people are suffering terribly. If you can get rid of them, I will give you my daughter in marriage and half my kingdom.'
The little tailor was delighted, but he kept a straight face. He replied, 'Two giants? That's nothing! I'll take care of them right away.' The king, seeing his confidence, sent men to escort him out of the castle and pointed him toward the giants. The little tailor took his cheese and his little bird and strode off into the forest.
The little tailor entered the forest and soon found two giants lying under a great tree, snoring loudly. Their snores rumbled like thunder, making the leaves rustle. The little tailor thought, 'These two are far too strong to fight directly. I'll need a clever plan.' He looked around and saw many stones on the ground. He filled his pockets with as many as they could hold, then quietly climbed the tree and hid among the thick branches.
He found a good spot, took a stone from his pocket, and threw it at one giant's chest. The stone hit with a thud. The giant woke up, shoved his companion, and growled, 'Why did you hit me?' The other giant, bewildered, said, 'When did I hit you? I was fast asleep!' They argued for a bit, then lay down and went back to sleep.
The little tailor stifled a laugh and threw another stone, this time hitting the other giant on the nose. That giant jumped up and roared, 'You dare hit me? I'll show you!' He swung his fist at his companion. The two giants began to punch and kick each other, growing angrier and angrier. Finally, they grabbed a large tree and started hitting each other with it, until the sky grew dark. The little tailor watched from the tree, cheering silently.
The two giants fought fiercely. They were incredibly strong, and each punch could shatter stones and crack the ground. They fought for a long time, getting bruised and exhausted, but neither would give up. At last, they both struck each other with all their might, hitting each other's vital spots. They fell to the ground and did not get up again. The forest grew quiet, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the treetops.
The little tailor climbed down from the tree and walked over to the giants' bodies. He drew his sword and stabbed each of them a few times, then said proudly, 'Now you know how dangerous I am!' He straightened his clothes and strode out of the forest, back to the castle.
The king was astonished to see him return. 'Where are the giants?' he asked. The little tailor patted his belt. 'Taken care of. Both dead.' The king sent men to check, and indeed it was true. The king was secretly alarmed, but he praised him, saying, 'You are truly brave beyond compare! However, I have one more task for you.' The little tailor asked, 'What is it?' The king said, 'There is a unicorn in the forest that has harmed many people. Can you catch it?' The little tailor readily agreed.
The little tailor took a rope and an axe and went back into the forest. He searched everywhere for the unicorn's tracks and finally spotted it in a clearing. It was a snow-white unicorn with a horn that gleamed coldly, looking very fierce. The unicorn saw him too, lowered its head, and pointed its horn at him, ready to charge.
The little tailor was not flustered. He quickly hid behind a large tree, tied one end of the rope to the tree, and held the other end in his hand. The unicorn gave an angry roar and charged with all its might, driving its horn straight into the tree. With a loud 'thunk,' the horn sank deep into the trunk, and the unicorn was stuck fast. The little tailor stepped out from behind the tree and said with a laugh, 'Now you can't run away.' He bound the unicorn tightly with the rope, then led it back to the castle.
The king was even more impressed to see the unicorn captured, but at the same time he felt uneasy. He thought, 'This little tailor is so capable that he might be hard to control in the future.' So he said, 'You must do one more thing for me: there is a wild boar in the forest that is extremely fierce. Can you catch it?' The little tailor, still full of confidence, said, 'No problem, I'll go right away.'
The little tailor went into the forest and found the wild boar. The boar was huge, with sharp tusks, and looked very dangerous. The little tailor knew he could not fight it head-on, so he made a plan. He ran to a small chapel nearby, opened the door, and then deliberately waved at the boar to make it chase him. The boar fell for the trick and charged at him with an angry roar. The little tailor nimbly slipped inside the chapel, and the boar rushed in after him. He quickly slipped out through a side door, then shut the chapel's main door, trapping the boar inside.
The wild boar crashed around inside the chapel but could not escape. The little tailor said through the door, "Stay in there and behave yourself!" He returned to the palace and reported to the king: "The wild boar is locked in the chapel." The king sent people to check, and it was true. The king had nothing to say and had to keep his promise.
He said to the little tailor, "You are truly brave and clever. I have decided to give you the princess in marriage and half of my kingdom." The little tailor was delighted, but he still stayed humble. Soon the wedding was held with great ceremony. The princess was beautiful, and the little tailor wore brand-new ceremonial clothes and looked full of energy. The whole kingdom joined in the celebration.
After the wedding, the little tailor and the princess moved into a splendid palace. The king kept his word and gave him half the kingdom, so the little tailor became a true noble. Every day he handled government affairs, and in his spare time he still liked to sew and mend, remembering his past adventures. At first the princess admired her husband's cleverness and bravery, but as time passed, she began to notice some strange details.
One night, the princess woke up and heard the little tailor talking in his sleep. He mumbled, "The sleeves on this coat need stronger stitching... and the trousers need to be taken in..." The princess was startled: "Why is he still talking about tailoring? Could he really be a tailor?" The more she thought, the more uneasy she felt. She thought, as a princess, how could she be married to a tailor? So early the next morning, she went to her father and complained: "Father, I have discovered that he is actually a tailor, not a hero at all! How could you marry me to someone like that?"
The king frowned when he heard this. He had already been uneasy about the little tailor, and now that his daughter had said this, he became murderous. He comforted the princess: "Don't worry, I will take care of it." Secretly he gathered several guards and planned to get rid of the little tailor at night while he was fast asleep.
Although the little tailor had become a noble, he remained alert. He noticed that the people in the palace treated him a little strangely, especially the king, whose eyes hid a trace of murderous intent. He thought, "Could they know my secret and want to harm me?" So he decided to test them.
That night, the little tailor pretended to be asleep, and before long he began to talk loudly in his sleep. He raised his voice as if arguing with someone: "All by myself I killed seven giants! I even caught a unicorn and a wild boar! If anyone dares to touch a single hair on my head, I will let them taste my fury!" As he spoke, he waved his arms as if he were fighting.
The guards hiding outside the door heard these words and were frightened. They thought of the little tailor's many deeds and were terrified, and none dared to act. One guard whispered, "This man is too frightening. We should go." So they quietly withdrew and went back to report to the king: "Your Majesty, that tailor is truly powerful. We dare not lay a hand on him." When the king heard this, he had no choice but to give up the idea of killing him. From then on, no one dared to provoke the little tailor.
With his cleverness and courage, the little tailor overcame the final crisis. He continued to govern the country as the king's son-in-law, and the people praised him for being wise and capable. The princess gradually accepted him too. Although she sometimes still remembered his tailor background, when she saw how much everyone loved him, she said no more.
The little tailor never forgot his roots. He set up a small workshop in the palace, and in his spare time he still picked up needle and thread to sew clothes for his family. He often said to people, "Seven at one blow depends not on strength, but on wisdom." This saying became his motto and inspired many people who faced difficulties.
As time passed, the little tailor's story spread throughout the kingdom. People said that a small tailor, through cleverness and bravery, not only defeated giants, a unicorn, and a wild boar, but also won the princess and half the kingdom. This story tells us: no matter how strong the enemy is, as long as you use wisdom and face them bravely, you can overcome any difficulty. Just like the words on the little tailor's belt, "Seven at one blow," true strength comes from the mind, not from the fist.
