r.

The giant turned round, and seeing nobody but the little tailor there,
he cried with scorn:

"And what might you be doing here, might I ask? You'd best be off at
once."

"Not so fast, my friend," said the little man; "read this."

"Seven at one blow," read the giant, and he began to wish he'd been
more civil.

"Well, I'm sure nobody would think it to look at you," he replied;
"but since you are so clever, do this," and he picked up a stone and
squeezed it until water ran out.

"Do that! Why, it's mere child's play to me," and the man took out
his cheese and squeezed it until the whey ran from it. "Now who is
cleverer?" asked the tailor. "You see, I can squeeze milk out, while
you only get water."

The giant was too surprised to utter a word for a few minutes; then,
taking up another stone, he threw it so high into the air that for
a moment they couldn't see where it went; then down it fell to the
ground again.

"Good!" said the tailor; "but I'll throw a stone that won't come back
again at all."

Taking the little bird from his pocket, he threw it into the air, and
the bird, glad to get away, flew right off and never returned.

This sort of thing didn't suit the giant at all, for he wasn't used to
being beaten by any one.

"Here's something that you'll never manage," said he to the little
man. "Just come and help me to carry this fallen oak-tree for a few
miles."

"Delighted!" said the tailor, "and I'll take the end with the
branches, for it's sure to be heavier."

"Agreed," replied the giant, and he lifted the heavy trunk on to his
shoulder, while the tailor climbed up among the branches at the
other end, and sang with all his might, as though carrying a tree was
nothing to him.

The poor giant, who was holding the tree-trunk and the little tailor
as well, soon grew tired.

"I'm going to let it fall!" he shouted, and the tailor jumped down
from the branches, and pretended he had been helping all the time.

"The idea of a man your size finding a tree too heavy to carry!"
laughed the little tailor.

"You are a clever little fellow, and no mistake," replied the giant,
"and if you'll only come and spend the night in our cave, we shall be
delighted to have you."

"I shall have great pleasure in coming, my friend," answered the
little tailor, and together they set off for the giant's home.

There were seven more giants in the cave, and each one of them was
eating a roasted pig for his supper. T