The Two Travellers

Hill and vale do not come together, but the children of men do, good and bad. In this way a shoemaker and a tailor once met with each other in their travels. The tailor was a handsome little fellow who was always merry and full of enjoyment. He saw the shoemaker coming towards him from the other side, and as he observed by his bag what kind of a trade he plied, he sang a little mocking song to him,

“Sew me the seam,

Draw me the thread,

Spread it over with pitch,

Knock the nail on the head.”

The shoemaker, however, could not endure a joke; he pulled a face as if he had drunk vinegar, and made a gesture as if he were about to seize the tailor by the throat. But the little fellow began to laugh, reached him his bottle, and said,“No harm was meant, take a drink, and swallow your anger down.”The shoemaker took a very hearty drink, and the storm on his face began to clear away. He gave the bottle back to the tailor, and said,“I spoke civilly to you; one speaks well after much drinking, but not after much thirst. Shall we travel together?”

“All right,”answered the tailor,“if only it suits you to go into a big town where there is no lack of work.”

“That is just where I want to go,”answered the shoemaker.“In a small nest there is nothing to earn, and in the country, people like to go barefoot.”They travelled therefore onwards together, and always set one foot before the other like a weasel in the snow.

Both of them had time enough, but little to bite and to break. When they reached a town they went about and paid their respects to the tradesmen, and because the tailor looked so lively and merry, and had such pretty red cheeks, every one gave him work willingly, and when luck was good the master's daughters gave him a kiss beneath the porch, as well. When he again fell in with the shoemaker, the tailor had always the most in his bundle. The ill-tempered shoemaker made a wry face, and thought,“The greater the rascal the more the luck,”but the tailor began to laugh and to sing, and shared all he got with his comrade. If a couple of pence jingled in his pockets, he ordered good cheer, and thumped the table in his joy till the glasses danced, and it was lightly come, lightly go, with him.

When they had travelled for some time, they came to a great forest through which passed the road to the capital. Two foot-paths, however, led through it, one of which was a seven days' journey, and the other only two, but neither of the travellers knew which way was the short one. They seated themselves beneath an oak-tree, and took counsel together how they should forecast, and for how many days they should provide themselves with bread. The shoemaker said,“One must look before one leaps, I will take with me bread for a week.”

“What!”said the tailor,“drag bread for seven days on one's back like a beast of burden, and not be able to look about. I shall trust in God, and not trouble myself about anything! The money I have in my pocket is as good in summer as in winter, but in hot weather bread gets dry, and mouldy into the bargain; even my coat does not go as far as it might. Besides, why should we not find the right way? Bread for two days, and that's enough.”Each, therefore, bought his own bread, and then they tried their luck in the forest.

It was as quiet there as in a church. No wind stirred, no brook murmured, no bird sang, and through the thickly-leaved branches no sunbeam forced its way. The shoemaker spoke never a word, the heavy bread weighed down his back until the perspiration streamed down his cross and gloomy face. The tailor, however, was quite merry, he jumped about, whistled on a leaf, or sang a song, and thought to himself,“God in heaven must be pleased to see me so happy.”This lasted two days, but on the third the forest would not come to an end, and the tailor had eaten up all his bread, so after all his heart sank down a yard deeper. In the meantime he did not lose courage, but relied on God and on his luck. On the third day he lay down in the evening hungry under a tree, and rose again next morning hungry still; so also passed the fourth day, and when the shoemaker seated himself on a fallen tree and devoured his dinner, the tailor was only a looker-on. If he begged for a little piece of bread the other laughed mockingly, and said,“You have always been so merry, now you can try for once what it is to be sad: the birds which sing too early in the morning are struck by the hawk in the evening,”In short he was pitiless. But on the fifth morning the poor tailor could no longer stand up, and was hardly able to utter one word for weakness; his cheeks were white, and his eyes red. Then the shoemaker said to him,“I will give you a bit of bread to-day, but in return for it, I will put out your right eye.”The unhappy tailor who still wished to save his life, could not do it in any other way; he wept once more with both eyes, and then held them out, and the shoemaker, who had a heart of stone, put out his right eye with a sharp knife. The tailor called to remembrance what his mother had formerly said to him when he had been eating secretly in the pantry.“Eat what one can, and suffer what one must.”When he had consumed his dearly-bought bread, he got on his legs again, forgot his misery and comforted himself with the thought that he could always see enough with one eye. But on the sixth day, hunger made itself felt again, and gnawed him almost to the heart. In the evening he fell down by a tree, and on the seventh morning he could not raise himself up for faintness, and death was close at hand. Then said the shoemaker,“I will show mercy and give you bread once more, but you shall not have it for nothing, I shall put out your other eye for it.”And now the tailor felt how thoughtless his life had been, prayed to God for forgiveness, and said,“Do what you will, I will bear what I must, but remember that our Lord God does not always look on passively, and that an hour will come when the evil deed which you have done to me, and which I have not deserved of you, will be requited. When times were good with me, I shared what I had with you. My trade is of that kind that each stitch must always be exactly like the other. If I no longer have my eyes and can sew no more I must go a-begging. At any rate do not leave me here alone when I am blind, or I shall die of hunger.”The shoemaker, however, who had driven God out of his heart, took the knife and put out his left eye. Then he gave him a bit of bread to eat, held out a stick to him, and drew him on behind him.

When the sun went down, they got out of the forest, and before them in the open country stood the gallows. Thither the shoemaker guided the blind tailor, and then left him alone and went his way. Weariness, pain, and hunger made the wretched man fall asleep, and he slept the whole night. When day dawned he awoke, but knew not where he lay. Two poor sinners were hanging on the gallows, and a crow sat on the head of each of them. Then one of the men who had been hanged began to speak, and said,“Brother, are you awake?”

“Yes, I am awake,”answered the second.“Then I will tell you something,”said the first;“the dew which this night has fallen down over us from the gallows, gives every one who washes himself with it his eyes again. If blind people did but know this, how many would regain their sight who do not believe that to be possible.”When the tailor heard that,he took his pocket-handkerchief, pressed it on the grass, and when it was moist with dew, washed the sockets of his eyes with it. Immediately was fulfilled what the man on the gallows had said, and a couple of healthy new eyes filled the sockets. It was not long before the tailor saw the sun rise behind the mountains; in the plain before him lay the great royal city with its magnificent gates and hundred towers, and the golden balls and crosses which were on the spires began to shine. He could distinguish every leaf on the trees, saw the birds which flew past, and the midges which danced in the air. He took a needle out of his pocket, and as he could thread it as well as ever he had done, his heart danced with delight. He threw himself on his knees, thanked God for the mercy he had shown him, and said his morning prayer. He did not forget also to pray for the poor sinners who were hanging there swinging against each other in the wind like the pendulums of clocks. Then he took his bundle on his back and soon forgot the pain of heart he had endured, and went on his way singing and whistling.

The first thing he met was a brown foal running about the fields at large. He caught it by the mane, and wanted to spring on it and ride into the town. The foal, however, begged to be set free.“I am still too young,”it said,“even a light tailor such as you are would break my back in two let me go till I have grown strong. A time may perhaps come when I may reward you for it.”

“Run off,”said the tailor,“I see you are still a giddy thing.”He gave it a touch with a switch over its back, whereupon it kicked up its hind legs for joy, leapt over hedges and ditches, and galloped away into the open country.

But the little tailor had eaten nothing since the day before.“The sun to be sure fills my eyes,”said he,“but the bread does not fill my mouth. The first thing that comes across me and is even half edible will have to suffer for it.”In the meantime a stork stepped solemnly over the meadow towards him.“Halt, halt!”cried the tailor, and seized him by the leg.“I don't know if you are good to eat or not, but my hunger leaves me no great choice. I must cut your head off, and roast you.”

“Don't do that,”replied the stork;“I am a sacred bird which brings mankind great profit, and no one does me an injury. Leave me my life, and I may do you good in some other way.”“Well, be off, Cousin Longlegs,”said the tailor. The stork rose up, let its long legs hang down, and flew gently away.

“What's to be the end of this?”said the tailor to himself at last,“my hunger grows greater and greater, and my stomach more and more empty. Whatsoever comes in my way now is lost.”At this moment he saw a couple of young ducks which were on a pond come swimming towards him.“You come just at the right moment,”said he, and laid hold of one of them and was about to wring its neck. On this an old duck which was hidden among the reeds, began to scream loudly, and swam to him with open beak, and begged him urgently to spare her dear children.“Can you not imagine,”said she,“how your mother would mourn if any one wanted to carry you off, and give you your finishing stroke?”

“Only be quiet,”said the good-tempered tailor,“you shall keep your children,”and put the prisoner back into the water.

When he turned round, he was standing in front of an old tree which was partly hollow, and saw some wild bees flying in and out of it.“There I shall at once find the reward of my good deed,”said the tailor,“the honey will refresh me.”But the Queen-bee came out, threatened him and said,“If you touch my people, and destroyest my nest, our stings shall pierce your skin like ten thousand red-hot needles. But if you will leave us in peace and go your way, we will do you a service for it another time.”

The little tailor saw that here also nothing was to be done.“Three dishes empty and nothing on the fourth is a bad dinner!”He dragged himself therefore with his starved-out stomach into the town, and as it was just striking twelve, all was ready-cooked for him in the inn, and he was able to sit down at once to dinner. When he was satisfied he said,“Now I will get to work.”He went round the town, sought a master, and soon found a good situation. As, however, he had thoroughly learnt his trade, it was not long before he became famous, and every one wanted to have his new coat made by the little tailor, whose importance increased daily.“I can go no further in skill,”said he,“and yet things improve every day.”At last the King appointed him court-tailor.

But how things do happen in the world! On the very same day his former comrade the shoemaker also became court-shoemaker. When the latter caught sight of the tailor, and saw that he had once more two healthy eyes, his conscience troubled him.“Before he takes revenge on me,”thought he to himself,“I must dig a pit for him.”He, however, who digs a pit for another, falls into it himself. In the evening when work was over and it had grown dusk, he stole to the King and said,“Lord King, the tailor is an arrogant fellow and has boasted that he will get the gold crown back again which was lost in ancient times.”

“That would please me very much,”said the King, and he caused the tailor to be brought before him next morning, and ordered him to get the crown back again, or to leave the town for ever.“Oho!”thought the tailor,“a rogue gives more than he has got. If the surly King wants me to do what can be done by no one, I will not wait till morning, but will go out of the town at once, to-day.”He packed up his bundle, therefore, but when he was without the gate he could not help being sorry to give up his good fortune, and turn his back on the town in which all had gone so well with him. He came to the pond where he had made the acquaintance of the ducks; at that very moment the old one whose young ones he had spared, was sitting there by the shore, pluming herself with her beak. She knew him again instantly, and asked why he was hanging his head so?“You will not be surprised when you hear what has befallen me,”replied the tailor, and told her his fate.“If that be all,”said the duck,“we can help you. The crown fell into the water, and lies down below at the bottom; we will soon bring it up again for you. In the meantime just spread out your handkerchief on the bank.”She dived down with her twelve young ones, and in five minutes she was up again and sat with the crown resting on her wings, and the twelve young ones were swimming round about and had put their beaks under it, and were helping to carry it. They swam to the shore and put the crown on the handkerchief. No one can imagine how magnificent the crown was; when the sun shone on it, it gleamed like a hundred thousand carbuncles. The tailor tied his handkerchief together by the four corners, and carried it to the King, who was full of joy, and put a gold chain round the tailor's neck.

When the shoemaker saw that one stroke had failed, he contrived a second, and went to the King and said,“Lord King, the tailor has become insolent again; he boasts that he will copy in wax the whole of the royal palace, with everything that pertains to it, loose or fast, inside and out.”The King sent for the tailor and ordered him to copy in wax the whole of the royal palace, with everything that pertained to it, movable or immovable, within and without, and if he did not succeed in doing this, or if so much as one nail on the wall were wanting, he should be imprisoned for his whole life under ground. The tailor thought,“It gets worse and worse! No one can endure that?”and threw his bundle on his back, and went forth. When he came to the hollow tree, he sat down and hung his head. The bees came flying out, and the Queen-bee asked him if he had a stiff neck, since he held his head so awry?“Alas, no,”answered the tailor,“something quite different weighs me down,”and he told her what the King had demanded of him. The bees began to buzz and hum amongst themselves, and the Queen-bee said,“Just go home again, but come back to-morrow at this time, and bring a large sheet with you, and then all will be well.”So he turned back again, but the bees flew to the royal palace and straight into it through the open windows, crept round about into every corner, and inspected everything most carefully. Then they hurried back and modelled the palace in wax with such rapidity that any one looking on would have thought it was growing before his eyes. By the evening all was ready, and when the tailor came next morning, the whole of the splendid building was there, and not one nail in the wall or tile of the roof was wanting, and it was delicate withal, and white as snow, and smelt sweet as honey. The tailor wrapped it carefully in his cloth and took it to the King, who could not admire it enough, placed it in his largest hall, and in return for it presented the tailor with a large stone house.

The shoemaker, however, did not give up, but went for the third time to the King and said,“Lord King, it has come to the tailor's ears that no water will spring up in the court-yard of the castle, and he has boasted that it shall rise up in the midst of the court-yard to a man's height and be clear as crystal.”Then the King ordered the tailor to be brought before him and said,“If a stream of water does not rise in my court-yard by to-morrow as you have promised, the executioner shall in that very place make you shorter by the head.”The poor tailor did not take long to think about it, but hurried out to the gate, and because this time it was a matter of life and death to him, tears rolled down his face. Whilst he was thus going forth full of sorrow, the foal to which he had formerly given its liberty, and which had now become a beautiful chestnut horse, came leaping towards him.“The time has come,”it said to the tailor,“when I can repay you for your good deed. I know already what is needful to you, but you shall soon have help; get on me, my back can carry two such as you.”The tailor's courage came back to him; he jumped up in one bound, and the horse went full speed into the town, and right up to the court-yard of the castle. It galloped as quick as lightning thrice round it, and at the third time it fell violently down. At the same instant, however, there was a terrific clap of thunder, a fragment of earth in the middle of the court-yard sprang like a cannon-ball into the air, and over the castle, and directly after it a jet of water rose as high as a man on horseback, and the water was as pure as crystal, and the sunbeams began to dance on it. When the King saw that he arose in amazement, and went and embraced the tailor in the sight of all men.

But good fortune did not last long. The King had daughters in plenty, one still prettier than the other, but he had no son. So the malicious shoemaker betook himself for the fourth time to the King, and said,“Lord King, the tailor has not given up his arrogance. He has now boasted that if he liked, he could cause a son to be brought to the Lord king through the air.”The King commanded the tailor to be summoned, and said,“If you cause a son to be brought to me within nine days, you shall have my eldest daughter to wife.”“The reward is indeed great,”thought the little tailor;“one would willingly do something for it, but the cherries grow too high for me, if I climb for them, the bough will break beneath me, and I shall fall.”

He went home, seated himself cross-legged on his work-table, and thought over what was to be done.“It can't be managed,”cried he at last,“I will go away; after all I can't live in peace here.”He tied up his bundle and hurried away to the gate. When he got to the meadow, he perceived his old friend the stork, who was walking backwards and forwards like a philosopher. Sometimes he stood still, took a frog into close consideration, and at length swallowed it down. The stork came to him and greeted him.“I see,”he began,“that you have your pack on your back. Why are you leaving the town?”The tailor told him what the King had required of him, and how he could not perform it, and lamented his misfortune.“Don't let your hair grow grey about that,”said the stork,“I will help you out of your difficulty. For a long time now, I have carried the children in swaddling-clothes into the town, so for once in a way I can fetch a little prince out of the well. Go home and be easy. In nine days from this time repair to the royal palace, and there will I come.”The little tailor went home, and at the appointed time was at the castle. It was not long before the stork came flying thither and tapped at the window. The tailor opened it, and cousin Longlegs came carefully in, and walked with solemn steps over the smooth marble pavement. He had, moreover, a baby in his beak that was as lovely as an angel, and stretched out its little hands to the Queen. The stork laid it in her lap, and she caressed it and kissed it, and was beside herself with delight. Before the stork flew away, he took his travelling bag off his back and handed it over to the Queen. In it there were little paper parcels with colored sweetmeats, and they were divided amongst the little princesses. The eldest, however, had none of them, but got the merry tailor for a husband.“It seems to me,”said he,“just as if I had won the highest prize. My mother was if right after all, she always said that whoever trusts in God and only has good luck, can never fail.”

The shoemaker had to make the shoes in which the little tailor danced at the wedding festival, after which he was commanded to quit the town for ever. The road to the forest led him to the gallows. Worn out with anger, rage, and the heat of the day, he threw himself down. When he had closed his eyes and was about to sleep, the two crows flew down from the heads of the men who were hanging there, and pecked his eyes out. In his madness he ran into the forest and must have died there of hunger, for no one has ever either seen him again or heard of him.

两个漫游者

山和谷不相遇，好人和坏人会碰面。有一天，一个鞋匠和一个裁缝在漫游途中走到一起来了。裁缝是个小个子男人，总是心情愉快。他看见鞋匠迎面走来，看他的工匠背囊就知道他是干哪一门手艺的，他冲着他唱一支讽刺小曲：

给我缝好鞋缝，

给我拉紧鞋线，

鞋帮涂上沥青，

牢牢钉上鞋钉。

鞋匠听了受不了，脸上酸溜溜的，像喝了醋似的，一副要和小裁缝拼命的架势。小裁缝却笑了，把自己的酒瓶递给鞋匠，说：“我没有恶意，喝口酒吧，消消气。”鞋匠喝了一大口，脸上的乌云就消散了。他把酒瓶还给裁缝，说道：“我喝了一大口，人说喝得很多，但不说喝得厉害。我们一起漫游好吗？”

“很好，”裁缝回答说，“如果你想去大城市的话，那里有活干。”

“我也正想去大城市，”鞋匠说，“在小镇赚不到什么钱，乡下人更喜欢光脚丫子走路。”于是他们一起继续漫游，像雪地里的黄鼠狼一样，不停地移动双脚朝前走。

时间他们两个有的是，就是没有什么吃的。他们到了一个城市，就到处走走，探望同行。因为小裁缝性情爽朗愉快，又长着俊俏的红扑扑的腮帮，人人都乐意送给他些东西，运气好的话，师傅的女儿还会在家门口给他一个吻，送他上路。又和鞋匠会合的时候，他背包里的东西总要比鞋匠多些。性情阴郁乖僻的鞋匠拉长了脸说：“人越无赖越是有福。”小裁缝却又是笑又是唱歌，无论得到什么东西，全都和鞋匠分享。他口袋里如果有几枚银币叮当响，就下饭馆，高兴得拍桌子，拍得酒杯在桌上跳起舞来，他这人正是：“钱赚得容易花得也快。”

他们漫游了一段时间，来到一座大森林附近，通往京城的路就穿过这座森林。人走的小路有两条，一条要走七天，另一条只要走两天，但他们谁也不知道哪一条是近路。两个漫游者坐在橡树下商量该带些什么东西，带吃几天的面包。鞋匠说：“不能光想顺利的情况，我要带七天吃的面包。”

“什么！”裁缝说，“像头驴子那样背着七天吃的面包？那就连转过头看看周围都不行了。我依靠上帝，别的事我不管。我口袋里的钱，夏天和冬天都一样好用，可是面包天热就会干巴，还会发霉。带够吃的面包就行了，不要带太多。我们怎么就找不到近路呢？带两天吃的面包就行了。”于是俩人各自买自己吃的面包，然后走进森林去碰运气。

森林里面静悄悄的，像教堂里面一样。没有风吹树叶沙沙响，没有溪水潺潺，没有鸟儿鸣啭，没有阳光透过树枝的浓荫照射进来。鞋匠一声不吭，沉甸甸的面包压得他满头大汗，汗水从他闷闷不乐的阴沉的脸上往下流淌。裁缝的兴致很好，他跳来跳去，拿一片树叶吹哨子，要不就唱一支小曲，心里想道：“天上的上帝看我这样快乐，一定会很高兴。”这样过了两天，第三天裁缝的面包吃完了，还没有快要走出森林的模样，裁缝的心猛往下沉，但他并未因此丧失勇气，他信赖上帝，相信自己会有好运。第三天晚上他饿着肚子躺在一棵树下，早晨又饿着肚子爬起来。第四天也是如此。鞋匠坐在一棵倒下的树上吃饭，裁缝只能瞧着他干瞪眼。他向鞋匠讨一小块面包，鞋匠讥笑他说：“你一向那么快活，现在也可以尝一尝不快活是什么滋味。早晨唱歌唱得太早的小鸟儿晚上会被老鹰叼走的。”一句话，此人没有同情心。可是第五天早晨，裁缝爬不起来了，他疲乏无力，几乎说不出一句话；他的脸颊苍白，双眼血红。鞋匠对他说：“今天我要给你一块面包，但是要把你的右眼挖出来。”不幸的裁缝要活命，没有办法，他双眼泪流，然后抬起头来，铁石心肠的鞋匠用一把锋利的刀子把他的右眼挖了出来。这时裁缝想起从前他在储藏食物的房间偷吃甜食以后母亲说过的话：能吃多少就吃多少，必须忍受就得忍受。他吃完以高昂的代价换来的面包后，又站起来继续走，忘记了他的不幸，并且安慰自己说，他有一只眼睛就能够看清楚了。但到了第六天，他又饥肠辘辘，一颗心几乎都要碎了。晚上，他躺倒在一棵树旁边，第七天早晨他已经没有力气爬起来，死到临头了。鞋匠说：“我要行善事，再给你一次面包，但不能白给，得挖掉你另一只眼睛。”裁缝这才认识到自己生活的轻率，请求亲爱的上帝宽恕他，他说：“你要怎么干，就动手吧，我要忍受我必须忍受的；但是，你好好想一想，我们的主不是每时每刻都在审判，另外一个时刻会到来的，那时候你对我的暴行就会得到报应。我没有对不起你的地方，我有好日子过的时候，我和你分享我的所有。我的手艺需要我一针一针地缝，如果我没有眼睛，无法缝纫，我就只能乞讨度日。我要是瞎了，你可不能把我一个人扔在这里，那我就得饿死了。”鞋匠的心里已经没有上帝，他拿起刀，把裁缝的左眼挖出来，然后拿一块面包给他吃，递给他一根棍子，牵着他走。

日落时分，他们走出森林，森林附近的田野上立着一个绞架。鞋匠领着盲裁缝走到那里，让他躺下，就自己走了。不幸的裁缝非常疲劳，又疼又饿，他睡着了，睡了整整一夜。晨光熹微中，他醒了，却不知道自己身在何处。绞架上吊着两个可怜的罪人，这两人头顶上都蹲着一只乌鸦。这时，一个吊死鬼说“：兄弟，你醒了吗？”

“醒了。”另一个说。“那我告诉你件事，”第一个又开口说，“昨天夜里从我们头顶绞架上落下的露水，拿去洗眼，会使人重见光明。要是盲人们知道这样能重新获得视力，有些人恐怕还不信呢。”裁缝听了，拿起毛巾按在草上，沾湿露水，揩擦眼睛。吊死鬼说的话，果然应验了，裁缝的眼窝里立刻重现一对清新健康的眼睛。没过多久，裁缝看见太阳从山后面升起，在他面前的平原上，就是伟大的京城，华丽的城门，上百座塔楼，塔尖上的金球和十字架开始闪亮。他能分得清树上的每一片树叶，看得见飞掠而过的鸟儿和在空中跳舞的蚊子。他从口袋里取出一根缝衣针，当他和从前一样把线穿过针眼，他的心里真是乐开了花。他跪在地上，感谢上帝赐予他的恩惠，做了晨祷，也没忘记为那两个像大钟的钟摆一样在风中摇摆、互相碰撞的罪人求祈。接着他背上行李，不久就忘了所遭受的苦难，唱着歌吹着口哨继续往前走。

他首先遇到一匹棕色马驹在田野上自由地欢蹦乱跳。他抓住马鬃毛，正要跃上马背，骑马进城，马驹求他放了它，说：“我还太年幼，像你这么轻的裁缝骑上来也会压断我的脊背，放了我吧，等我长壮实了，也许将来可以报答你。”

“去吧，”裁缝说，“我看你也是个顽皮的小子。”他用树枝抽一下马背，小马驹尥蹶子撒欢，跃过树篱和壕沟，向着原野奔去。

从昨天起，小裁缝就没吃过一点东西。“阳光虽然充满我的眼睛，”他说，“但是我的嘴里没有面包。我一定不放过最先碰到的勉强能吃的东西。”这时，一只鹳神态庄严地从草地上阔步走来。“停一下！停一下！”裁缝喊道，抓住它的腿，“我不知道能不能吃你，可是我饿极了，别无选择，我得剁下你的脑袋，把你烤了。”

“别这么干，”鹳回答说，“我是能给人类带来大益处的圣鸟，谁都不伤害我。要是你放了我，我下次会报答你的。”

“那就走吧，长腿老弟。”裁缝说。鹳鸟飞起来，垂下一双长腿，从容飞走了。

“怎么办？”裁缝自言自语，“我越来越饿，肚子越来越空。现在我要是碰上什么，准叫它没命。”这时他看见池塘里游过来几只小鸭。“你们来得正是时候。”他说着逮住一只，正要拧断它的脖子，躲在芦苇里的一只老母鸭游过来，张大鸭嘴，恳求他怜悯它亲爱的孩子们。“你想一想，”老母鸭说，“如果有人要把你抓走，干掉你，你母亲会多么悲伤！”

“别说了，”善良的裁缝说，“领走你的孩子吧。”说着，把捉住的小鸭又放回水中。

他回过身来，面前是一棵半空的树，野蜂在那里飞进飞出。“我做了好事，马上就要获得报答了，”裁缝说，“蜂蜜会使我恢复精力。”但是蜂王出来威胁他说：“如果你碰一下我们，毁坏我们的蜂巢，我们的刺会像千百支烧红的针扎进你的皮肉里去。但是，你如果让我们安安生生过日子，走你的路，以后我们会报答你的。”

小裁缝看出这里也搞不出什么名堂。“三只碗是空的，第四只也是空碗，这顿饭真差劲。”他饿着肚子，拖着疲惫的身体进城，那时正好是吃午饭的时候，饭馆里已经为他准备好了饭菜，他一坐下，马上就能吃饭。吃饱了，他说：“现在我也要干活了。”他在城里各处转悠，找到一位师傅，很快也就找到一个不错的工作。因为他的手艺学得很好，不久就出名了，大家都要找小裁缝定做新衣服。他的名声一天比一天响亮。“我的技术虽然不能再提高了，还是一天比一天更棒。”终于，国王任用他为宫廷裁缝师。

世上的事就有这么凑巧：就在同一天，他原来的漫游伙伴——鞋匠，也当上了宫廷鞋匠。鞋匠看见裁缝，一见他又有了一双健康的眼睛，心里很不是滋味。“没等他来报复我，”他在心里暗自想道，“我得先设计除掉他。”但是，设计害人的，会自己遭殃。傍晚，鞋匠收工后，暮色苍茫中悄悄溜去见国王，说：“国王陛下，裁缝是个狂人，胆敢说他能找到古代遗失的金王冠。”

“这太好了。”国王说，叫裁缝第二天早晨去见他，命令他去把金王冠再找回来，否则就永远离开这个城市。“哦，”裁缝心里想，“这混蛋真会编。闷闷不乐的国王要我干谁也干不了的事，我何必等到明天，今天就出城去算了。”于是他捆好行李，出了城门，却为他不得不放弃幸福，离开这个他过得不错的城市而感到惆怅。他来到结识鸭子的那个池塘，那只老母鸭正在岸边用鸭嘴梳理羽毛，当初他把小鸭子还给了老母鸭，这时老母鸭一眼就认出他来，问他为什么这么垂头丧气。“要是你知道我碰到什么事，你就不会感到奇怪了。”裁缝回答说，向她讲自己的遭遇。“如果就是这件事，”老母鸭说，“我们可以想办法。金王冠掉到水里去了，现在就在水底，我们很快就把它捞上来，你在岸边铺开手绢等着好了。”老母鸭带着十二只小鸭潜入水中，五分钟以后，她又浮上来，用鸭翅架着金王冠，十二只小鸭游在她的周围，用他们的鸭嘴帮助托着金冠。鸭子游到岸边，把王冠放在手绢上。你简直想不到那王冠有多么美丽！太阳照射在王冠上，光芒闪耀，犹如数十万颗红榴石。裁缝把手绢的四角打上结，提去见国王，国王大喜，把一条金项链挂在裁缝脖子上。

鞋匠一计不成，又生一计。他去找国王说：“国王陛下，裁缝又口出狂言，说这整座王宫，连同里面所有的东西，能挪动的和不能挪动的，里里外外，他都能用蜡复制出来。”国王把裁缝叫去，命令他把整座王宫，连同里面的所有东西，能挪动的和不能挪动的，里里外外，都用蜡复制出来，如果他做不到，或者就只差墙上一根钉子，都要把他终生监禁在地牢里。裁缝心想：“越来越令人讨厌，谁能受得了？”行李包往背上一甩，走人。走到那棵空心树下，他坐下，低垂着头。蜜蜂飞出来，蜂王问他，他那么歪着脑袋，是不是脖子僵硬了。“啊，不是，”裁缝回答说，“是别的事情使我心情不舒畅。”便把国王要他办的事讲了一遍。蜜蜂们开始互相在一起嗡嗡叫了一阵，蜂王说：“你只管回家去吧，明天这个时候带一大块布来这里，一切就都解决了。”裁缝回去，蜜蜂飞去王宫，从敞开的窗户飞进宫里，爬到所有犄角旮旯里面把一切都看得一清二楚，然后飞回去，用蜂蜡[1]做出王宫的模型，速度之快，简直像眼看着它长起来一样。当天晚上，便已大功告成。第二天裁缝来了，整座华丽的宫殿立在那里，墙上一根钉子也不少，屋顶一片瓦也不缺，娇嫩洁白，气味香甜如同蜂蜜。裁缝小心翼翼地用布把它包起来，送去给国王；国王无比惊奇，把它摆在最大的厅堂，为此他送给裁缝一所石砌的大房子。

鞋匠仍不肯罢休，第三次去见国王，他说：“国王陛下，裁缝听说王宫里没有喷泉，他竟敢说庭院正中应该有一个一人高的喷泉，像水晶一样晶莹清亮。”国王把裁缝叫去，说：“如果明天在我宫中庭院里没有水柱喷涌出来，像你许诺的那样，刽子手就要在那个院子里使你矮下去一头。”可怜的小裁缝不假思索赶紧跑出城门，因为这一次会要他的命，泪水沿着他的脸颊往下滚滚流淌。他正十分伤心地走着，先前被他放了的那匹小马驹向他奔跑过来。小马驹已经长成一匹漂亮的棕色骏马。“现在是时候了，”骏马对他说，“我要报答你的恩惠。我知道你需要什么，马上就能对你有所帮助。只管骑上来吧，我的背载得了两个你这样的人。”裁缝又有了勇气，他跃上马背，马儿往城里迅跑，直奔王宫，绕王宫驰骋三圈，疾若闪电，三圈跑完，便霍然倒在地上。就在此时，随着一声骇人的巨响，王宫庭院正中的一块土地飞到空中，像一只圆球飞出宫外，紧跟着升起一股水柱，有骑在马上的人那么高，清澈明净有如水晶，阳光开始在喷泉上舞蹈。国王看了，惊奇得站起来，当着众人的面去拥抱小裁缝。

但是，好景不长。国王有许多女儿，可是没有儿子。恶毒的鞋匠第四次去见国王，对他说：“国王陛下，裁缝仍然非常狂妄自大，眼下他竟敢说，如果他愿意的话，可以从天上给国王陛下送一个儿子来。”国王把裁缝叫去说：“如果你在九天内让人给我送一个儿子来，我就把我的大女儿给你做妻子。”小裁缝心里想：“酬劳自然可观，好让人卖力干；可是樱桃树太高了，要是我爬上去摘樱桃，踩在脚下的树枝折断了，我就得摔下来。”回到家里，他盘腿坐在工作台上沉思对策。“不行，”末了，他大声说，“我要走，在这里日子过不安宁。”他捆好行李，匆匆出城。走到草地上，看见他的老朋友，鹳，像一位哲学家在那里来回踱步，时而停下脚步，仔细观察一只青蛙，末了把它一口吞下去。鹳走上前来向他问候，他说：“我看见你背着背囊，为什么你要离开这个城市？”裁缝向鹳诉说他无法满足国王对他的要求，并哀叹自己倒霉。“别为这事愁白了头发，”鹳说，“我要帮你摆脱困境。我老早就给城里送襁褓中的婴儿，我也可以从井里带个小王子出来。你回家去吧，放宽心不要烦恼。九天后你到王宫里去，那时我也要去。”小裁缝回家，他准时到王宫里去。不久，鹳飞来敲窗户，裁缝给他开窗，长腿老弟小心翼翼地进来，迈着庄严的步伐走过光滑的大理石地面。他嘴里叼着一个像天使般漂亮的孩子，那孩子朝向王后伸出一双小手。裁缝接过孩子，把他放在王后怀里，她抱着他亲吻他，高兴得不知怎么才好。鹳飞走前，从肩上拿下一个旅行袋递给王后。里面有好些纸袋，装着彩色甜豌豆，分给小公主们。大公主没得到一粒豌豆，却得到快乐的裁缝做她的丈夫。“我觉得就像是中了头彩，”裁缝说，“我母亲说得有理，她总说：谁信赖上帝，又有好运气，谁就不会失败。”

鞋匠不得不给裁缝做他举行婚礼时跳舞穿的鞋，随后他得到命令，要他离开京城，永远不许再回来。他沿着通往森林的路走去，走到绞架那儿。由于激怒、愤懑和天气炎热，他疲惫不堪地倒在地上，闭上眼睛，正想睡觉，吊死鬼头顶上的两只乌鸦高声叫着扑下来，啄掉了他的双眼。他莫名其妙地跑到森林里去，一定是饿死在里面了，因为后来再没有一个人看见过他，也没人听到过他的消息。

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[1]蜜蜂腹部的蜡腺分泌的蜡质，是蜜蜂造蜂巢的材料。通称黄蜡。