今天读到了最后一个故事,18页的长故事,分成了上下两次完成。
大板块分出来非常快,因为有明显的地图转换。前一半,小裁缝出门闯荡世界,遇上一个巨人,交手N个回合,以巨人败北逃走而告终。于是故事进入后一半,小裁缝来到皇家花园,被国王收编进皇家军队。因为其他士兵的恐惧与排挤,国王给了他几个挑战,最后不得不把女儿嫁给他,还分了一半国土给他。
观其起因,非常令人啼笑皆非。小裁缝拿了块布一下子打死了七只苍蝇,自己觉得相当了不起,就做了条新皮带,并把自己的壮举刺在上面:Seven in one blow!
然后,莫名就升起了谜之自信,觉得可以到外面的世界闯荡一番。就意气风发地出门了,戴着他的新皮带,随手拿起一块奶酪放在口袋里。路上他看见一只小鸟困在花丛里,顺手捞出来放进了另一只口袋。然后,爬上一座山,遇到了巨人。巨人以为他一下子打死7个人,就开始挑战他。
“If you're so strong," he said, "can you do this?" The giant picked up a rock and squeezed it so tight that water came running out.
"Is that all?" the tailor replied, laughing. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the wedge of cheese. He squeezed it until all its whey came running out.
第一个挑战,比捏石头,看谁能把石头挤出水来。小裁缝掏出口袋里的奶酪,轻轻松松地解决了。
"What about this!" The giant picked up another rock and threw it very far. In fact, he tossed it so far that neither of them could see it anyone.
The tailor reached into his pocket and pulled out the bird. It was so happy to be free that it flew high up into the sky. Just as the tailor claimed, it didn't fall to earth.
第二个挑战,比扔石头,看谁能把石头扔得更远。小裁缝掏出另一口袋里的那只小鸟,又赢了。
When the giant lifted up the trunk, the tailor hopped onto a branch and rode along. He didn't carry even a leaf. The giant couldn't see behind him, and didn't know he was carrying the tree all by himself.
第三个挑战,比赛扛大树。但是巨人抬着树干走在前面,小裁缝在后面直接跳上树枝搭了个顺风车,还嘲笑巨人走着走着居然还需要休息。巨人没发现他偷懒,自己把树丢开了。
第四个挑战,巨人拉下樱桃树的最高枝给小裁缝摘,却在小裁缝抓住树枝的那一刻忽然放手。小裁缝就地一滚站起来,说我就想跳过去,你能吗?巨人不服气地也要跳,结果又输了。
The giant brought the top branches down so the tailor could grab some. At the very moment the tailor grabbed hold of the fruit, the giant laughed and let go of the tree. The tailor went flying through the air.
"I wanted to jump over that tree, " he said. Challenging the giant, he continued, "A large fellow like yourself shouldn't have any trouble jumping over a tree."
The giant tried to jump over the tree, but he kept getting stuck in the highest branches.
第5个挑战,巨人问小裁缝敢不敢去他们山洞过夜,小裁缝勇敢地去了。但半夜巨人把床一劈两半,满心以为这次小裁缝肯定死得不能再死了。结果缩在角落里睡觉的小裁缝根本没有伤到分毫,第二天又出现在巨人眼前。巨人以为见了鬼,嚎叫着逃跑了。
The tailor curled up in one small corner and fell asleep. The giant pretended to go to bed, but he stayed awake until midnight.
The giant got up and crept over to the tailor's bed. And with a giant iron bar, he swiftly broke the bed in two.