Music Welcome to snoozecast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us on snoozecast.com and follow us on Instagram at snoozecast to find behind the scenes content. If you enjoy our show, please write a review on the Apple Podcast app. Please know that we read and appreciate every single one. This episode is brought to you by our Patreon supporters and by Wild Unicorns. Tonight we'll read from Grimm's Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm. In a story titled The Valiant Little Taylor, in this story, the Taylor starts out having achieved a very small feat and ends up a hero.

Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed. Now take a few deep breaths. One summer's morning, a little tailor was sitting on his table by the window. He was in good spirits and sewed with all his might. Then came a peasant woman down the street crying, Good James cheap, Good James cheap. This rang pleasantly in the tailor's ears. He stretched his delicate head out of the window and called. Come up here dear woman, here you will get rid of your goods. The woman came up the three steps to the tailor with her heavy basket and he made her unpack all the pots for him. He inspected each one, lifted it up, put his nose to it, and at length said, The jam seems to be good. So weigh me out four ounces, dear woman, and if it is a quarter of a pound, that is of no consequence. The woman who had hoped to find a good sale gave him what he desired, and the little tailor cried. Now this will give me health and strength. So he brought the bread out of the cupboard, cut himself a piece right across the loaf, and spread the jam over it. This won't taste bitter," said he, but I will just finish the jacket before I take a bite. He laid the bread near him, sewed on, and in his joy made bigger and bigger stitches. In the meantime, the smell of the sweet jam rose to where the flies were sitting in great numbers, and they were attracted and descended on it. Hi, who invited you, said the little tailor, and drove the unbidden guests away? The flies, however, who understood no German would not be turned away, but came back again. The little tailor at last lost all patience and drew a piece of cloth from the hole under his work table and saying,

wait and I will give it to you� struck it on them� when he drew it away and counted, their lay before him no fewer than seven swatted. Are you a fellow of that sort?" said he to himself, and could not help admiring his own bravery. The whole town shall know of this, and the little tailor hastened to cut himself a girdle, stitched it, and embroidered on it in large letters, seven at one stroke. Why just the town?" he continued, the whole world shall hear of it. And his heart wagged with joy like a lamb's tail. The tailor put on the girdle and resolved to go forth into the world because he thought his workshop was too small for his valor. Before he went away, he sought about in the house to see if there was anything which he could take with him. However, he found nothing but an old cheese, and that he put in his pocket. In front of the door, he observed a bird which had caught itself in the thicket. It had to go into his pocket with the cheese.

Now, he took to the road boldly, and as he was light and nimble, he felt no fatigue. The road led him up a mountain. And when he had reached the highest point of it, there sat a powerful giant looking peacefully about him. The little tailor went bravely up, spoke to him and said, Good day, Comrade, so you are sitting there overlooking the wide spread world. I'm just on my way, Thither, and want to try my luck. Have you any inclination to go with me?" The giants looked contemptuously at the tailor and said, you little rag-a-muffin. Oh, indeed, answered the little tailor and unbuttoned his coat and showed the giant the girdle. There may you read what kind of man I am. The giant read seven at one stroke and thought that they had been men whom the tailor had swatted, and began to feel a little respect for the tiny fellow. Nevertheless, he wished to try him first, and took a stone in his hand and squeezed it together so that water dropped out of it.

Do that likewise.

Said the giant.

If you have strength.

Is that all?

Said the tailor.

That's child's play with us. And put his hand into his pocket. Brought out the soft cheese. And pressed it until the liquid ran out of it.

That was a little better even, wasn't it? The giant did not know what to say, and could not believe it of the little man. Then the giant picked up a stone and threw it so high that the eye could scarcely follow it. Now, little might of a man, do that likewise. Well thrown, said the tailor. But after all, the stone came down to earth again. I will throw you on, which I'll never come back at all.' And he put his hand into his pocket, gently took out the bird and threw it into the air. The bird delighted with its liberty, rose, flew away and did not come back. How does that shot please you, Comrade?" asked the tailor. You can certainly throw, said the giant, but now we will see if you are able to carry anything properly. He took the little tailor to a mighty oak tree, which lay there, felled on the ground, and said, If you are strong enough, help me to carry the tree out of the forest. Reddily, answer the little man, take you the trunk on your shoulders, and I will raise up the branches and twigs. After all, they are the heaviest. The giant took the trunk on his shoulder, but the tailor seated himself on a branch, and the giant, who could not look around, had to carry away the whole tree and the little tailor into the bargain. He behind was quite merry and happy and whistled the song, three tailors rode forth from the gate. as if carrying the tree or child's play. The giant, after he had dragged the heavy burden part of the way, could go no further and cried, arc you, I shall have to let the tree fall. The tailor spring, nimbly down, seized the tree with both arms, as if he had been carrying it, and said to the giant, You are such a great fellow and yet cannot even carry a tree. They went on together and as they passed a cherry tree, the giant laid hold of the top of the tree where where the ripest fruit was hanging, bent it down, gave it into the tailor's hand, and bade him eat. But the little tailor was much too weak to to hold the tree and went the giant, let go.

It's spring back again and the tailor was tossed into the air with it. When he had fallen down again without injury, the giant said, What is this? Have you not strength enough to hold the weak twig? There is no lack of strength. Answered the little tailor, Do you think that could be anything to a man who has struck down seven at one blow? I leapt over the tree because the huntsmen are shooting down there in the thicket. Jump as I did if you can do it. The giant made the attempt, but he could not get over the tree and and remained hanging in the branches so that in this also the tailor kept the upper hand. The giant said, if you are such a valiant fellow, come with me into our cavern and spend the night with us. The little tailor was willing and followed him. When they went into the cave, other giants were sitting there by the fire, and each of them had a roasted sheep in his hand. The little tailor looked round and thought, it's much more spacious here than in my workshop. The giant showed him a bed, and said he was to lie down in it and sleep. The bed, however, was too big for the little tailor. He did not lie down in it but crept into a far corner when it was midnight and the giant thought that the little tailor was lying in a sound sleep he got up, took a great iron bar, smashed through the very center of the bed and thought he had had finished off the grass-oper for good. With the earliest dawn, the giants went into the forest and had quite forgotten the little Taylor. When all it was, he walked up to them quite merrily and boldly.

The giants were terrified of the appearance of this apparition and ran away in a great hurry. The little tailor went onwards, always following his own nose. After he had walked for a long time.

He came to the courtyard of a royal palace. And as he felt weary, he lay down on the grass and fell asleep. he was there. The people came and inspected him on all sides, and read on his girdle, seven at one stroke. Oh, said they. What does this great warrior want here in the midst of peace? He must be Almighty Lord. They went and announced him to the king and gave it as their opinion that if war should break out, this would be a waiting and useful man who wants on no account to be allowed to depart. The council pleased the king, and he sent one of his messengers to the little tailor to offer him military service when he awoke. The ambassador remained standing by the sleeper, waited until he stretched his limbs and opened his eyes and then convened to him this proposal. For this very reason have I come here, the tailor replied, I am ready to enter the King's service. He was therefore honorably received, and a special dwelling was assigned him. The soldiers, however, had their minds set against a little tailor and wished him a thousand miles away. What is to be the end of this? They said among themselves. If we quarrel with him, and he strikes about him, seven of us will fall at every blow. Not one of us can stand against him. They came therefore to a decision, be took themselves together to the king, and begged for their dismissal. are not prepared, said they, to stand with a man who kills seven at one stroke. The king was sorry that for the sake of one, he should lose all his faithful servants, that he had never set eyes on the tailor, and would willingly have been rid of him again. But he did not venture to give him his dismissal, for he dreaded last he should strike him and all his people and place himself on the royal throne. He thought about it for a long time and at last found good counsel. He sent to the little tailor and caused him to be informed that as he was a great warrior, he had one request to make of him. In a forest of his country lived two giants who caused great mischief with their robbing and ravaging, and no one could approach them safely. If the tailor conquered these two giants, he would give him his only daughter as wife and half of his kingdom as a dowry. Likewise, 100 horsemen should go with him to assist him. That would indeed be a fine thing for a man like me?" thought the little tailor.

One has not offered a beautiful princess and half a kingdom every day of one's life. Oh, yes, he replied, I will soon subdue the giants and do not require the help of the hundred horsemen to do it. He who can hit seven with one blow has no need to be afraid of two. The little tailor went forth and the hundred horsemen followed him when he came to the outskirts of the forest. He said to his followers, just stay waiting here, I alone will soon finish off the giants. Then he bounded into the forest and looked about, right and left. After a while he perceived both giants. They lay sleeping under a tree and snored so that the branches waved up and down. The little tailor, not idle, gathered two pockets full of stones and with these climbed up the tree. When he was halfway up, he slipped down by a branch until he sat just above the sleepers. And then let one stone after another fall on the breast of one of the giants. For a long time the giant felt nothing, but it last he awoke. Pushed his comrade and said, Why are you knocking me? You must be dreaming, said the other, I'm not knocking you. They laid themselves down to sleep again. And then the tailor threw a stone down on the second one. What is the meaning of this? Cryt the other, why are you pelting me with stones? I'm not pelting you, answered the first, growling. They disputed about it for a time, but as they were weary, They let the matter rest. And their eyes closed once more. The little tailor began his game again, picked out the biggest stone, and threw it with all his might on the breast of the first giant. That is too much, cried he, and sprang up like a mad man and pushed his companion against the tree until it shook.

The other paid him back in the same coin, and they tore up trees and wrestled so long that

it last, they both collapsed on the ground in complete exhaustion at the same time and fell into a deep sleep that would last for generations. The little tailor leapt down. It's a lucky thing, said he, that they did not tear up the tree on which I was sitting, or I should have had to sprint on to another like a squirrel, but we tailors are nimble. And then he said, the work is done. I have finished both of them off, but it was hard work. They tore up trees in their sore need and defended themselves with them. But all that is to no purpose when a man myself comes, who can fell seven at one blow. One of the horsemen said when they found him, but are you not wounded? You need not concern yourself about that. Answered the tailor, they have not bent one hair of mine. The horsemen would not believe him and rode into the forest. There they found the giants, not even breathing. Since giants are so large that their breath in that state was so slow, it took one whole year to take the next breath and all round about lay the torn-up trays. The little tailor demanded of the King the promised reward. me, however, repented of his promise, and again, thought himself how he could get rid of the hero. Before you receive my daughter and the half of my kingdom, said he to him, You must perform one more heroic deed. In the forest, Rome's a unicorn, which does great harm, and you must catch it first. I fear one unicorn still less than two giants. Seven at one blow is my kind of affair. The tailor took a rope and an axe with him, went forth into the forest, and again bait those who were sent with him to wait outside. He had not long to seek. The unicorn soon came towards him and rushed directly on the tailor as if he would strike him with that's horn without more ado.

Softly, softly, he'd count to be done as quickly as that, said he. And stood still and waited until the animal was quite close, and then sprang nimbly behind the tree. The unicorn ran against the tree with all its strength and stuck its horn so fast in the trunk, but it had not the strength enough to draw it out again and thus it was caught. Now I've caught the prize, said the tailor and came out from behind the tree and put the rope around its neck. And then with his axe, he healed the horn carefully out of the tree. And when all was ready, he led the magnificent beast away and took it to the King. The King still would not give him the promised reward and made a third demand. Before the wedding, the tailor was to catch him a wild boar that made great havoc in the forest and the Hunsmen should give him their help.

Willingly said the tailor that's child's play.

He did not take the Hunsmen with him into the forest,

and they were well-placed that he did not.

For the wild boar had several times received them in such a manner that they had no inclination to lie in wait for him. When the boar perceived the tailor, it ran on him with wetted tusks and was about to throw him to the ground, but the hero fled and sprang into a chapel, which was near and up to the window once again and in one bound out.

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