I'm continuing with Czech Folktales for Reading Diary B.
The story I enjoyed most was Nine At a Blow. It's about a tailor who mends stockings when he has spare time. One day, flies are on his table and he swats them, killing nine at a blow (story title!). He notches that phrase into his belt, and decides to travel. He buys a finch from a boy on the road and puts it in his bag. Then a farmer's wife gives him some milk and cheese, so he puts the cheese in his bag too.
One day, a giant sees the tailor's belt and asks him if he's really killed nine at a blow. The tailor says yes, so the giant asks to see who's stronger. It starts with the giant saying he can throw a stone that won't come down for an hour. The tailor says he'll throw one that will never come down. The giant does his task, and the tailor takes the finch out and it flies off, so of course he does his too. After a couple more tasks, the tailor promises to teach the giant to fly.
When they were traveling, a king said he'd pay 1000 pounds to anyone who could kill a dragon that had been bothering him. They have a giant pair of tongs and a hammer made. They get to the dragon and it flings the tailor aside, and the giant kills it. The tailor says he meant to keep the dragon alive, and then tells the giant he'll teach him how to fly. So he counts to three and tells the giant to jump from the top of the church they're at. The giant kills himself, and the tailor keeps the money.
The story I enjoyed most was Nine At a Blow. It's about a tailor who mends stockings when he has spare time. One day, flies are on his table and he swats them, killing nine at a blow (story title!). He notches that phrase into his belt, and decides to travel. He buys a finch from a boy on the road and puts it in his bag. Then a farmer's wife gives him some milk and cheese, so he puts the cheese in his bag too.
One day, a giant sees the tailor's belt and asks him if he's really killed nine at a blow. The tailor says yes, so the giant asks to see who's stronger. It starts with the giant saying he can throw a stone that won't come down for an hour. The tailor says he'll throw one that will never come down. The giant does his task, and the tailor takes the finch out and it flies off, so of course he does his too. After a couple more tasks, the tailor promises to teach the giant to fly.
When they were traveling, a king said he'd pay 1000 pounds to anyone who could kill a dragon that had been bothering him. They have a giant pair of tongs and a hammer made. They get to the dragon and it flings the tailor aside, and the giant kills it. The tailor says he meant to keep the dragon alive, and then tells the giant he'll teach him how to fly. So he counts to three and tells the giant to jump from the top of the church they're at. The giant kills himself, and the tailor keeps the money.
Neat golden dragon
DeviantArt user BenWootten
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