One summer’s morning a little tailor was sitting on his table bythe window; he was in good spirits, and sewed with all his might. Thencame a peasant woman down the street crying: «Good jams, cheap!Good jams, cheap!» This rang pleasantly in the tailor’s ears; hestretched his delicate head out of the window, and called: «Come uphere, dear woman; here you will get rid of your goods.» The woman cameup the three steps to the tailor with her heavy basket, and he made herunpack 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 me to begood, so weigh me out four ounces, dear woman, and if it is a quarter ofa pound that is of no consequence.»
The woman who had hoped to find agood sale, gave him what he desired, but went away quite angry andgrumbling. «Now, this jam shall be blessed by God,» cried the littletailor, «and give me health and strength’; so he brought the bread outof the cupboard, cut himself a piece right across the loaf and spreadthe jam over it. «This won’t taste bitter,» said he, «but I will justfinish 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 themeantime the smell of the sweet jam rose to where the flies weresitting in great numbers, and they were attracted and descended on itin hosts. «Hi! who invited you?» said the little tailor, and drovethe unbidden guests away.
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