The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-10-21
THE YOUNG FOLKS.
The valiant Taller.

COnuuct was IaiKeu ABOUT everywhere, |
and 1t was said that whoever was lucky |
enough to guess the riddle would |
have the Princess for wife. About |
that time 1t happened that three Tail
ors came in company to the town where
the Princess dwelt, and the two elder of
them were confident, when they heard
the report, that they should without
doubt be successful, since they had
made so many fine and good stitches.
The third Tailor was an idle, good for
nothing fellow, who did not understand
his own trade but still he likewise Was
sure of his powers OF guessing riddle.
The two others, however, would fain
have persuaded him to stop at home
but he was obstinate, aud said he would
go, for he had set his heart upon ii; and
thereupon he marched off as If the
whole world belonged to him.
The three Tailors presented them.
selves before the Princess, and told her
they were come to solve her riddle, for
they were the only proper people, since
each of them had an understanding so
fine that one coul thread a needle with
it! "Then," said the Princess, 'it is
this: 1 have a hair upon my head Of two
colours: which are they?"
"If that is ALL" said the first man, "it
is black and white like the cloth which
is called pepper and salt"
"Wrong!" said the Princess; ''now,
second man, try !"
SIT is not black and white, but brown
and red," said he, like my fathers
holiday coat"
"Wrong again !" cried the Princess
'now try, third man who see will be
sure to guess rightly!"
| The little Tailor stepped forward bold
as brass, and said, 1.-THE Princess has a
gold and silver hair on her head, and
those are the two colours"
When the Princess heard this she
turned pale, and very nearly fell down
to the ground with fright, for the Tail
or had guessed her riddle, which she
believed nobody in the world could
have solved. AS soon as she recovered
herself she said to the Tailor, "That is
not all you have to do In the stable be-
low lies Bear, with which you must
pass the night and if you are alive
when 1 come in the morning 1 will
marry you"
The little Tailor readily consented,
exclaiming, "Bravely ventured is half
won !" But the Princess thought herself
quite safe, for as yet the Bear had spar
ed no one who came within reach of its
paws.
AS soon as evening came the little
Tailor was taken to the place where the
bear lay; and, as soon as he entered the
stable, the beast made a spring at him.
"Softly, softly!" cried the Tailor, 81
must teach you manners !" And out of
cracked between his teeth quite uncon-
cernedly. AS soon as the Bear saw this
he took fancy to have some nuts also:
and the Tailor gave him q handful out
of his pocket; not Of nuts, but Of pebb-
les. The Bear put them into his mouth,
but he could not crack them, try all he
might. "What bIockhead 1 am I" he
cried to himself; ~ can't crack few
nuts Will you crack them for me ?"
said he to the Tailor. "What a fellow
you are !" exclaimed the Tailor; "with
such big mouth as that, and can't
crack a small nut % With these words
he cunningly substituted nut for the
pebble which the Bear handed him ,and
soon cracked it.
~ must try once more!" said the Bear;
"it seems an easy matter to manage I!
And he bit and bit with all his strength,
but as you may believe, all to no pur-
pose.- When the Beast was tired, the
little Tailor produced a fiddle out of his
+ coat, and played a tune upon it. which
as soon as the Bear heard, he began tC
dance in spite of himself. In a little
while he stopped and asked the Tailor
, whether it was easy to learn the art o
fiddling. EASY as child's play" sale
h the Tailor "you lay your left fingers or
the strings, and with the right hold th'
o bow and then away it goes. MerriIy
. merrily, hop su-sa, oi-val-lera"
4 sob! well, if that is fiddling," criet
= the Bear, "I may as we'll learn that, AN!
!. then / can dance as often as I like
d What doyou think? Will you give m
U instruction ?"
!. "With all my heart!" replied tn
= Tailor, "if you are clever enough; bu
, let me see your claws, they are fright
I. fully long, and must cut them bit !!
10 By chance vice was lying in one corn
| er, on which the Bear laid his paws
and the Tailor screwed them fast. NOV
wait till / come with the scissors" sal
- he and, leaving the Bear groaning an
# growing, he laid himself down in
corner on bundle of straw, and went
|. sleep.
l. Meanwhile the Princess was rejoicin
T. to think she had got rid of the Tailor
n and especially when she heard the Bea
10 growing, for she thought il was wit
II satisfaction for his prey. In the morf
70 ing accordingly she went down to tn
n stable bat as soon as she looked in sh
saw the Tailor as fresh and lively as
q. fish in water. She was much alarmed
A but it was of no use, for her word ha
q. been openly pledged to the marriage
and the King her father ordered cal
riage to be brought, in which she an
,a the Tailor went away to the church
,Ie the wedding. Just as they had set o
"a the two other Tailors, who were yer
~ envious Of their brothers. fortune, weI
~ into the stable and released the Bea
-, who Immediately ran after the carriae
70 10 which contained the bridal party. Tf
'g Princess heard the beast growing an
% groaning, and became very muc
h frightened, and cried to the Tailor, 30
.a the Bear is behind, coming to fetch yo
=. awayl" The Tailor was up in mil