Reading Notes Part B- Nine At A Blow
The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis (1922)
Nine At A Blow
I really enjoyed reading this story because I think oftentimes the little guy gets overlooked. In this tale a tailor who was out of work flung a stocking at a table of flies, killing nine flies at once. From there he etched in to a belt "Nine at a blow." The next day he ventured out since he had no work. Along the way he bought a finch, and received milk and cheese. As he napped a giant came along awaking him to ask if he had really killed nine in one blow. The tailor said yes. The giant was intrigued and wanted a contest to see who was stronger. They competed in two events. The first was to see who could throw a stone farther. The giant heaved a stone and it did not come down for an hour. The tailor heaved his to his finch and it never came down. Next the giant crushed a stone to dust, the tailor crushed his cheese and turned his into water. The giant was amazed and they ventured to the next city together. Along the way they stopped to eat cherries off a tree. The tailor climbed up and got his while the giant bent the tree over. He released it and sent the tailor flying. The tailor said you're lucky I can fly. As they reached the next city, the town was in mourning explaining a dragon was killing people. They also found out the king was giving a thousand pounds to whoever could slay the dragon. The giant and tailor excepted the challenge having specific tools made to be able to defeat the dragon. When they arrived the dragon flung the tailor aside, but the giant killed the dragon. The tailor explained they could get more money if the dragon was alive and that they needed to fly away. He told the giant he would teach him to fly. He told the giant to jump, well he jumped and broke his neck. So the tailor returned and said the dragon and giant both died, so he received the whole amount to himself.
I like stories that portray characters who think smarter instead of working harding. The tailor used his intelligence to his benefit. In these times I feel like a lot of people are just clueless and need to think before acting. Though one thing I didn't like about this tale was how the tailor tricked the giant into killing himself. Its one think to be smart but another to be dishonest. The giant had been his companion along the journey and thats how he treated him.
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