The Cunning Little Tailor
A poor tailor cuts up a piece of cloth into small pieces to make a patchwork quilt. He then sews the pieces together and sells it for a high price, claiming it's made from a single piece of expensive fabric. The tailor becomes wealthy but his success attracts attention from a giant who wants to test him.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1812 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Adventure · 1,444 words
First lines
There was once on a time a princess who was extremely proud. If a wooer came she gave him some riddle to guess, and if he could not find it out, he was sent contemptuously away. She let it be made known also that whosoever solved her riddle should marry her, let him be who he might. At length, therefore, three tailors fell in with each other, the two eldest of whom thought they had done so many dexterous bits of work successfully that they could not fail to succeed in this also; the third was a little useless land-louper, who did not even know his trade, but thought he must have some luck in this venture, for where else was it to come from? Then the two others said to him, "Just stay at home; thou canst not do much with thy little bit of understanding. " The little tailor, however, did not let himself be discouraged, and said he had set his head to work about this for once, and he would manage well enough, and he went forth as if the whole world were his.
What this Textopian page supports
The Cunning Little Tailor is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, dated 1812 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Date: 1812 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy, Romance
- Length: 1,444 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Cunning Little Tailor by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Cunning Little Tailor?
- How does this fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Giant And The Tailor by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Little Peasant by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Oh If I Could But Shiver by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Three Spinners by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Boots Of Buffalo Leather by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Three Army Surgeons by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features classic fairy tale elements such as a princess, a riddle, and a magical resolution.
- Fantasy — Incorporates fantastical elements like talking animals and improbable events.
- Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a quest involving challenges and encounters with a bear.
- Comedy — Contains humorous situations and clever tricks played by the tailor.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Children's Literature · Short Story · Humor · Satire · Cunningness · Tailor · Magic · Transformation · Deception · Outwitting