As he was sitting thus a peasant woman came down the street , calling out : `` Good jam to sell , good jam to sell . '' This sounded sweetly in the tailor 's ears ; he put his frail little head out of the window , and shouted : `` up here , my good woman , and you 'll find a willing customer . '' The woman climbed up the three flights of stairs with her heavy basket to the tailor 's room , and he made her spread out all the pots in a row before him . He examined them all , lifted them up and smelled them , and said at last : `` This jam seems good , weigh me four ounces of it , my good woman ; and even if it 's a quarter of a pound I wo n't stick at it . '' The woman , who had hoped to find a good market , gave him what he wanted , but went away grumbling wrathfully . `` Now heaven shall bless this jam for my use , '' cried the little tailor , `` and it shall sustain and strengthen me . '' He fetched some bread out of a cupboard , cut a round off the loaf , and spread the jam on it . `` That wo n't taste amiss , '' he said ; `` but I 'll finish that waistcoat first before I take a bite . '' He placed the bread beside him , went on sewing , and out of the lightness of his heart kept on making his stitches bigger and bigger . In the meantime the smell of the sweet jam rose to the ceiling , where heaps of flies were sitting , and attracted them to such an extent that they swarmed on to it in masses . `` Ha ! who invited you ? '' said the tailor , and chased the unwelcome guests away . But the flies , who did n't understand English , refused to let themselves be warned off , and returned again in even greater numbers . At last the little tailor , losing all patience , reached out of his chimney corner for a duster , and exclaiming : `` Wait , and I 'll give it to you , '' he beat them mercilessly with it . When he left off he counted the slain , and no fewer than seven lay dead before him with outstretched legs . `` What a desperate fellow I am ! '' said he , and was filled with admiration at his own courage . `` The whole town must know about this '' ; and in great haste the little tailor cut out a girdle , hemmed it , and embroidered on it in big letters , `` Seven at a blow . '' `` What did I say , the town ?
no , the whole world shall hear XXXXX it , '' he said ; and his heart beat for joy as a lamb wags his tail .
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