Thumbling as Journeyman
A certain tailor had a son, who happened to be small, and no bigger than a thumb, and on this account he was always called thumbling. He had, however, some courage in him, and said to his father, father, I must and will go out into the world. That's right, my son, said the old man, and took a long darning-needle and made a knob of sealing-wax on it at the handle, and there is a sword for you to take with you on the way. Then the little tailor wanted to have one more meal with them, and hopped into the kitchen to see what his mother had cooked for the last time. But it was already served, and the dish stood on the hearth. Then he said, mother, what is there to eat to-day. See for yourself, said his mother. So thumbling jumped on to the hearth, and peeped into the dish, but as he stretched his neck in too far the steam from the food caught hold of him, and carried him up the chimney. He rode about in the air on the steam for a while, until at length he sank down to the ground again. Now the little tailor was outside in the wide world, and he traveled about, and went to a master in his craft, but the food was not good enough for him. Mistress, if you give us no better food, said thumbling, I will go away, and early to-morrow morning I will write with chalk on the door of your house - too many potatoes, too little meat.Farewell, Mr. Potato-king.
