One summer’s morning a little tailor was sitting by his table. He was in good spirits, and sewed with all his might. Then a woman came to the street and cried,“Good jam, cheap!” The tailor stretched his head out of the window, and called for a quarter of a pound.

　　in good spirits 精神好

　　might n. 力量

　　stretch v. 伸展

　　So he brought the bread out, and spread the jam over it. He put the bread near him, and sewed on. In the meantime the smell of the sweet jam reached the wall. A great number of flies were sitting on the wall. They were attracted by the smell, and descended on the bread.

　　spread v. 涂

　　in the meantime 与此同时

　　attract v. 吸引

　　descend v. 降落

　　The little tailor tried to drive the unbidden guests away. But the flies did not want to go away. They came back again and again. At last the little tailor lost his patience. He took a piece of cloth from the table, and struck it on the flies. When he counted, there were seven dead flies on the floor.

　　unbidden adj. 未受邀请的

　　patience n. 耐心

　　strike v. 打击

　　The little tailor felt very proud. He cut a girdle, and wrote some words on it, “Seven at one stroke!” Then he put on the girdle, and left his house. Before he went away, he thought about what he could take with him. He found an old piece of cheese and a bird, so he put them into his pocket.

　　girdle n. 腰带

　　stroke n. 一击

　　put on 戴上

　　He walked along the road, and went into a mountain. When he had reached the top of the mountain, he saw a giant sitting there. The little tailor went up bravely, and said,“Good day, friend! I am just on my way to the world. Will you go with me?”The giant looked contemptuously at the tailor, and said,“You poor creature!”

　　bravely adv.勇敢地

　　contemptuously adv.轻蔑地

　　creature n. 家伙