The little tailor then claimed the promised boon but the King revoked his offer and sought again how to rid himself of the hero.  »Before you can possess my daughter and the half of my kingdom,«  said he to the tailor,  »you must perform another heroic act.  In the wood lives a unicorn who does great damage;  you must secure him.«—»A unicorn does not strike more terror into me than two giants,«  was the tailor's answer.

So, taking a rope and an axe with him, he went out into the wood.  He had not far to seek, the unicorn soon came out and sprang at him as if he would make an end of him without delay.  »Softly, softly,«  said he,  »most haste, worst speed,«  and remained standing until the animal came quite near, then he slipped quietly behind a tree.  The unicorn ran with all his might against the tree and stuck his horn so deep into the trunk that he could not get it out again, and so was taken.  Now the tailor came out from behind the tree and, putting the rope round the unicorn's neck, took the axe, set free the horn, and brought the animal to the King.

 

 

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