Let no one say that a poor tailor cannot achieve great things and win high honors; all he needs is to find the right path and, most importantly, have good luck. A clever tailor's apprentice once went traveling and found himself lost in a great forest. As night fell, he sought shelter and, fearing wild beasts, decided to sleep in a tall oak tree.
After some time, he saw a glimmer of light in the distance. Hoping for human habitation, he climbed down and followed the light to a small hut made of reeds. He knocked, and the door was opened by a grumpy old man in a patchwork coat. The tailor begged for shelter, and after some reluctance, the old man let him in, gave him food, and offered him a bed.
The weary tailor slept soundly until he was awakened by a great noise. Outside, a fierce battle was raging between a great black bull and a beautiful stag. The stag eventually triumphed, goring the bull to death. Then, to the tailor's astonishment, the stag charged at him, lifted him onto its horns, and carried him away at great speed.
The stag finally stopped before a wall of rock, gently set the tailor down, and then pushed its horns against a hidden door in the rock, causing it to spring open. Flames and smoke erupted, hiding the stag from view. A voice from the rock told the tailor to enter without fear. He obeyed and found himself in a spacious hall made of polished stone.
The voice instructed him to step on a stone in the center of the hall. As he did, the stone sank, carrying him down to another magnificent hall. Here, he saw two large glass chests. One contained a miniature castle with exquisite details. The other held a sleeping maiden of extraordinary beauty, wrapped in her long fair hair.
As he gazed at her, she awoke. Overjoyed, she cried out for him to free her from the glass coffin. The tailor immediately opened it. The maiden emerged, covered herself with a cloak, and kissed the tailor, proclaiming him her destined husband and deliverer. She then told him her story:
She was the daughter of a rich count, orphaned and raised by her elder brother. They were so close they vowed never to marry, intending to live together always. One day, a charming stranger visited their castle. He used magic to enter her room at night and propose to her. When she refused, he became angry and vanished.
The next morning, her brother had gone hunting with the stranger. She followed and confronted the stranger, who was leading a stag (her transformed brother). In a rage, she shot at him, but the bullet rebounded and struck her horse. The stranger then used magic to imprison her in the glass coffin underground. He explained he had shrunk her castle into the other glass chest and turned her people into smoke trapped in bottles. He promised to restore everything if she would marry him. She refused again.
She had dreamed of a young man rescuing her, and now her dream had come true. She asked the tailor to help her complete the restoration. First, they placed the glass chest containing her castle onto a large stone. The stone rose, carrying them to the surface. When she opened the chest, the castle and buildings rapidly expanded to their natural size.
They returned underground and brought up the bottles of smoke. Upon opening them, the blue smoke transformed back into her servants and people. Her greatest joy came when her brother, who had killed the magician in the form of the bull, emerged from the forest in his human form. That very day, the maiden kept her promise and married the lucky tailor at the altar.