English Original
One fine day, God decided to enjoy himself in the heavenly garden and took all the apostles and saints with him, leaving only Saint Peter behind. The Lord commanded Peter to let no one in during his absence, so Peter stood guard at the door.
Soon, someone knocked. Peter asked who it was and what they wanted. "I am a poor, honest tailor who begs for admission," replied a smooth voice. "Honest indeed," said Peter, "like the thief on the gallows! You have been light-fingered, snipping people's clothes. You will not enter heaven. The Lord has forbidden me to let anyone in while He is away."
"Please, be merciful," cried the tailor. "Little scraps that fall off the table on their own are not stolen and are not worth mentioning. Look, I am lame and have blisters on my feet from walking here. I cannot possibly turn back. Just let me in, and I will do all the rough work. I will carry the children, wash their clothes, clean the benches they play on, and patch their torn garments."
Saint Peter was moved by pity and opened the door just wide enough for the lame tailor to slip his lean body inside. He was told to sit quietly in a corner behind the door so the Lord would not see him and become angry upon His return. The tailor obeyed, but once when Peter stepped outside, he got up and, full of curiosity, explored every corner of heaven.
Eventually, he came to a place with many beautiful chairs. In the center was a magnificent golden throne adorned with shining jewels, much higher than the others, with a golden footstool before it. This was the Lord's seat, from which He could see everything on earth. The tailor stood and gazed at it for a long time, for it pleased him more than anything else.
Finally, he could no longer control his curiosity. He climbed up and sat on the throne. From there, he saw everything happening on earth and noticed an ugly old woman washing clothes by a stream, secretly setting aside two veils for herself. This sight angered the tailor so much that he seized the golden footstool and threw it down to earth at the old thief. Since he could not retrieve the stool, he quietly slipped out of the chair, returned to his spot behind the door, and acted as if he had never moved.
When the Lord returned with His heavenly companions, He did not see the tailor behind the door. But upon sitting on His throne, He noticed the footstool was missing. He asked Saint Peter what had happened to it, but Peter did not know. Then the Lord asked if he had let anyone in. "I know of no one," Peter replied, "except a lame tailor who is still sitting behind the door."
The Lord had the tailor brought before Him and asked if he had taken the stool and where he had put it. "Oh, Lord," the tailor answered joyously, "I threw it down to earth in my anger at an old woman I saw stealing two veils while washing."
"Oh, you knave," said the Lord. "If I were to judge as you judge, how do you think you could have escaped so long? I would long ago have had no chairs, benches, seats, nay, not even an oven-fork, but would have thrown everything down at the sinners. Henceforth, you can stay no longer in heaven but must go outside the door again. Then go where you will. No one shall give punishment here but I alone, the Lord."
Peter was obliged to take the tailor out of heaven again. Since the tailor had torn shoes and feet covered with blisters, he took a stick in his hand and went to "Wait-a-bit," where the good soldiers sit and make merry.
中文翻译
一个晴朗的日子，上帝决定去天堂花园享受一番，带走了所有的使徒和圣徒，只留下圣彼得。主命令彼得在他离开期间不许任何人进入，于是彼得守在门口。
不久，有人敲门。彼得问是谁，想要什么。"我是一个贫穷、诚实的裁缝，恳求进入天堂，"一个圆滑的声音回答道。"诚实？"彼得说，"就像绞刑架上的贼一样诚实！你手脚不干净，偷剪别人的衣服。你不能进天堂。主禁止我在他外出时让任何人进来。"
"求求你，发发慈悲吧，"裁缝喊道。"自己从桌上掉下来的小布头不算偷，也不值一提。你看，我腿瘸了，脚上因为走到这里都起了水泡。我可能回不去了。只要让我进去，我愿意干所有的粗活。我会抱孩子，洗他们的衣服，清洗他们玩耍的长凳，缝补他们破了的衣服。"
圣彼得动了恻隐之心，把门打开一条缝，刚好让瘸腿的裁缝把他瘦削的身体挤进来。他被告知要安静地坐在门后的角落里，这样主回来时就不会看到他而发怒。裁缝照做了，但有一次当彼得走到门外时，他站了起来，充满好奇地探索了天堂的每一个角落。
最后，他来到一个有许多漂亮椅子的地方。中央是一个华丽的黄金宝座，镶嵌着闪亮的宝石，比其他椅子高得多，前面还有一个金色的脚凳。这是主的座位，从这里可以看到地上发生的一切。裁缝站在那里凝视了很长时间，因为它比其他任何东西都更让他喜欢。
终于，他再也控制不住自己的好奇心。他爬上去，坐在了宝座上。从那里，他看到地上发生的一切，并注意到一个丑陋的老妇人在溪边洗衣服，偷偷为自己藏起了两条面纱。这一幕让裁缝非常愤怒，他抓起金色的脚凳，穿过天堂朝那个老贼扔了下去。由于他无法取回脚凳，他悄悄地从椅子上溜下来，回到门后的位置，表现得好像从未离开过一样。
当主和他的天界同伴们回来时，他没有看到门后的裁缝。但当他坐上宝座时，发现脚凳不见了。他问圣彼得脚凳怎么了，但彼得不知道。然后主问他是否让任何人进来过。"我不知道有谁进来过，"彼得回答，"除了一个瘸腿的裁缝，他还坐在门后。"
主让人把裁缝带到他面前，问他是否拿走了脚凳，放在哪里了。"哦，主啊，"裁缝高兴地回答，"我把它扔到地上去了，因为我看到一个老妇人在洗衣服时偷了两条面纱，我很生气。"
"哦，你这个无赖，"主说。"如果我像你那样审判，你以为你能逃脱这么久吗？我早就没有椅子、长凳、座位了，不，甚至连火钳都没有了，而是会把所有东西都扔向罪人。从今以后，你不能再待在天堂，必须再次到门外去。然后你想去哪就去哪。在这里，除了我——主，没有人可以施行惩罚。"
彼得不得不再次把裁缝带出天堂。由于裁缝的鞋子破了，脚上满是水泡，他手里拿着一根棍子，去了"等一等"酒馆，那里有好士兵们坐着寻欢作乐。