_How Owlglass caused Three Tailors to fall from their Work-board,
and persuaded the People that the Wind had blown them down._
Owlglass took a lodging at Bamberg, near to the market-place, where he
remained about a fortnight, and next door to him there lived a tailor
who had three workmen. These men sat on a board, supported by four
posts, outside the window, and they laughed at Owlglass, and threw
pieces of rag or cloth at him whenever he passed. Owlglass bore all in
silence, biding his time to pay them back with interest; and this he
determined should be on a fair day, when the market-place would be full
of people. The night before the day of the fair he had sawed the posts
nearly through which supported the board on which the three tailors
sat, and in the morning they placed the board on them as usual, seated
themselves on it and began their sewing. Now, when the swineherd
blew his horn all the people let out their pigs, and the tailor's
pigs also came out of his house, and went, as Owlglass well knew they
would, under the board, rubbing themselves against the posts, which,
giving way, the three journeymen tailors were thrown into the gutter.
Owlglass, who had been on the watch, now cried out, "See how light
three tailors are, for a gust of wind has blown them all at once into
the street, as if they were but three feathers! How easily a tailor can
fly!" And this he cried so loud that he could be heard all over the
marketplace. All the people came running to the spot to see the fun,
and mocked and laughed at the poor tailors, who knew not what to do for
very shame. They could not tell how it was their board fell; but they
found out at last, and guessed that it was Owlglass who had played them
that trick. They put up fresh posts, but did not again venture to make
game of Owlglass.
[Illustration: _Downfall of the Tailors._]