The Thrifty Tailor

At the 2003 Lancaster Maritime Folk Festival, I was approached by a lady from Holland. She heard me tell a story about a thrifty tailor and wanted to know where she might get a copy of it. I said I didn't know, I had heard it told by another storyteller (Clive Hopwood) in 1998.

I then promised that I would write it up on my web site so that she could see it there - and so Helen, here it is, just for you!

THE THRIFTY TAILOR

Once there was a tailor and a very fine tailor he was. He was also very thrifty. He wasted nothing!

A rich landowner came to him with a roll of the finest cloth. “Make me suit of this material”, he said, “and I will pay you well!”.

The tailor sat up all night and he cut and he sewed and he snipped and he stitched. And in the morning he had made the suit. And a very fine suit it was! He took it to the rich landowner, who was very pleased.

When the tailor returned to his workshop, he looked at the material that was left and thought to himself, “Just a minute – there’s enough material to make something else!” So being a thrifty tailor, he sat up all night and he cut and he sewed and he snipped and he stitched. And in the morning he had made a very smart top coat. And a very smart top coat it was! He put it on and he wore it every day, and he wore it every day and he wore it every day until it was all worn out!

And he was just about to throw it away, when he thought to himself, “Just a minute – there’s enough material to make something else!” So being a thrifty tailor, he sat up all night and he cut and he sewed and he snipped and he stitched. And in the morning he had made a very smart jacket. And a very smart jacket it was! He put it on and he wore it every day and he wore it every day and he wore it every day, until it was all worn out!

And he was just about to throw it away, when he thought to himself, “Just a minute – there’s enough material to make something else!”. So being a thrifty tailor, he sat up all night and he cut and he sewed and he snipped and he stitched. And in the morning he had made a very smart waistcoat. And a very smart waistcoat it was! He put it on and he wore it every day and he wore it every day and he wore it every day, until it was all worn out!

And he was just about to throw it away, when he thought to himself, “Just a minute – there’s enough material to make something else!” So being a thrifty tailor, he sat up all night and he cut and he sewed and he snipped and he stitched. And in the morning he had made a very smart cap. And a very smart cap it was! He put it on and he wore it every day and he wore it every day and he wore it every day, until it was all worn out!

And he was just about to throw it away, when he thought to himself, “Just a minute – there’s enough material to make something else!” So being a thrifty tailor, he sat up all night and he cut and he sewed and he snipped and he stitched. And in the morning he had made a very smart tie. And a very smart tie it was! He put it on and he wore it every day and he wore it every day and he wore it every day, until it was all worn out!

And he was just about to throw it away, when he thought to himself, “Just a minute – there’s enough material to make something else!” So being a thrifty tailor, he sat up all night and he cut and he sewed and he snipped and he stitched. And in the morning he had made a very smart button. And a very smart button it was! He sewed it to his shirt and he wore it every day and he wore it every day and he wore it every day until it was all worn out!

And he was just about to throw it away, when he thought to himself, “Just a minute – there’s enough material to make – a story!"

And he told the story to me – and I’ve just told it to you!

You can hear this tale being told Live at a Scottish Primary School on my C.D. "The Adventures of a Lucky Bean - and Other tales for Children"

click here for more information.

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