The Tailor in Heaven

One fine day, God wanted to enjoy himself in the heavenly garden. He took all the apostles and saints with him, so only Saint Peter stayed in heaven. The Lord had told Peter not to let anyone in while he was away. So Peter stood by the door and kept watch.

Soon someone knocked. Peter asked who it was and what he wanted. "I am a poor, honest tailor who asks to come in," said a smooth voice.

"Honest?" said Peter. "You are like a thief on the gallows! You have light fingers and have snipped people's clothes. You will not get into heaven. The Lord has forbidden me to let anyone in while he is out."

"Oh, have mercy," cried the tailor. "Little scraps that fall off the table by themselves are not stolen. Look, I am lame and have blisters on my feet from walking here. I cannot 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 where they play, and patch their torn clothes."

Saint Peter felt pity and opened heaven's door just enough for the lame tailor to slip his thin body in. He made the tailor sit in a corner behind the door and told him to stay quiet so the Lord would not see him and be angry.

The tailor obeyed at first. But once, when Saint Peter went outside, the tailor got up. Full of curiosity, he wandered around every corner of heaven and looked at everything. At last he came to a place where many beautiful chairs stood. In the middle was a golden seat set with shining jewels. It was higher than the other chairs, and a golden footstool stood before it. This was the Lord's seat, where he sat when he was home and could see everything on earth.

The tailor stood and stared at the seat for a long time. It pleased him more than anything else. Finally, he could not control his curiosity anymore. He climbed up and sat in the chair. Then he saw everything happening on earth. He noticed an ugly old woman washing by a stream.

She was secretly putting two veils aside for herself. The tailor grew so angry that he grabbed the golden footstool and threw it down through heaven at the old thief. But he could not get the stool back.

He slipped quietly out of the chair, sat down again behind the door, and acted as if nothing had happened.

When the Lord and his companions returned, he did not see the tailor behind the door. But when he sat in his chair, the footstool was missing. He asked Saint Peter what had happened to it. Peter did not know. Then the Lord asked if Peter had let anyone in. "I know of no one," answered Peter, "except a lame tailor who is still sitting behind the door."

The Lord had the tailor brought before him. "Did you take the stool? Where did you put it?"

"Oh, Lord," answered the tailor happily, "I threw it down to earth in anger at an old woman I saw stealing two veils while washing."

"You knave," said the Lord. "If I judged as you judge, how do you think you could have escaped so long? I would long ago have had no chairs, benches, or seats. I would have thrown everything at the sinners. You can stay no longer in heaven. You must go outside the door again. Go where you will. No one shall give punishment here except me, the Lord."

Peter had to take the tailor out of heaven. The tailor had torn shoes and feet covered with blisters. He took a stick and went to the place called "Wait-a-bit," where the good soldiers sit and make merry.