Jumping bail, seaman joins a fabled woodcutter (3,4)
I believe the answer is:
ali baba
'fabled woodcutter' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'jumping bail seaman joins a' is the wordplay.
'jumping' indicates an anagram.
'seaman' becomes 'ab'.
'joins' says to put letters next to each other.
'bail' anagrammed gives 'alib'.
'alib'+'ab'+'a'='ALI BABA'
(Other definitions for ali baba that I've seen before include "Arabian Nights character" , "Arabian Nights hero who opposed forty thieves" , "With 40 thieves, he's a fictional woodcutter" , "associate of thieves" , "Pantomime character in contention with 40 thieves" .)