The Shoemaker and the Elves
adapted from a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm
There was once a shoemaker who worked very hard but was also very poor.
At last, all he had was just enough leather to make one pair of shoes.
He cut out the shoes in the evening so that he could set to work on them
the next morning. Then he went to bed and, leaving all his cares to
heaven, fell asleep.
In the morning, when he went down to work, he found the pair of shoes
made and finished, and standing on his table. He was very much
astonished, and did not know what to think.
After a moment, the poor man took the shoes in his hand to look at them
more closely. They were beautifully made. Every stitch was in its right
place, just as if they had come from the hand of a master workman.
Soon after, a buyer came in. The shoes fitted him very well, so he gave
more than the usual price for them. Now the shoemaker had enough money
to buy leather for two pairs of shoes. He cut out the shoes that night,
intending to set to work the next morning.
But that was not to be. When he got up in the morning, the two pairs of
shoes were already finished. A customer paid him so much money for these
shoes that he was able to buy leather enough for four new pairs.
Early next morning he found the four pairs finished. And so it always
happened. Whatever he cut out in the evening was worked up by the
morning. He was soon making a good living, and in the end became very
well-to-do.
One night, not long before Christmas, when the shoemaker had finished
cutting out shoes, and before he went to bed, he said to his wife, “How
would it be if we were to sit up tonight and see who it is that makes
the shoes?”
His wife agreed, and left a light burning. They both hid behind a
curtain in a corner of the room and watched to see what would happen.
As soon as it was midnight, two naked little elves came in and seated
themselves at the shoemaker’s table. They began to stitch, to pierce,
and to hammer so cleverly and quickly with their little fingers that the
shoemaker’s eyes could scarcely follow them. They did not stop until
everything was finished and ready on the table. Then they jumped up and
disappeared as quickly as they had come.
The next morning, the shoemaker’s wife said to her husband, “Those
little men have made us rich. We ought to show our thanks. With all
their running about, and having nothing to cover them, they must be very
cold. I’ll tell you what: I will make little shirts, coats, waistcoats,
and breeches for them, and knit each of them a pair of stockings. And
you shall make each of them a little pair of shoes.”
The thought pleased the good man very much. One night, when everything
was finished, instead of the cut-out work, they laid the gifts on the
table. Then they hid themselves so that they could see what the elves
would do.
When midnight came, the elves rushed in, ready to set to work. But when
they found the neat little garments instead of cut-out leather, they
stood a moment in surprise. Then they showed the greatest delight.
Swiftly, they took up the clothes and slipped them on, singing,
What spruce and dandy boys are we! No longer cobblers we will be.
Then they hopped and skipped and leaped over chairs and benches. At last
they danced out the door and into the night.
The shoemaker never saw them again. But from that time on, everything
went well with the shoemaker as long as he lived.
