The ELVES and the SHOEMAKER
There was once a poor old shoemaker, who lived in a little cottage in the woods.
One evening after supper, he told his wife that he was unhappy.
"I am working too slowly, now that I am old," he explained.
"I am warried that we will starve."
"I only have enough leather to make more pair of boot," he went on.
"I do not know what will become of us then."
After supper, the shoemaker went to his bench.
He cut out the leather pieces, so that they were ready to make into shoes the nest day.
The old shoemake was so tired from working all day, that he fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, he seemed to remember that he heard strange noises from his workroom, but he told himself that he must have been dreaming.
But when he sat down at his workbench, he had a big surprise.
A pair of fine boots had been made from the leather pieces he had cut out the night before.
"Look at these," he showed his wife.
"They would have taken me at least three days to make !"
"The least stitching is exquisite !" she agreed.
"Beautiful !"
The shoemaker put the boots in his shop window.
Before long, a rich man arrived, asking to try them on.
"I love them !" he congratulated the shoemaker.
"I must have them ! Name your price !"
And he gave the shoemaker a truly handsome sum, in solid gold pieces !.
"We are lucky indeed," the shoemaker told his wife.
"We can afford to eat today - and I can buy some more shoe leather as well !"
Off he went to market, and came back with plenty of good food, and enough leather to make two more pairs of shoes.
In the evening he cut the leather into pieces, before going to bed, ready for an early start.
However, in the morning, he found, to his surprise, not one, but two pairs of shoes !
"They are just as fine as the first pair," said his wife.
"Who has done this kind deed ?"
No sooner were the shoes put in the window, than friends of the rich man knocked on the door.
They loved the shoes so much that they bought them on the spot !
And so it went on.
The shoemaker bought leather every day.
He would cut it out, and leave it on his workbench at night.
Enery morning, he would discover the most beautiful shoes and boots, which would be sold before lunchtime !
One evening, the shoemaker was sitting in front of the fire with his wife.
"I would like to know who has been helping us," he said.
"Why don't we sit up and watch, instead of going to bed ?"
They hid themselves behind a curtain and watched, still as mice.
Towards midning, the window sprang open, and two little elves climbed through, dressed in rags.
In an instant, they sat down upon the shoemaker's bench, and picked up all the leather pieces that were cut out.
They began to pull and stretch the leather, stitching it and tapping it, their fingers racing faster than the shoemaker had ever seen.
In no time at all, four pairs of shiny boots and shoes were standing on the bench.
Then, quick as a flash, the two elves were gone ! Rubbing their bewildered eyes, the shoemaker and his wife crept up to bed.
The next morning, they could hardly believe what they had seen.
"How can we repay them for helping us ?" wondered the shoemaker.
"Let's make them some proper clothes," suggested the shoemaker's wife.
"Good idea ! " agreed the shoemaker.
"And I will make them each a pair of boots !"
When the elves came in later that night, they went straight to the workbench to begin work, but found the little clothes and boots instead.
They both burst out laughing with delight, took off their old rags, and admired their new outfits in the mirror.
They danced and capered about, chuckling at how splendid they looked.
At last, they clambered up to the window and jumped, deep into the night.
The old couple never saw the elves again, but sometimes, when they need help, they will leave some leather pieces on the bench.
From time to time, the old man will put out a little jacket or a shirt or a pair of small shoes, and in the morning, they will be gone !
by - Alison Edgson
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