THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER

Once upon a time, when magical little people still involved themselves in the lives of ordinary people, there was a poor shoemaker. He was a good man and once had been very good at his job, but as he got older his hands began to shake and his eyesight got poorer, it was difficult for him to make shoes to the high standards he was known for when he was young. Business was bad and the poor shoemaker and his wife had very little to eat.

One night the shoemaker and his wife looked at the fine piece of leather he had in his workshop.

“Wife,” he said, “this is the last leather I have. It’s just enough to make a pair of shoes from. I wish I could make a pair as beautiful and as well made as I could have crafted in my youth, but my skills have left me in my old age.” He said, sadly.

“Never mind, husband,” said his wife, “don’t try to work tonight, start work in the morning, I’m sure you will make a lovely pair of shoes after a good night’s sleep.” And so, the loving old couple went to their bed.

In the morning, the shoemaker and his wife got up with the sun and ate a small breakfast, then the shoemaker went to his workshop to start work on the new pair of shoes he planned to make - BUT – when he got there, what a surprise was waiting for him! On his workbench he found a beautifully made pair of shoes, the stitching and design was perfect, such tiny, tiny stitches. It was the best pair of shoes the shoemaker had ever seen, even better than the best he had made in his youth. The shoemaker was amazed at the quality of the workmanship, and wondered who could have produced such wonderful work in so short a time, and why had they been so kind as to do this great favour for him and his wife?

The shoemaker put the wonderful pair of shoes in the window of his shop and very soon a fine lady spotted them and paid three times the price the shoemaker asked for them! Now the shoemaker and his wife could buy some food and more leather to make shoes with.

Now, because the shoemaker was old, and slow in his work, he always left the work unfinished at the end of the day, and in the morning he and his wife would find the shoes finished, beautifully, and they were quickly sold for an excellent price to an admiring customer! Soon, the shoemaker just left out the leather, without attempting to make the shoes himself, and he would find a new pair of lovely shoes there in the morning.

One night, he and his wife decided to spy on the workshop and see who it was who was being so kind to them. They hid in a corner behind some boxes, at the stroke of midnight, four little elves, naked and poor looking, appeared in the workshop, and with incredible speed, made another extraordinary pair of shoes. Then when finished, they disappeared.

The shoemaker and his wife were so touched by the kindness of these poor elves, they discussed what they might do to thank them. “Husband, did you see how poor and naked they were?” Said the shoemaker’s wife. “I will make the poor little elves some tiny clothes for them to wear. It’s the least we can do for all their kindness.”

She was as good as her word. And that night, she laid out the little clothes she had made for them, then the shoemaker joined her to spy on them, from behind the boxes in the corner.

When the elves arrived the were delighted! They put on their tiny clothes and admired themselves in the mirror, then they disappeared, and never returned! But the shoemaker, by now, was rich enough and hired an apprentice to make shoes for him. The shoemaker and his wife lived happily ever after.

THE END