A shoemaker and his wife lived in a little house on the edge of a forest.
They were very, very poor. With each passing day they grew poorer and poorer.
At last there was nothing left in their house but a little amount of money.
The shoemaker could buy leather for only one pair of shoes.
He cut out the leather and left it on a bench in his workshop.
He went back to his home. After taking his dinner, he slept.
Next morning, he with his wife went to his workshop to finish the shoes. They were
surprised to find a pair of shoes, all nicely made.
He placed them in the window and the shoes were so well made that they quickly sold.
With the money from the sale, the poor shoemaker bought leather for two pairs of shoes.
After cutting it he left it on the bench in his workshop.
Next morning, the shoemaker and his wife found that there were
two pairs of shoes already made. Those shoes also sold very quickly.
With the money the shoemaker bought enough leather for three pairs of
shoes. After cutting it he left it on the bench once more. Next morning, he found
all the three pairs of beautifully made shoes.
His shoes were so well made that word spread across the land. Even the Queen herself wore them.
At last, the shoemaker and his wife decided to find out who made the
shoes. So, one night, they hid behind a curtain, where they
could watch the bench and not be seen.
At the stroke of midnight, two little elves jumped through the window. They skipped and
danced up to the bench, sat down with their legs crossed and began to work at the leather.
Almost before the shoemaker and his wife could blink, the work was all done
and the little elves vanished.
Next day, the shoemaker and his wife prepared clothes and shoes for the
little elves and left them on the bench.
The shoemaker and his wife again hid behind the curtain. The tiny elves jumped into the workshop and
soon saw the clothes and the shoes. They clapped their hands out of joy. They put on their clothes
and skipped out of the window. The shoemaker and his wife never saw the little elves again. But after
that night good luck seemed to be always with the shoemaker and his wife.