The Elves and the Shoemaker (Germany)

​Once upon a time there lived a shoemaker and his wife who worked hard yet had barely enough money to live on. One day, the shoemaker looked around his shop and found only one small piece of leather. He began making a pair of shoes but it grew late and he stopped before the shoes were finished.
The next morning, when the shoemaker entered his shop, he discovered someone had finished the shoes. He sold the shoes and used the money to buy more leather. He worked all day cutting and shaping the new leather but left before he could make the shoes.

The next morning, much to his astonishment, once again someone had finished the shoes. He sold them for enough money to buy more leather and spent the day cutting and shaping pieces ready to be made into boots, sandals, and shoes.

Grateful for the help, the shoemaker continued to leave pieces of leather cut and shaped, returning in the morning to find the footwear ready to sell. He soon developed a reputation for fine work, with customers lining up to be measured. Eventually the shoemaker and his wife no longer had to worry about money.

One day, his wife said to her husband, “I think we should find out who is helping us. Perhaps we can do something to help in return.  The shoemaker agreed. That night, they hid in the workshop, waiting anxiously.

They did not have long to wait. Two elves dressed in torn and threadbare clothing sang as they worked, quickly finishing all that had been cut. When the elves left, the wife said to her husband, “They have done so much for us. It is cold. Their clothes are too ragged to keep them warm. I will make them winter clothing. While she sewed, her husband made two pairs of tiny boots for their feet. 

The next morning, the clothes and boots had disappeared. The elves never returned, but the shoemaker had enough leather to make all the footwear his customers requested. He and his wife continued to prosper.

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october 2024 monthly stories