Hello there,
It's Mandy here.
Now this is a very short story indeed,
The Elves and the Cobbler.
It might suit you if you just need to take a little break in the day and think about something else for a few minutes.
It's one of the lesser known stories from the Brothers Grimm.
So if you're ready I'll begin.
The Elves and the Cobbler.
There was once a cobbler who worked very hard and was very honest but still he couldn't earn enough to live upon and at last all he had in the world was gone,
Save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.
Then he cut his leather out all ready to make up the next day,
Meaning to rise early in the morning to his work.
His conscience was clear and his heart light amidst all his troubles.
So he went peaceably to bed,
Left all his cares to heaven and soon fell asleep.
In the morning after he had said his prayers he sat himself down to his work,
When to his great wonder there stood the shoes all ready made upon the table.
The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd happening.
He looked at the workmanship.
There was not one full stitch in the whole job.
All was so neat and true that it was quite a masterpiece.
The same day a customer came in and the shoes suited him so well that he willingly paid a price higher than usual for them.
And the poor shoemaker with the money bought leather enough to make two pairs more.
In the evening he cut out the work and went to bed early that he might get up and begin betimes the next day.
But he was saved all the trouble again for when he got up in the morning the work was done ready to his hand.
Soon in came buyers who paid him handsomely for his goods so that he bought leather enough for four pairs more.
He cut out the work again overnight and found it done in the morning as before.
And so this went on for some time.
What was got ready in the evening was always done by daybreak and the good man soon became thriving and well off again.
One evening about Christmas time as he and his wife were sitting over the fire chatting together he said to her I should like to sit up and watch tonight that we may see who it is who comes and does my work for me.
The wife liked the thought so they left a light burning and hid themselves in a corner of the room behind a curtain that was hung up there and watched what should happen.
As soon as it was midnight there came in two little naked dwarfs and they sat themselves upon the shoemaker's bench took up all the work that was cut out and began to ply with their little fingers stitching and wrapping and tapping away at such a rate that the shoemaker was all wonder and could not take his eyes off them.
And on they went till the job was quite done and the shoes stood ready for use upon the table.
This was long long before daybreak and then they bustled away as quick as lightning.
The next day the wife said to the shoemaker these little whites have made us rich and we ought to be thankful to them and do them a good turn if we can.
I'm quite sorry to see them run about as they do and indeed it is not very decent for they have nothing upon their backs to keep off the cold.
Tell you what I will make each of them a shirt and a coat and waistcoat and a pair of pantaloons into the bargain and do you make each of them a little pair of shoes.
The thought pleased the good cobbler very much and one evening when all the things were ready they laid them on the table instead of the work that they used to cut out and then went and hid themselves to watch what the little elves would do.
About midnight in they came dancing and skipping,
Hopped around the room and then went to sit down to their work as usual.
But when they saw the clothes lying there for them they laughed and chuckled and seemed mightily delighted.
They dressed themselves in the twinkling of an eye and danced and capered and sprung about as merry as could be till at last they danced out at the door and away over the green.
The good couple saw them no more but everything went well with them from that time forward as long as they lived.
