There was once a Shoemaker who, through no fault of his own, hadbecome so poor that at last he had only leather enough left for onepair of shoes. At evening he cut out the shoes which he intended tobegin upon the next morning, and since he had a good conscience, helay down quietly, said his prayers, and fell asleep.
In the morning when he had said his prayers, and was preparing to sitdown to work, he found the pair of shoes standing finished on histable. He was amazed, and could not understand it in the least.
He took the shoes in his hand to examine them more closely. They wereso neatly sewn that not a stitch was out of place, and were as good asthe work of a master-hand.
Soon after a purchaser came in, and as he was much pleased with theshoes, he paid more than the ordinary price for them, so that theShoemaker was able to buy leather for two pairs of shoes with themoney.
He cut them out in the evening, and next day, with fresh courage, wasabout to go to work; but he had no need to, for when he got up, theshoes were finished, and buyers were not lacking. These gave him somuch money that he was able to buy leather for four pairs of shoes.
Early next morning he found the four pairs finished, and so it wenton; what he cut out at evening was finished in the morning, so that hewas soon again in comfortable circumstances, and became a well-to-doman.
Now it happened one evening, not long before Christmas, when he hadcut out some shoes as usual, that he said to his Wife: 'How would itbe if we were to sit up to-night to see who it is that lends us such ahelping hand?'
The Wife agreed, lighted a candle, and they hid themselves in thecorner of the room behind the clothes which were hanging there.
At midnight came two little naked men who sat down at the Shoemaker'stable, took up the cut-out work, and began with their tiny fingers tostitch, sew, and hammer so neatly and quickly, that the Shoemakercould not believe his eyes. They did not stop till everything wasquite finished, and stood complete on the table; then they ran swiftlyaway.
The next day the Wife said: 'The little men have made us rich, and weought to show our gratitude. They were running about with nothing on,and must freeze with cold. Now I will make them little shirts, coats,waistcoats, and hose, and will even knit them a pair of stockings, andyou shall make them each a pair of shoes.'
The Husband agreed, and at evening, when they had everything ready,they laid out the presents on the table, and hid themselves to see howthe little men would behave.
At midnight they came skipping in, and were about to set to work; but,instead of the leather ready cut out, they found the charming littleclothes.
At first they were surprised, then excessively delighted. With thegreatest speed they put on and smoothed down the pretty clothes,singing:
'Now we're boys so fine and neat, Why cobble more for other's feet?'
Then they hopped and danced about, and leapt over chairs and tablesand out at the door. Henceforward, they came back no more, but theShoemaker fared well as long as he lived, and had good luck in all hisundertakings.