At last the shoemaker said to his wife, "We must find out who makes the
shoes."
So one bright moonlight night they hid behind a curtain, where they
could watch the bench and not be seen.
Just on the stroke of midnight, two little elves jumped through the
window.
They went skipping and dancing up to the bench.
Sitting cross-legged they took up the leather and began to work.
How their needles flew back and forth, back and forth!
How their little hammers beat rap-a-tap-tap, rap-a-tap-tap!
Almost before the shoemaker and his wife could think, the work was all
done.
The tiny elves ran about, skipping and dancing, skipping and dancing.
Then, whisk! quick as a wink, they were gone.
The next morning the good shoemaker said to his wife, "What can we do
for those dear little elves?"
"I should like very much to make some clothes for them," said his wife.
"They were almost naked."
"If you will make their coats, I will make them some shoes," said the
shoemaker. "Their little feet were bare."
When the clothes and shoes were ready, they were put upon the bench.
[Illustration]
The shoemaker and his wife again hid behind the curtain.
Just as before, when the clock struck twelve, in jumped the tiny elves.
They went skipping and dancing, skipping and dancing, to their work.
They saw the little coats, the tiny stockings, and the neat little
shoes.
They clapped their hands for joy.
Then, slipping on their clothes, they skipped, hand in hand, out of the
window.
The shoemaker and his wife never saw the little elves again, but after
that night, good luck seemed always to be with them.
_English Folk Tale_