_The Shoemaker and the Dwarfs._
Why do we read of so many shoemakers that were poor? Surely they must
have lived in Ireland; but, be that as it may, we have to tell of
another, who, though he was most anxious to fit all the world, could
find no customers, till at last he had nothing left but just leather
enough to make one pair of shoes.
He had been running about all day, longingly looking at all the feet,
and wishing he might measure some one for this last pair of shoes,
but he returned, having only worn out his own. However, with all his
poverty, he had a light heart and a good wife, who was always ready
to cheer him; so he determined to make up the shoes in the very best
style, and, putting them in his window, trust to a purchaser.
He cut them out, intending to begin his work early the next morning,
and went to bed, soon falling asleep. Imagine the good man's
astonishment when, on the following morning, he found the shoes already
made, and in such a manner that he could not take his eyes off them.
He put them in his window, though he could hardly make up his mind to
part with them, and, half hoping to frighten purchasers away, he set
twice as high a price upon them as it had been his custom to charge.
However, a customer was soon found; and though it was with regret he
parted with those master-pieces of work, yet, when he held so much
money in his hand, he was delighted, for not only could he buy leather
to make two pairs of shoes, but he could get his wife a few necessaries
she had been long obliged to dispense with.
That evening he cut out two pairs of shoes, ready for the next morning,
when, on getting up, he found those finished, with workmanship no less
excellent than that of the night before.
For these, also, customers were speedily found, at equally good
prices as the previous pair; and that night the Shoemaker cut out
four pairs of shoes, which he again found made to perfection the
following morning. Thus it went on, the work that was prepared at night
being finished by the morning, so that our good friend soon became a
flourishing man; but he and his wife remained as simple in their habits
as of old, preferring to spend what they could spare on their more
needy neighbours.
Curiosity seems part of a woman's nature, and the Shoemaker's wife
certainly felt very curious to see who their friends were that did the
work so beautifully; so she proposed to her husband that they should
hide themselves, and, leaving a candle burning, watch for their nightly
visitors.
They did so, and at midnight saw two Dwarfs come in, who immediately
set to at the work left for them, stitching and hammering away so
fast that the Shoemaker felt quite bewildered by their rapidity. Not
one moment did they stop, but worked on till all was finished, and
disappeared long before daylight.
Now, if the Shoemaker's wife was curious, she was kind-hearted as well,
and was much grieved to see that such good, industrious little fellows
should be so neglected by their families and friends, for they had not
a stitch of clothes on, when it was winter too. Had they no wives or no
sisters to look after their comfort? And she proposed to make them a
decent suit of clothes each.
The good man was delighted at the proposal; so she bought the stuff,
and gave herself but little rest till she had made them a coat,
waistcoat, and a pair of trowsers each, as near their shape and size as
she could guess.
As soon as finished, the clothes were left for them instead of the
customary work, and the shoemaker and his wife again watched their
coming.
About midnight they appeared; and when they found the clothes in place
of their usual work, they stood for a moment irresolute, and then took
up each article, examining it on all sides. They then began to try on
the things, not without making several mistakes, for one of the little
fellows had got his arms into the legs of the trowsers, whilst the
other was putting on the waistcoat over the coat. But at length they
were dressed; and having examined each other, and then themselves, they
were so delighted that they set to capering and dancing about the
room, and playing all manner of antics, jumping over the chairs and
tumbling over head and heels, till at last they danced out of the room
hand-in-hand.
[Illustration: _The Dwarfs' Capers._]
They did not appear again; but the Shoemaker continued to prosper, and
became a rich man; he and his wife being respected and loved by all who
knew them.
[Decoration]