The Elves and The Shoemaker is a Brothers Grimm Short Story. Read and Enjoy.www.storybus.net
There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest:
but still he could not earn enough to live upon; and at last all he
had in _the world was gone, save just lea_ther enough to make one pair of
shoes.

_then he cut his lea_ther 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 thing happening.
He looked at _the workmanship; _there was not one false stitch in _the
whole job; all was so neat and true, that it was quite a masterpiece.
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_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 lea_ther 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 next day; but he was saved all _the trouble, 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
lea_ther enough for four pair more. He cut out _the work again overnight
and found it done in _the morning, as before; and so it 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 toge_ther, he said to her, 'I should like to sit up and
watch tonight, that we may see who it is that 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 would 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 rapping 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 before daybreak; and _then _they bustled away as quick as
lightning.
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_the next day _the wife said to _the shoemaker. '_these little wights have
made us rich, and we ought to be thankful to _them, and do _them a good
turn if we can. I am 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. I'll 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 round _the
room, and _then went to sit down to _their work as usual; but when _they
saw _the clo_thes lying for _them, _they laughed and chuckled, and seemed
mightily delighted.
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_then _they dressed _themselves in _the twinkling of an eye, and danced and
capered and sprang 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.