The Shoemaker and the Elves (Learn English with Stories)

Once there was a poor shoemaker and his wife. “We only have enough leather left to make one pair of shoes,” said the worried shoemaker to his wife.

That night, the shoemaker left the leather on his workbench and went to bed. He decided he would make his last pair of shoes in the morning.

When the shoemaker woke up, he was shocked to find a beautiful pair of shoes on his workbench.

He puzzled and puzzled over who could have made such beautiful shoes.

Later that day, a customer came into the workshop and admired the shoes. They fit his feet so perfectly that he paid double the money for them!

“We now have enough money to buy dinner and to buy leather for two more pairs of shoes,” the shoemaker said happily.

That evening he cut leather for two pairs of shoes and left it on his workbench.

Amazingly, the next morning, there were four pairs of new, fancy shoes. The shoemaker and his wife sold all four and made more money.

“I must discover who is making these shoes,” said the shoemaker to his wife. So, they decided to stay awake and watch the workbench all night.

That evening, two tiny elves in tattered clothes tip-toed into the workshop. They began to sew the leather into beautiful shoes.

“Those poor elves must be freezing in their ragged clothes,” said the wife to the shoemaker.

So, they decided to sew new clothes and shoes for the poor little elves. That evening, they left the gifts on the workbench for the elves to find.

When the elves returned, they discovered the beautiful clothes and shoes. They were so happy with their new clothes that they danced out of the workshop and were never seen again.

From that day forward, the shoemaker and his wife lived a happy life with plenty to eat.