Once there was a shoemaker who was very honest and worked hard. However, he was very poor and could not earn enough money to live. At last, he had nothing left except for one piece of leather—just enough to make one pair of shoes.
That evening, he cut the leather into the shape of the shoes. He planned to wake up early the next morning to finish them. His heart was light because he knew he had done his best, so he went to bed and fell asleep quickly.
In the morning, after he said his prayers, he sat down at his table to work. To his great surprise, the shoes were already finished! The shoemaker did not know what to think. He looked closely at the shoes. Every stitch was perfect; it was a masterpiece.
Later that day, a customer came into the shop. He liked the shoes so much that he paid more than the usual price. With this money, the shoemaker was able to buy enough leather for two more pairs. Again, he cut the leather in the evening and went to bed. In the morning, he found two pairs of beautiful shoes waiting for him.
This continued for a long time. Whatever he prepared in the evening was always finished by daybreak. Soon, the shoemaker became a wealthy man.
One evening, near Christmas, the shoemaker said to his wife, "I would like to stay awake tonight. I want to find out who is doing all my work for me." His wife agreed. They left a lamp burning and hid in the corner of the room behind a curtain.
At midnight, two tiny, naked men entered the room. They sat on the shoemaker's bench and began to work with their little fingers. They stitched and tapped so fast that the shoemaker could not believe his eyes. They did not stop until the shoes were finished. Then, they ran away as fast as lightning.
The next day, the wife said, "Those little men have made us rich. We should be thankful and do something for them. I feel sorry for them because they have no clothes to protect them from the cold. I will make each of them a shirt, a coat, and a pair of trousers. You can make each of them a tiny pair of shoes."
The shoemaker thought this was an excellent idea. When the clothes and shoes were ready, they laid them on the table instead of the leather. Then they hid again to watch.
At midnight, the elves came in. They expected to find leather, but when they saw the beautiful little clothes, they laughed and were delighted. They dressed themselves quickly and danced around the room, singing happily. Finally, they danced out of the door and across the grass.
The shoemaker and his wife never saw the elves again, but they stayed happy and successful for the rest of their lives.