English
Ashoemaker,bynofaultofhisown,hadbecomesopoorthatatlasthehadnothingleftbutleatherforonepairofshoes.
Sointheevening,hecutouttheshoeswhichhewishedtobegintomakethenextmorning,andashehadagoodconscience,helaydownquietlyinhisbed,commendedhimselftoGod,andfellasleep.
Inthemorning,afterhehadsaidhisprayers,andwasjustgoingtositdowntowork,thetwoshoesstoodquitefinishedonhistable.Hewasastounded,andknewnotwhattosaytoit.Hetooktheshoesinhishandstoobservethemcloser,andtheyweresoneatlymadethattherewasnotonebadstitchinthem,justasiftheywereintendedasamasterpiece.
Soonafter,abuyercamein,andastheshoespleasedhimsowell,hepaidmoreforthemthanwascustomary,and,withthemoney,theshoemakerwasabletopurchaseleatherfortwopairsofshoes.
Hecutthemoutatnight,andnextmorningwasabouttosettoworkwithfreshcourage;buthehadnoneedtodoso,for,whenhegotup,theywerealreadymade,andbuyersalsowerenotwanting,whogavehimmoneyenoughtobuyleatherforfourpairsofshoes.
Thefollowingmorning,too,hefoundthefourpairsmade;andsoitwentonconstantly,whathecutoutintheeveningwasfinishedbythemorning,sothathesoonhadhishonestindependenceagain,andatlastbecameawealthyman.
NowitbefellthatoneeveningnotlongbeforeChristmas,whenthemanhadbeencuttingout,hesaidtohiswife,beforegoingtobed,"Whatthinkyouifweweretostayupto-nighttoseewhoitisthatlendsusthishelpinghand?"Thewomanlikedtheidea,andlightedacandle,andthentheyhidthemselvesinacorneroftheroom,behindsomeclotheswhichwerehangingupthere,andwatched.
Whenitwasmidnight,twoprettylittlenakedmencame,satdownbytheshoemaker'stable,tookalltheworkwhichwascutoutbeforethemandbegantostitch,andsew,andhammersoskilfullyandsoquicklywiththeirlittlefingersthattheshoemakercouldnotturnawayhiseyesforastonishment.
Theydidnotstopuntilallwasdone,andstoodfinishedonthetable,andtheyranquicklyaway.
Nextmorningthewomansaid,"Thelittlemenhavemadeusrich,andwereallymustshowthatwearegratefulforit.Theyrunaboutso,andhavenothingon,andmustbecold.I'lltelltheewhatI'lldo:Iwillmakethemlittleshirts,andcoats,andvests,andtrousers,andknitbothofthemapairofstockings,anddothou,too,makethemtwolittlepairsofshoes."
Themansaid,"Ishallbeverygladtodoit;"
andonenight,wheneverythingwasready,theylaidtheirpresentsalltogetheronthetableinsteadofthecut-outwork,andthenconcealedthemselvestoseehowthelittlemenwouldbehave.Atmidnighttheycameboundingin,andwantedtogettoworkatonce,butastheydidnotfindanyleathercutout,butonlytheprettylittlearticlesofclothing,theywereatfirstastonished,andthentheyshowedintensedelight.
Theydressedthemselveswiththegreatestrapidity,puttingtheprettyclotheson,andsinging,
"Nowweareboyssofinetosee,
Whyshouldwelongercobblersbe?"
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