Notes

The elves and the shoemaker many years ago, there was a shoemaker. he lived happy with his wife in their small shop. the shoemaker was a very hardworking man indeed. he was always busy making new shoes. the shoemaker and his wife made a good living. they were very proud of their shoe shop. all the men and women in the town came to buy their shoes. ''your shoes are very well made!'' said a lady. some years later, the shop become very quiet. the shoemaker found that he had much less word to do. then there came a day when no one came to buy his shoes at all. the shoemaker and his wife became very worried. one evening, the shoemaker and his wife were walking through the town. they saw a party in the street. the shoemaker watched everybody dance. he saw that they were all wearing shoes from his shop. ''i brought these shoes from you a year ago,'' said a friend.''they are still as good as new pair for a long time!'' ''that's why nobody is buying my shoes!'' said the shoemaker. ''i have made them so well, they will last for years!'' the shoemaker and his wife walked sadly home. they did not know what to do. they had no money to buy food. ''i have one last piece of shoes and hope that we can sell them.'' the next morning the shoemaker awoke early. he saw a beautiful pair of shoes on the table. ''these shoes have been made from my last piece of leather'', he said to his wife. ''i wonder who made them?'' the same day, a princess came to visit the shop. ''these shoes are beautiful'', she said to the shoemaker. '' may i try them on?'' the shoemaker helped the princess to try on the shoes ''they look very lovely! i will buy them!'' said the princess.

the shoemaker and his wife were very happy. they had enough money to buy some food and a piece of leather as well. that night, the shoemaker was very tired. he cut the leather into two piece, left them on his table and went to bed. next morning, in his shop, the shoemaker could not believe his eyes! where he had left the pieces of leather were now two beautiful pairs of shoes! the shoemaker put the shoes in his shop and, sure enough, a visitor bought both pairs! ''what wonderful shoes you make!'' he said. again, the shoemaker and his wife were able to buy food. they also bought another, much larger, piece of leather. the shoemaker and his wife wanted to know who was making the shoes. that night they hid in the shop and waited quietly. a little after midnight, they saw three tiny people climbing into the shop through the window. they were three little elves! the shoemaker and his wife watched as the little elves went about making lots of shoes from the big piece of leather. they worked very fast! just as the sun began to rise, an elf said, ''it is time to go, friends!'' leaving behind many pairs of shoes, they hurried out of the window. ''the elves have helped us so much,'' said the shoemaker to his wife.''we must do something for them.'' the shoemaker's wife had a lovely throught. she soon set about making clothes for the little elves to wear