The Elves

First Story

A shoemaker, by no fault of his own, had become so poor that at last he had nothing left but leather for one pair of shoes. So that evening he cut out the leather for the shoes he planned to make the next morning. His conscience was clear, so he lay down peacefully, entrusted himself to God and fell asleep.So in the evening, he cut out the shoes which he wished to begin to make the next morning, and as he had a good conscience, he lay down quietly in his bed, commended himself to God, and fell asleep. In the morning, after he had said his prayers, and was just going to sit down to work, the two shoes stood quite finished on his table. He was astounded, and did not know what to sayknew not what to say to it. He took the shoes in his hands to examine them more closelyto observe them closer, and they were so neatly made that there was not one bad stitch in them, just as if they were intended as a masterpiece. Soon afterwards, a customer came in. He liked the shoes so much that he paid more than the usual price. With the money, the shoemaker could buy leather for two pairs of shoes.Soon after, a buyer came in, and as the shoes pleased him so well, he paid more for them than was customary, and, with the money, the shoemaker was able to purchase leather for two pairs of shoes. He cut them out that night and planned to start work the next morning with fresh courage. But there was no need: when he got up, the shoes were already made. There was no shortage of customers, and they paid him enough to buy leather for four pairs.He cut them out at night, and next morning was about to set to work with fresh courage; but he had no need to do so, for, when he got up, they were already made, and buyers also were not wanting, who gave him money enough to buy leather for four pairs of shoes. The following morning, he found the four pairs made too. And so it went on: what he cut out in the evening was finished by morning. Soon he could make an honest living again, and in time he became wealthy.The following morning, too, he found the four pairs made; and so it went on constantly, what he cut out in the evening was finished by the morning, so that he soon had his honest independence again, and at last became a wealthy man. Now it happened thatNow it befell that one evening not long before Christmas, when the man had been cutting out, he said to his wife, before going to bed, “What do you think of staying up tonightWhat think you if we were to stay up to-night to see who it is that lends us this helping hand?” The woman liked the idea, and lighted a candle, and then they hid themselves in a corner of the room, behind some clothes which were hanging up there, and watched. At midnight, two pretty little naked men appeared. They sat at the shoemaker’s table and took the work laid out for them. They stitched, sewed and hammered so skilfully and quickly with their little fingers that the shoemaker could not look away in his astonishment.When it was midnight, two pretty little naked men came, sat down by the shoemaker’s table, took all the work which was cut out before them and began to stitch, and sew, and hammer so skilfully and so quickly with their little fingers that the shoemaker could not turn away his eyes for astonishment. They did not stop until everything was finished and stood ready on the tableall was done, and stood finished on the table, and they ran quickly away.

Next morning the woman said, “The little men have made us rich, and we really must show that we are grateful for it. They run about so, and have nothing on, and must be cold. I’ll tell youI’ll tell thee what I’ll do: I will make them little shirts, and coats, and vests, and trousers, and knit both of them a pair of stockings, and you can make them two little pairs of shoesand do thou, too, make them two little pairs of shoes.” The man said, “I shall be very glad to do it;” and one night, when everything was ready, they laid their presents all together on the table instead of the cut-out work, and then concealed themselves to see how the little men would behave. At midnight they came bounding in, eager to start work. But instead of cut-out leather, they found the pretty little clothes. At first they were astonished, then delighted.At midnight they came bounding in, and wanted to get to work at once, but as they did not find any leather cut out, but only the pretty little articles of clothing, they were at first astonished, and then they showed intense delight. They dressed themselves as quickly as they couldwith the greatest rapidity, putting the pretty clothes on, and singing,

“Now we are boys so fine to see,
Why should we longer cobblers be?”

Then they danced and skipped and leapt over chairs and benches. At last they danced out of doors.

From then on they never returnedFrom that time forth they came no more, but as long as the shoemaker lived all went well with him, and everything he did prosperedall his undertakings prospered.

Second Story

There was once a poor servant-girl, who was hardworking and tidyindustrious and cleanly, and swept the house every day, and emptied her sweepings on the great heap in front of the door. One morning, as she was returning to work, she found a letter on the heap. She could not read, so she left her broom in the corner and took the letter to her master and mistress. And there it was: an invitation from the elves, asking her to hold a child at its christening.One morning when she was just going back to her work, she found a letter on this heap, and as she could not read, she put her broom in the corner, and took the letter to her master and mistress, and behold it was an invitation from the elves, who asked the girl to hold a child for them at its christening. The girl did not know what to do. Her master and mistress urged her to accept, saying it was wrong to refuse such an invitation. At last she agreed.The girl did not know what to do, but at length, after much persuasion, and as they told her that it was not right to refuse an invitation of this kind, she consented. Then three elves came and led herconducted her to a hollow mountain, where the little folks lived. Everything there was small, but more elegant and beautiful than can be described. The baby’s mother lay in a bed of black ebony ornamented with pearls, the bedcoverscoverlids were embroidered with gold, the cradle was of ivory, the bath of gold. The girl stood as godmother, and then wanted to go home again, but the little elves begged herurgently entreated her to stay three days with them. So she stayed, and enjoyed herselfpassed the time in pleasure and gaiety, and the little folks did all they could to make her happy. At last she set out on her way home. First they filled her pockets with money, and thenThen first they filled her pockets quite full of money, and after that they led her out of the mountain again. When she got home, she wanted to begin her work, and took the broom, which was still standing in the corner, in her hand and began to sweep. Then some strangers came out of the house, who asked her who she was, and what business she had there? She had spent not three days with the little men in the mountain, as she thought, but seven years. In that time, her former master and mistress had died.And she had not, as she thought, been three days with the little men in the mountains, but seven years, and in the meantime her former masters had died.

Third Story

The elves had taken a mother’s child from its cradle and left a changeling in its place. This strange child had a large head and staring eyes, and did nothing but eat and drink.A certain mother’s child had been taken away out of its cradle by the elves, and a changeling with a large head and staring eyes, which would do nothing but eat and drink, laid in its place. In her trouble she went to her neighbour, and asked her advice. The neighbour said that she was to carry the changeling into the kitchen, set it down on the hearth, light a fire, and boil some water in two egg-shells. boil some water in two egg-shells, This would make the changeling laugh. If he laughed, it would be the end of himwhich would make the changeling laugh, and if he laughed, all would be over with him. The woman did everything that her neighbour told her to dobade her. When she put the egg-shells with water on the fire, the imp said, “I am as old now as the Wester forest, but never yet have I seen any one boil anything in an egg-shell!” And he began to laugh at it. While he was laughing, a crowd of little elves suddenly appearedWhilst he was laughing, suddenly came a host of little elves, who brought the right child, set it down on the hearth, and took the changeling away with them.