Page 0: Page 1: Page 2: A shoemaker, became so poor that at last he had nothing left but enough leather for one pair of shoes. Page 3: So in the evening, he cut the leather into the shape of the shoes, and he left his work on the table to finish in the morning. He lay down quietly in his bed, and before he fell asleep. Page 4: In the morning, just as he was about to sit down to work, he saw the two shoes standing quite finished on his table. Page 5: He was very surprised! He took the shoes in his hands to look at them more closely and he saw that they were so neatly made that there was not one bad stitch in them. It just as if they were intended as a masterpiece. Page 6: Soon after, a customer came in to the shop, and as the shoes pleased him so well, he paid more than the usual price. Now the shoe maker had enough money to buy leather for two pairs of shoes. Page 7: That night, he cut out the leather. Next morning he was about to set to work with fresh hope for the future when he saw that the shoes were already made. Page 8: There was no shortage of customers who wanted the shoes. The shoemaker soon had enough to buy leather for more pairs of shoes. Page 9: Soon he was no longer poor, and he even became quite rich. Page 10: Now one evening not long before Christmas, the man finished cutting out the leather as usual. But this time he said to his wife, “Let’s stay up to-night to see who it is that lends us this helping hand?” Page 11: 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. Page 12: When it was midnight, two little elves came into the room, both without any clothes on, and sat down by the shoemaker’s table. They took all the work which was cut out before them and began to stitch, and sew, and hammer so skillfully and so quickly with their little fingers. Page 13: 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 you 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 help too – make them two little pairs of shoes.” Page 14: 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 clothing. The couple thought: The elves dressed themselves very quickly, putting the pretty clothes on. Then they danced and skipped and leapt over chairs and benches. At last they danced out of doors. From that time on the elves came no more. As long as the shoemaker lived, all went well with him and all his business prospered. Page 15: Page 16: