The Shoemaker and the Elves. A shoemaker and his wife lived in a little house on the edge of the woods. They were very, very poor, and each day they grew poorer and poorer. At last there was nothing left in the house but leather for one pair of shoes. “I will cut out this last pair of shoes,” the shoemaker said to his wife. “Tomorrow I will sew them and peg them.” So he cut out the leather and left it on his bench. The next morning, he went into his shop to make the shoes. What did he see? A pair of shoes all nicely made and ready to be sold. The stitches were so neat, and the shoes so well made that they were quickly sold. With the money, the poor shoemaker bought leather for two pairs of shoes. Then he said to his wife, “I will cut out the leather for two pairs of shoes. Tomorrow I will sew them and peg them.”So he cut out the leather for the shoes and left it on his bench. The next morning when he went into his shop to make the shoes, what did he find? Yes, there were two pairs of shoes already made. The work was so well done that those shoes were also sold very quickly. With the money, the poor shoemaker bought enough leather for four pairs of shoes. Those he also cut out and left upon his bench. The next morning, he found four pairs of beautiful shoes, all well made. And so it went on and on. Instead of being a very poor shoemaker, he became a very rich shoemaker. His shoes were so well made that even the Queen herself wore them.