Part 15 (1/2)
It went on like this until the shoemaker and his ere prosperous people But they could not be satisfied to have so rateful So one night, after the shoemaker had left the pieces of leather on the bench, he and his wife hid theht in the room
Just as the clock struck twelve the door opened softly, and two tiny elves caan to put the pieces together They were quite naked, but they had wee little scissors and hammers and thread Tap! tap! went the little hammers; stitch, stitch, went the thread, and the little elves were hard at work No one ever worked so fast as they In almost no time all the shoes were stitched and finished Then the tiny elves took hold of each other's hands and danced round the shoes on the bench, till the shoeh aloud But as the clock struck two, the little creatures whisked away out of the , and left the room all as it was before
The shoemaker and his wife looked at each other, and said, ”How can we thank the little elves who have made us happy and prosperous?”
”I should like to make them some pretty clothes,” said the wife, ”they are quite naked”
”I will make the shoes if you will make the coats,” said her husband
That very day they set about it The wife cut out two tiny, tiny coats of green, teeny, weeny waistcoats of yelloo little pairs of trousers, of white, two bits of caps, bright red (for every one knows the elves love bright colors), and her husband , pointed toes They made the wee clothes as dainty as could be, with nice little stitches and pretty buttons; and by Christmas time, they were finished
On Christmas eve, the shoemaker cleaned his bench, and on it, instead of leather, he laid the two sets of gay little fairy-clothes Then he and his wife hid away as before, to watch
Proht, the little naked elves came in They hopped upon the bench; but when they saw the little clothes there, they laughed and danced for joy Each one caught up his little coat and things and began to put them on Then they looked at each other and ht At last they began to dance, and when the clock struck two, they danced quite away, out of the
They never caave the shoeood luck, so that they never needed any more help
WHO KILLED THE OTTER'S BABIES[1]?
[1] Adapted from the story as told in Fables and Folk Tales From an Eastern Forest, by Walter Skeat
Once the Otter came to the Mouse-deer and said, ”Friend Mouse-deer, will you please take care of o to the river, to catch fish?”
”Certainly,” said the Mouse-deer, ”go along”
But when the Otter ca of fish, he found his babies crushed flat
”What does this mean, Friend Mouse-deer?” he said ”Who killedcare of them?”
”I am very sorry,” said the Mouse-deer, ”but you know I am Chief Dancer of the War-dance, and the Woodpecker caot your children, and trod on the Solomon,” said the Otter, ”and you shall be punished”
Soon the Mouse-deer was called before King Solo
”Yes, your Majesty,” said the Mouse-deer, ”but I did not
”Your Majesty knows,” said the Mouse-deer, ”that I am Chief Dancer of the War-dance The Woodpecker ca, and I had to dance; and as I danced I trod on the Otter's children”
”Send for the Woodpecker,” said King Solomon And when the Woodpecker ca?”
”Yes, your Majesty,” said the Woodpecker, ”but I had to”