Once upon a time, there was a shoemaker and his wife who lived in a small house. They worked very hard from morning till night but still they were poor. There was never enough money for their simple needs. 
The shoemaker was very honest and he worked all day in the shop while his wife looked after their little home.
One day, the shoemaker was left with enough leather to make only one pair of shoes. In the evening, he kept the leather cut and ready for him to sew a new pair of shoes the next day.
But he was upset and could not help thinking that it was very hard to earn a living making shoes.
Beautiful shoes
The next morning, the shoemaker went to his shop and was amazed to see a beautiful pair of shoes on his counter. It was a pair of shoes to gladden any customer’s heart.
He showed them to his wife who was also wonder struck like him by what had happened. The shoemaker displayed the shoes in his window. Soon, a young man came and bought the shoes. He liked the shoes so much that he paid much more than the shoemaker wanted.
With the money he got, the shoemaker and his wife enjoyed a good meal. Then, the shoemaker bought leather for two pairs of shoes. He cut them and placed them on the counter. He would sew them the next day.
Having told his wife to wake him early the next morning the shoemaker went to sleep.
The next morning when he went to his shop he was delighted to find the shoes beautifully sewn. The shoemaker promptly put them on display.
Two customers paid him good money for shoes and he was able to buy leather for four pairs of shoes.
Mystery helpers
The shoemaker and his wife were very happy with their good luck but they were also puzzled and amazed by the mystery of who was helping them.
The shoemaker soon became a rich man.
This turn of events continued and it was very puzzling to the shoemaker and his wife.
Finally, the shoemaker and his wife decided to hide in the night and watch what is happening. That night they hid behind the curtain from where they could watch what was happening.
Two little elves
On the stroke of midnight two little elves dressed in ragged clothes jumped into the shop and headed straight to the work bench. They took the pieces of leather and started sewing and soon, there were beautiful pairs of shoes lying on the counter.
As soon as they had finished the elves jumped out of the window and vanished into the night.
The next day, the shoemaker and his wife could not but help admire the shoes again. They also wanted to repay the little elves for their kindness and decided to make them new clothes and shoes as the clothes and shoes they wore were old and worn out.
New clothes
That day the shoemaker and his wife spent their time making clothes and shoes for the elves.
When night fell they placed the clothes and the shoes in the shop and hid behind the curtain.
On the stroke of midnight, the elves tumbled into the shop. On seeing the clothes and shoes they jumped for joy and clapped their hands gleefully.
The eleves quickly dressed themselves in their new finery and sang and danced.
Their hearts were full of gratitude to the shoemaker and his wife.
After singing and dancing for a while, the elves jumped out of the window and disappeared. The shoemaker and his wife never saw them again.
Good luck
However, the good luck brought by the elves never left the shoemaker and his wife and they were prosperous for the rest of their lives.