Hello there! Today, we’re going to enjoy a magical story called The Elves and the Shoemaker. It’s a tale about kindness, surprises, and a little bit of magic!
Once upon a time, there was a shoemaker who was very good at making shoes. But, he had some bad luck and became very poor. He only had enough leather left to make one last pair of shoes. His wife said, “This leather is as soft as butter and as strong as your hands!” The shoemaker decided to cut the leather that night and sew the shoes in the morning.
The next morning, the shoemaker and his wife found something amazing. On the table were two perfectly made shoes! They couldn’t believe their eyes. A gentleman came into the shop and loved the shoes so much that he paid double the price! Now, the shoemaker could buy leather for two more pairs of shoes.
Every night, the shoemaker cut the leather, and every morning, the shoes were magically finished. People loved the shoes and paid extra money for them. Soon, the shoemaker and his wife were no longer poor, and everyone in town talked about their wonderful shoes.
One night, just before Christmas, the shoemaker’s wife had an idea. “Who is helping us?” she wondered. They decided to stay up and find out. They hid behind their coats and waited.
At midnight, they heard a noise. Two tiny elves came into the workshop! They wore raggedy clothes and worked quickly, sewing and stitching the shoes. The shoemaker and his wife watched in amazement as the elves finished all the shoes and then quietly left.
The next morning, the shoemaker’s wife said, “The elves have helped us so much. Let’s give them something special!” She made warm clothes for the elves, and the shoemaker made them fine shoes. They left the gifts on the table and hid again.
At midnight, the elves returned. They were so surprised to find the gifts! They put on their new clothes and shoes, danced around the room, and sang happily. Then, they left, and the shoemaker and his wife never saw them again.
The shoemaker and his wife lived happily ever after, thanks to the kind elves. This story teaches us how important it is to give and receive with a kind heart. Just like the elves and the shoemaker, we can all help each other and make the world a better place.
Thank you for joining us for this magical story. Keep reading and discovering new adventures!
Elf Shoe Craft: Let’s make our own elf shoes! Gather some colored paper, scissors, glue, and markers. Cut out the shape of a shoe and decorate it with fun designs. Think about how the elves might have decorated their shoes. Once you’re done, share your creation with the class and explain why you chose those designs. This activity helps you imagine what it was like for the elves to make shoes and lets you use your creativity!
Kindness Journal: Just like the elves helped the shoemaker, think about ways you can help others. Start a “Kindness Journal” where you write down one kind thing you did each day. It could be helping a friend, sharing your toys, or saying something nice to someone. At the end of the week, share your favorite act of kindness with the class. This will help you see how small acts can make a big difference, just like in the story.
Story Detective: Become a detective and think about why the elves helped the shoemaker. Discuss with your classmates or family why helping others is important. What do you think would have happened if the shoemaker and his wife hadn’t given the elves a gift? This activity encourages you to think deeply about the story’s message and how kindness can create a cycle of giving and receiving.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
Welcome to Storyline Online, brought to you by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. I’m Chrissy Metz, and today I’m going to be reading *The Elves and the Shoemaker*, retold from the Brothers Grimm and illustrated by Jim LaMarche.
There was once a good shoemaker who, through a spell of bad luck, had become very poor. Finally, he had just enough leather to make one last pair of shoes. “Still, it is a fine piece of leather,” said his wife, “as soft as butter, yet as strong as your hands.” “Tonight, dear wife, I will cut the leather,” said the shoemaker, “and first thing in the morning I will sew the shoes.”
The next morning, when the couple went into the workshop, they were amazed by what they found. There on the worktable stood two shoes—perfectly finished, not a stitch out of place. “But… but who? How?” sputtered the shoemaker. His wife could only stare. Just then, a gentleman came into the shop. “What magnificent shoes. Please, I must try them on,” he said. The shoes fit perfectly, as if they had been made just for him. He was so pleased that he paid double the price. Now the shoemaker had enough money to buy leather for two more pairs of shoes.
Again that evening, the shoemaker cut out the leather for the shoes and went to bed. And once again, in the morning, there were the shoes—finished! Buyers were not lacking for these either, and as before, they were so pleased, they paid double the price. Now the shoemaker had enough money to buy leather for four more pairs of shoes.
The next morning, just as before, there were the shoes already made. On and on it went. Whatever the shoemaker cut out in the evening was finished by morning. Soon the news of the splendid shoes spread throughout the town, and the shoemaker and his wife were no longer poor.
One evening, not long before Christmas, as the shoemaker cut more leather for shoes, his wife spoke. “Dear husband, who has made us so rich? What if we were to stay up tonight and see who comes to our shop?” The shoemaker agreed. So that night they lit a small lamp in the hall, hid behind their coats, and waited.
As the clock struck midnight, they heard the creak of a window and the scuttle of small feet. Peeking out from behind the coats, they saw two tiny children sneak into the workshop. They were poorly dressed and wore only raggedy sacks for warmth. “Elves!” the shoemaker’s wife whispered. The tiny elves tiptoed across the room and climbed up onto the table. Then, humming and whistling, they began to stitch and sew and hammer so quickly with their little fingers that the shoemaker and his wife could not believe their eyes. The elves did not stop until all the shoes were finished and stood lined up on the table: sturdy riding boots, delicate slippers, feather-light dancing shoes, and heavy clogs for work. Then the elves tiptoed out of the workshop, up the stairs, and out the window.
The next morning, the wife said, “The little elves have made us rich; we must give them something in return. They run around with so little on; they must be freezing. I will make a warm dress, coat, and pants, and knit them each a pair of stockings.” “And I shall be happy to make them each a pair of fine shoes,” said the shoemaker. They went right to work, and that evening they laid the presents on the worktable. Then, like before, they hid behind the coats and waited.
At midnight, the elves quietly slipped into the shop ready for another night’s work. But instead of pieces of leather, they found beautiful presents. At first, they were too astonished to move. Then they hugged their new warm clothes and quickly put them on. When they were dressed, they leaped and bounced around the room, singing, “Now we’re elves so fine to see, no longer cobblers we will be.” They jumped over chairs, raced around the shop, and finally ran out the door. The click and clack of their new shoes echoed through the streets.
From that time on, the little elves were not seen again. But the shoemaker and his wife lived a long and happy life.
The End.
I love this book because I think it is really important that we give and we receive. As the elves gave so kindly to the shoemaker and his wife, ensuring they lived a long and happy life, they in turn gave all the clothing to the elves, who could then help others. I think it’s really important to give with your whole heart. Thank you so much for watching Storyline Online, and make sure you watch all of our stories. Keep watching and keep reading!
