In a cozy little town, not too far from here, lived a shoemaker. He was a very good man, and he worked very hard, but times were tough. One evening, he looked at his workbench. All he had left was enough leather for just one more pair of shoes.

"Oh dear," he said to his wife. "What will we do?"
"Don't worry," said his wife, who was also very kind. "Cut out the leather tonight, and you can finish the shoes in the morning. Everything will be alright."

So, the shoemaker carefully cut the leather. Then, he left it on his workbench and went to bed, feeling a little bit worried but also a little bit hopeful.

The next morning, when the sun peeked through the window, the shoemaker went to his workshop. And what did he see? On his bench, instead of the cut leather, sat a pair of the most wonderful shoes he had ever seen! They were perfectly stitched, shiny, and looked so comfortable. He and his wife were amazed. "Who could have done this?" they wondered.

A rich customer came in that very day and loved the shoes so much, he paid extra for them! With the money, the shoemaker bought enough leather for two pairs of shoes. That night, he cut out the leather and left it on his bench.

And guess what? The next morning, two beautiful pairs of shoes were waiting for him!

This went on for many nights. Soon, the shoemaker and his wife were no longer poor. They had a warm home and plenty to eat, all thanks to the mysterious helpers.

One evening, just before Christmas, the shoemaker said to his wife, "We should stay awake tonight and see who is helping us. We must thank them!"
His wife thought that was a wonderful idea. So, they hid behind a curtain in the workshop and waited.

As the clock struck midnight, two tiny little elves, no bigger than your thumb, tiptoed into the room. They had no clothes on, just their bare skin, and they looked a bit chilly! They hopped onto the workbench and began to work. Tap-tap-tap went their little hammers. Snip-snip-snip went their tiny scissors. They worked so fast and so skillfully, it was like magic to watch!

The shoemaker and his wife were filled with joy. "Those dear little elves!" whispered the wife. "They have made us so happy, but they must be cold without any clothes."
"You're right!" said the shoemaker. "Let's make them some clothes as a thank you present."

So, the wife sewed tiny little shirts, trousers, and vests. The shoemaker made tiny little shoes, the best he had ever crafted. They laid out the new clothes on the workbench instead of leather that night.

When the elves arrived at midnight, they saw the clothes. Their eyes grew wide with surprise and then delight! They quickly put on their new outfits. The clothes fit perfectly! They danced and sang, "Now we're boys so fine to see, no longer cobblers we will be!" They danced right out the door and into the night, looking very pleased.

The little elves never came back, but the shoemaker and his wife never forgot them. They continued to work hard, and they always had good luck. They lived happily and comfortably for the rest of their days, always remembering the kind little helpers who had changed their lives.

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