A Their white wings above me, When the morning wakens, Pure and fresh and sinless In Thy holy eyes. THE INDUSTRIOUS MANIKINS GRIMM BROTHERS SHOEMAKER, who lived in a little town, had become so poor that he had only enough leather left to make one pair of shoes. He was a good man and worked very hard, but was very unfortunate. One evening he used the last of his leather in cutting out a pair of shoes. It was late when this was done, and he was very tired. When he arose next day and went to his work, he was surprised to find the shoes finished and lying on the table. They were beautifully made, the work being much better than the shoemaker himself could possibly have done. A customer who came in was so pleased with the shoes that he paid much more than the usual price for them. This enabled the shoemaker to buy enough leather for two more pairs. He cut out and prepared the leather in the evening, as he had done before, that he might begin his work early in the day, but, as the day before, when he arose and went to his shop, he found on his table the completed work. They were so fine and so well made that they were soon sold at a high price. He now had money enough to purchase leather for four more pairs. This he cut out and laid aside as before and in the morning there were four pairs finished and ready for sale. So this went on till the shoemaker became a rich man. One night, after cutting out shoes, the shoemaker said to his wife: "My dear, I should like to find out who these good creatures are who help us every night in this way. Suppose we sit up and watch!" They hid themselves and watched with the greatest interest. As the clock struck twelve, two little fairies, without any clothes, came into the room. They sat on the shoemaker's table, and stitched, sewed, and hammered so swiftly that the shoemaker could hardly follow their motions with his eyes. They were not idle for a moment. As soon as all the shoes were completed, they skipped off the table and disappeared. In the morning the wife said to her husband: "These little men have made us so rich that we ought to do something for them in return for their kindness. I think they must be almost frozen going about naked. I will knit them some stockings, and make them some clothes, and you must make them some little shoes." So one evening when the clothes and shoes were ready, the shoemaker did not cut out any work, but, instead, placed the two suits of clothes on the table. When the fairies came and found the clothes for them instead of more work to do, they dressed themselves hastily. They were very happy. They danced and jumped about the room, singing: "Happy little men are we, Smartly dressed, as you can see, No more shoemakers to be." The shoemaker was always prosperous after this. He was never sick. He always had money for leather, and many customers who paid him well for his work. How do I know? Why, this very day A robin sat on a tilting spray, And merrily sang a song of May. Jack Frost has fled From the rippling brook, And a trout peeped out From his shady nook. Flew lazily by, And the willow catkins Shook from on high Their yellow dust, As I passed by; And so I know That summer is nigh. |