The next day the Wife said: ‘The little men have made us rich, and we ought to show our gratitude. They were running about with nothing on, and must freeze with cold. Now I will make them little shirts, coats, waistcoats, and hose, and will even knit them a pair of stockings, and you shall make them each a pair of shoes.’
The Husband agreed, and at evening, when they had everything ready, they laid out the presents on the table, and hid themselves to see how the little men would behave.
At midnight they came skipping in, and were about to set to work; but, instead of the leather ready cut out, they found the charming little clothes.
At first they were surprised, then excessively delighted. With the greatest speed they put on and smoothed down the pretty clothes, singing:
‘Now we’re boys so fine and neat,
Why cobble more for other’s feet?’
Then they hopped and danced about, and leapt over chairs and tables and out at the door. Henceforward, they came back no more, but the Shoemaker fared well as long as he lived, and had good luck in all his undertakings.
The Wolf and the Man
A FOX was one day talking to a Wolf about the strength of man.
‘No animals,’ he said, ‘could withstand man, and they were obliged to use cunning to hold their own against him.’