The Elves and the Shoemaker

There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest: but still he could not earn enough to live upon; and at last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.

从前有个鞋匠，做工非常勤恳，为人也十分诚实；可他怎么也挣不够养家糊口的钱；到最后，他家里所有的家当都花光了，只剩下够做一双鞋的皮革。

Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning to rise early in the morning to his work. His conscience was clear and his heart light amidst all his troubles; so he went peaceably to bed, left all his cares to Heaven, and soon fell asleep. In the morning after he had said his prayers, he sat himself down to his work; when, to his great wonder, there stood the shoes all ready made, upon the table.

于是他把皮革裁好，准备第二天动手缝制，打算一早就起来干活。尽管处境艰难，他心里却问心无愧，心情也很轻松；于是他安安稳稳地上床睡觉，把一切烦恼都交托给了上天，很快就睡着了。第二天早上做完祷告后，他坐下来准备开工，没想到，桌上竟摆着一双早已做好的鞋子，他惊讶极了。

The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening. He looked at the workmanship; there was not one false stitch in the whole job; all was so neat and true, that it was quite a masterpiece.

这好心人不知该说什么，也不知该怎么想才好，居然会发生这么奇怪的事。他仔细端详着这双鞋的做工，整双鞋从头到尾没有一针缝错的地方；做得如此精细工整，简直称得上是一件杰作。

The same day a customer came in, and the shoes suited him so well that he willingly paid a price higher than usual for them; and the poor shoemaker, with the money, bought leather enough to make two pairs more. In the evening he cut out the work, and went to bed early, that he might get up and begin betimes next day; but he was saved all the trouble, for when he got up in the morning the work was done ready to his hand.

当天就有位顾客上门，这双鞋正合他的脚，他心甘情愿地付了比平时更高的价钱；这可怜的鞋匠拿着这笔钱，买回了足够做两双鞋的皮革。到了晚上，他把活计裁好，早早上床睡觉，好第二天一早就能动手；可他压根用不着操这份心，因为第二天早上起来一看，活计早已做好，现成地摆在那儿了。

Soon in came buyers, who paid him handsomely for his goods, so that he bought leather enough for four pair more. He cut out the work again overnight and found it done in the morning, as before; and so it went on for some time: what was got ready in the evening was always done by daybreak, and the good man soon became thriving and well off again.

不一会儿，买主们纷纷上门，付给他丰厚的价钱买鞋，他便又买回了够做四双鞋的皮革。他照旧在头天晚上把活计裁好，第二天早上又发现全都做好了，像先前一样；就这样一连过了些日子：晚上准备好的活计，天一亮总能做好，这好心人不久便又渐渐富裕起来，日子也过得殷实了。

One evening, about Christmas-time, as he and his wife were sitting over the fire chatting together, he said to her, ‘I should like to sit up and watch tonight, that we may see who it is that comes and does my work for me.’ The wife liked the thought; so they left a light burning, and hid themselves in a corner of the room, behind a curtain that was hung up there, and watched what would happen.

有一天晚上，正值圣诞节前后，他和妻子坐在炉火边闲聊，他对妻子说：“我真想今晚熬夜守着，瞧瞧到底是谁在替我干活。”妻子也喜欢这个主意；于是他们留了一盏灯亮着，自己躲进屋角一道挂着的帘子后面，看看究竟会发生什么事。

As soon as it was midnight, there came in two little naked dwarfs; and they sat themselves upon the shoemaker’s bench, took up all the work that was cut out, and began to ply with their little fingers, stitching and rapping and tapping away at such a rate, that the shoemaker was all wonder, and could not take his eyes off them. And on they went, till the job was quite done, and the shoes stood ready for use upon the table. This was long before daybreak; and then they bustled away as quick as lightning.

刚一到半夜，就进来了两个赤身裸体的小矮人；他们径直坐到鞋匠的工作凳上，拿起所有裁好的活计，用他们的小手指飞快地干了起来，缝呀敲呀，忙得不亦乐乎，鞋匠看得目瞪口呆，眼睛都挪不开了。他们就这样一直干，直到活计全部做完，鞋子整整齐齐地摆在桌上，可以穿用了。这时离天亮还早得很；他们随即便像闪电一样飞快地跑掉了。

The next day the wife said to the shoemaker. ‘These little wights have made us rich, and we ought to be thankful to them, and do them a good turn if we can. I am quite sorry to see them run about as they do; and indeed it is not very decent, for they have nothing upon their backs to keep off the cold. I’ll tell you what, I will make each of them a shirt, and a coat and waistcoat, and a pair of pantaloons into the bargain; and do you make each of them a little pair of shoes.’

第二天，妻子对鞋匠说：“这两个小家伙让咱们发了财，咱们该好好谢谢他们才是，能帮上什么忙就尽量帮一帮。我瞧他们光着身子到处跑，心里实在过意不去；他们背上什么都没穿，也没法挡寒，实在不成体统。我看这样吧，我给他们俩每人做件衬衫，再做件外衣和背心，外加一条裤子；你呢，就给他们俩每人做一双小鞋子。”

The thought pleased the good cobbler very much; and one evening, when all the things were ready, they laid them on the table, instead of the work that they used to cut out, and then went and hid themselves, to watch what the little elves would do.

这主意让这位好心的鞋匠听了十分高兴；有一天晚上，等一切都准备妥当，他们没有像往常那样把裁好的活计摆在桌上，而是把这些礼物放在了那儿，然后又躲了起来，想看看这两个小精灵会怎么反应。

About midnight in they came, dancing and skipping, hopped round the room, and then went to sit down to their work as usual; but when they saw the clothes lying for them, they laughed and chuckled, and seemed mightily delighted.

将近半夜，他们又蹦蹦跳跳地进来了，绕着屋子又跳又转，接着照常坐下去开始干活；可他们一看见摆在那儿的衣服，便笑逐颜开，看上去高兴极了。

Then they dressed themselves in the twinkling of an eye, and danced and capered and sprang about, as merry as could be; till at last they danced out at the door, and away over the green.

转眼间他们就穿戴整齐，又蹦又跳，又转又跃，欢快极了；最后他们一路又跳又舞地跳出了门，跑过草地远去了。

The good couple saw them no more; but everything went well with them from that time forward, as long as they lived.

这对好心的夫妇再也没见过他们；可从那以后，他们的日子过得一帆风顺，一直到老。