68 THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER

I

Once there was a boy named Tom, who wanted to catch the Fairy Shoemaker.

“Do not try it, ”said his mother, “He is a tricky elf.”

“Oh, but I must try! ”said Tom, “The Fairy Shoemaker can tell me where there is a pot of gold. He can make me rich. I want to get the pot of gold.”

“But how can you catch him? ”asked his mother, “Can you keep your eyes on him all the time? You know, if you look away just once—pop! he is gone.”

“I know I can catch him, ”said Tom, “I will go every day to look in the meadow, and in the woods. I will look and listen. Some day I shall hear his hammer.

“Then I will tiptoe softly until I see him. I will keep my eyes on him. I will not look away once. I will make him tell me where the pot of gold is. Then we shall be rich.”

“Well, good luck to you, ”said his mother, “But I think you will get a pot of gold sooner if you earn it.”

So every day Tom looked for the Fairy Shoemaker—on the hill, in the meadow, and in the woods. He listened for the sound of his tiny hammer and his song.

One day, when he had walked a long time, he was very tired and lay down on the hill to rest. All at once he heard something:

“Tip-tap, rip-rap,

Tick-a-tack-too.”

It was the hammer of the Fairy Shoe maker.

Tom put his ear close to the hill. He could hear a shrill voice singing:

“This way, that way,

So we make a shoe;

Getting rich every stitch,

Tick-a-tack-too.”

It was the Fairy Shoemaker's song.

Tom's heart beat fast. Now, if he could only catch the elf, he could get the pot of gold. But first he must see him. Then he must keep his eyes on him. If he looked away once—pop! The tricky elf would be gone.

He went on tiptoe around the hill so quietly that he did not make a sound. There, in a little grassy spot, was a tiny old man. He was only a foot tall, and his face was full of wrinkles.

He wore a little leather apron, and in his lap was the little shoe he was making.

“Tip-tap, rip-rap,

Tick-a-tack-too, ”

went his tiny hammer. Yes! It was the Fairy Shoemaker!

Tom's heart was full of joy. Oh, yes! He would keep his eyes on the elf. He would not look away once. Then he would get the pot of gold.

“Good-morning! ”said Tom. The Fairy Shoemaker did not say a word. Tom went closer to him.

“That is a fine shoe you are making, ”he said. The Fairy Shoemaker did not say a word.

Tom went closer still. “Show me the pot of gold! ”he said.“Where is it? ”

“Wait a minute, ”said the Fairy Shoemaker, “Let me take a pinch of snuff first.”He got out his snuff-box and took a big pinch. He snuffed it up his nose.

Then he held out the box to Tom. “Take a pinch yourself, ”he said. But Tom was wise. He knew that the elf was tricky.

“He thinks I will look away, ”he said to himself, “But I will not look at the box, oh, no! I will not take my eyes off his face.”

So he put his hands out to feel for the box. Puff! The Fairy Shoemaker threw the snuff into Tom's eyes and nose and mouth. “Ker-choo! ”sneezed Tom, “Ker-choo! Ker-choo! Kerchoo! ”The tears rolled down his cheeks.

“KER-CHOO! ”He gave a big sneeze, and his eyes shut up tight. Pop! The Fairy Shoemaker was gone!

“Just so! ”said his mother, when Tom got home. “What did I tell you? See how red your eyes are! And how you sneeze! The Fairy Shoemaker is a tricky elf. You had better try to earn your pot of gold, instead of hunting for the Fairy Shoemaker.”

II

But Tom was not ready to give up. He wanted to get the pot of gold. He wanted to be rich.

“I have seen the Fairy Shoemaker once, ”he said, “I may see him again.”

So every day Tom looked for him—on the hill, in the meadow, and in the woods. And one day, he heard him again by the ditch in the meadow.

“Tip-tap, rip-rap,

Tick-a-tack-too.”

It was the Fairy Shoemaker's hammer.

He listened again. He could hear a shrill voice singing:

“Scarlet leather sewed together,

This will make a shoe;

Getting rich every stitch,

Tick-a-tack-too.”

Tom walked quietly up to the ditch. The elf was sitting on a little stool. He was putting a heel on a little shoe.

“Tip-tap, rip-rap,

Tick-a-tack-too, ”

went his tiny hammer. He was so busy that Tom got very close to him.

“That is a fine shoe, ”he said. The Fairy Shoemaker looked up. “Thank you kindly.”he said.

“Whose shoe is it? ”asked Tom.

“That is my business, ”said the Fairy Shoemaker.

Tom went nearer and nearer. He kept his eyes on the elf's face. “Why do you work so hard? ”he said.

“That is my business, too, ”said the elf, “You ought to work a little harder yourself. See what those cows are doing! They are breaking into the corn.”

Tom had seen no cows. He was so surprised that he almost turned to look. Then he said, “Oho! That is just a trick to make me look away.”He kept his eyes on the elf's face. He went nearer still, and then—jump! He caught the elf in his hand.

“Now I have you, ”said Tom, “Where is the pot of gold? I shall never let you go until you tell me.”

“Come on, then, ”said the elf, “We must go to the woods. Then I will show you where the pot of gold is.”

So they went across fields and ditches and bogs.

Tom held the elf in his hand all the way and kept his eyes on him. He could not see his steps. He slipped and stumbled and fell. It was not a pleasant walk, as you can see.

When at last they came to the woods, Torn said, “Where is the pot of gold? ”

“There it is, ”said the Fairy Shoemaker, pointing to a tree.“Dig under the roots and you will find a great pot of gold.”

“Dig under the roots! ”cried Tom, “But I have no spade.”

“Go home and get one.”said the elf.

“I will do that, ”said Tom, “But first I will tie my yellow neck scarf around the tree. Then I can find it when I come back.”So he tied his scarf around the tree.

“Now put me down. I must go home.”said the Fairy Shoemaker.

“I will put you down, ”said Tom, “if you will promise not to touch the scarf I tied on the tree.”

“I promise, ”said the Fairy Shoemaker, “I will not touch it, and no one shall touch it. May I go? ”

Tom put him down. “Yes, you may go, ”he said, “Good-bye! Thank you for the pot of gold.”

“Good-bye! ”said the Fairy Shoemaker, “Much good may the pot of gold do you when you get it.”Then—pop! He was gone. Tom ran home as fast as he could go. He got a spade and ran back to the woods, to dig up the pot of gold. When he got there, what do you think he saw?

Every tree in the woods had a yellow scarf tied around it! The ends of the scarves waved in the breeze. The bright color made the woods look very gay.

But where was the pot of gold? There were hundreds of trees in the woods. Tom could not dig under the roots of all of them.

Tom was so surprised that the spade fell out of his hands. Then he picked it up, put it over his shoulder, and went home.

The Fairy Shoemaker had beaten him again.

“Mother is right, ”said Tom, “He is a tricky elf. I shall get a pot of gold sooner if I earn it for myself.”

(Sarah A. Haste)

Word list

elf: a mischievous fairy

tiptoe: to stand on your toes in order yo look taller

shrill: a very high-pitched voice

ker-choo: the sound of sneezing

scarlet: bright red

stumbled: tripped while walking

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) Why did Tom want to catch the fairy shoemaker?

2) Why did Tom's mother tell him he couldn't catch the fairy shoemaker?

3) How did Tom's mother know that the fairy shoemaker was tricky?

4) Where did Tom look for the fairy shoemaker everyday?

5) Why did Tom tie his scarf around the tree?

6) How do you think Tom will earn his pot of gold by himself?

B) Problem and solution—This story, like most others, has a problem and a solution. Tell about the problem and the solution of this story.

1) Problem - _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2) Solution - _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

C) True or false? Read these sentences carefully. Write true or false for each one.

1) _____ Tom's mother thought it was a good idea to try to catch the fairy shoemaker.

2) _____ The fairy shoemaker was very tricky.

3) _____ Tom caught the fairy shoemaker.

4) _____ Tom found the pot of gold.

5) _____ Tom's mother was right about the fairy shoemaker.