The Elves and the Shoemaker A Fairy Tale by the Brothers Grimm

And an evil TOEIC exercise by Gregg for the students of the ENGEES.

Exercises: Try to do the following exercises without reading the entire story first.

Vocabulary

A) Context: Some words in English have a context of their own. Understand these words then

use them in a sentence.

What is a ‘workbench’? ______________________________________________________________

What is a ‘workroom’?_______________________________________________________________

What is a ‘cupboard’?________________________________________________________________

B) Context 2: Now look in the text for these phrases and words. Do not read the whole text, try

to understand them from the context of the sentence that contains them.

‘To afford to do something’ (p.1, l.3)

‘To purchase’ (p.1, l.17)

‘To cut out’ (p.1, l.18; p.1, l.27 & p.2, l.25)

‘To support oneself’ (p.1, l.2)

‘To manage’ (p.2, l.28)

C) Common themes in texts: Choose a common theme for the following groups of words.

Leather, To stitch, To sew, Needle Theme: _____________

To fit, To try on: Theme: _______________

Hammer, Workbench, Tools: Theme: ___________________

D) Synonyms – Can you find synonyms for the following words in the story?

‘Purchase’

‘Shoes’

‘Little’

Questions: Read and understand the questions then search for the answers by scanning

the story.

1) In what business venture are the main characters involved?

2) In a few words, describe the fluctuating financial situation of the main

characters throughout the story.

3) What is the proprietors’ primary source of labor?

4) How many man hours are provided by the workers?

5) What manufacturing attribute contributes to the commercial success of the

shop?

6) What do we know of the demographic of the shop’s clientele?

7) What items are mentioned in the shopkeeper’s product line?

8) What compensation is offered to the workforce by the shopkeepers?

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The Elves and the Shoemaker

A story by the Brothers Grimm

Once upon a time there was a poor shoemaker. He made excellent shoes and worked

quite diligently, but even so he could not earn enough to support himself and his family. He

became so poor that he could not even afford to buy the leather he needed to make shoes;

finally he had only enough to make one last pair. He cut them out with great care and put

the pieces on his workbench, so that he could sew them together the following morning. 5

Now I wonder," he sighed, "will I ever make another pair of shoes? Once I've sold this pair, I

shall need all the money to buy food for my family. I will not be able to buy any new leather.

That night, the shoemaker went to bed a sad and distraught man.

The next morning, he awoke early and went down to his workshop. On his bench he

found an exquisite pair of shoes! They had small and even stitches, formed so perfectly that 10

he knew he couldn't have produced a better pair himself. Upon close examination, the shoes

proved to be from the very pieces of leather he had set out the night before. He immediately

put the fine pair of shoes in the window of his shop and drew back the blinds.

Who in the world could've done this great service for me?" he asked himself. Even before

he could make up an answer, a rich man strode into his shop and bought the shoes-- and for 15

a fancy price.

The shoemaker was ecstatic; he immediately went out and purchased plenty of food for

his family--and some more leather. That afternoon he cut out two pairs of shoes and, just as

before, laid all the pieces on the bench so that he could sew them the next day. Then he went

upstairs to enjoy the good meal with his family. 20

My goodness!" he cried the next morning when he found two pairs of beautifully finished

shoes on his workbench. "Who could make such fine shoes--and so quickly?" He put them in

his shop window, and before long some wealthy people came in and paid a great deal of

money for them. The happy shoemaker went right out and bought even more leather.

For weeks, and then months, this continued. Whether the shoemaker cut two pairs or 25

four pairs, the fine new shoes were always ready in the morning. Soon his small shop was

crowded with customers. He cut out many types of shoes: stiff boots lined with fur, delicate

slippers for dancers, walking shoes for ladies, tiny shoes for children. Soon his shoes had

bows and laces and buckles of fine silver. The little shop prospered as never before, and its

proprietor was soon a rich man himself. His family wanted for nothing. 30

As the shoemaker and his wife sat by the fire one night, he said, "One of these days, I

shall have to learn who has been helping us."

2

We could hide behind the cupboard in your workroom," she said. "That way, we could

find out just who your helpers are." And that was just what they did. That evening, when the

clock struck twelve, the shoemaker and his wife heard a noise. Two tiny men, each with a

bag of tools, were squeezing beneath a crack under the door. Oddest of all the two elves

were stark naked! 5

The two men clambered onto the workbench and began working. Their little hands

stitched and their little hammers tapped ceaselessly the whole night through.

They are so small! And they make such beautiful shoes in no time at all!" the shoemaker

whispered to his wife as the dawn rose. (Indeed the elves were about the size of his own

needles.) 10

Quiet!" his wife answered. "See how they are cleaning up now." And in an instant the two

elves has disappeared beneath the door.

The next day, the shoemaker's wife said, "Those little elves have done so much good for

us. Since it is nearly Christmas, we should make some gifts for them."

"Yes!" cried the shoemaker. "I'll make some boots that will fit them, and you make some 15

clothes." They worked until dawn. On Christmas Eve the presents were laid out upon the

workbench: two tiny jackets, two pairs of trousers, and two little woolen caps. They also left

out a plate of good things to eat and drink. Then they hid once again behind the cupboard

and waited to see what would happen.

Just as before, the elves appeared at the stroke of midnight. They jumped onto the bench 20

to begin their work, but when they saw all the presents they began to laugh and shout with

joy. They tried on all the clothes, then helped themselves to the food and drink. Then they

jumped down and danced excitedly around the workroom, and disappeared beneath the

door.

After Christmas, the shoemaker cut out his leather as he always had--but the two elves 25

never returned. "I believe they have heard us whispering," his wife said. "Elves are so very

shy when it comes to people, you know."

"I know I will miss their help," the shoemaker said, "but we will manage. The shop is

always so busy now. But my stitches will never be as tight and small as theirs!"

The shoemaker did indeed continue to prosper, but he and his family always 30

remembered the good elves who had helped them during the hard times. And each and

every Christmas Eve from that year onward, they gathered around the fire to drink a toast to

their tiny friends

.

I hope you have a very happy holiday and that all your new year’s wishes come true.

Gregg