ht leather for four
pairs.

One night ... Conversation of Shoemaker and his wife:
"I should like to sit up to-night to see who it is that
makes the shoes." They sat up. Two Elves ran in, sewed,
rapped, and tapped, and ran away when the shoes were
made.

Day after ... Conversation. "These Elves made us rich.
I should like to do something for them. You make each
of them a little pair of shoes, and I will make them
each a little shirt, a coat, a waistcoat, trousers, and
a pair of stockings."

Christmas Eve ... Finished shoes and clothes put on the
table. Shoemaker and Wife hid in the corner of the room
behind clothes, and watched. (Climax.)

Elves came in and put on clothes.

3. _Conclusion_.

Happy end. Elves danced and sang,--

"Smart and natty boys are we,
Cobblers we'll no longer be."

Shoemaker and Wife became happy and prosperous.

The characters of this tale are usual, a poor Shoemaker and his Wife;
and unusual, the dainty Elves who made shoes in a twinkling. But the
commonplace peasants become interesting through their generosity,
kindness, and service to the Elves; and the Elves become human in
their joy at receiving gifts. The structure of the tale is so distinct
as to be seen a thing itself, apart from the story. The framework is
built on what happens on two nights and following nights, the
conversation of the next day, and what happens on Christmas Eve. The
climax evidently is what the Shoemaker and his Wife hid in the corner
to see--the entrance of the Elves on Christmas Eve--which episode has
been interpreted charmingly by the English illustrator, Cruikshank.
The joy of the Elves and of the two aged people, the gifts received by
the one and the riches won by the other, form the conclusion, which
follows very closely upon the climax. The commonplace setting, the
poor room with its simple bed and table, becomes transformed by the
unusual happenings in the place. If we should take away this setting,
we see how much the tale would suffer. Also without the characters the
tale would be empty. And without the interesting, human, humorous, and
pleasing plot, characters and setting would be insufficient. Each
element of the short-story contributes its fair share to the tale, and
blends harmoniously in the whole.

Various standards for tes