THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER Tom looks for the pot of gold.
Many, many years ago, a boy said to his mother I am going to catch the fairy shoemaker so that we will be rich.
People say that he knows where there is a pot of gold in the woods.
He will tell where it is if you catch him.
I have heard of the fairy shoemaker, Tom, said his mother.
People often try to catch him, but they can't keep their eyes on him, and he always gets away.
Tom said, If I find him, he will tell me where the gold is.
Then we shall be rich.
I hope you can catch him, said Tom's mother.
But I think you will get rich sooner if you work for your gold.
Every day Tom went to look for the fairy shoemaker.
He looked in the woods and meadows, but he did not see the elf anywhere.
One day, when he was walking in the woods, Tom heard a strange little noise.
ÌThat must be the fairy shoemakerís hammerî, he said to himself.
He ran as quickly as he could toward the noise, but he did not see anyone.
Another day, when Tom was walking in the woods, he grew very tired and lay down to rest.
All at once he heard, Tick-tack, tick-tack, tick-tack, tick-tack.
It was the little hammer of the fairy shoemaker.
Tom listened and heard a tiny voice singing very softly.
This way, that way, so we make a shoe.
Tack a toe, tack a heel, tick a tack, too.
TOM WENT CREEPING TOWARD THE TINY VOICE, TAKING CARE NOT TO MAKE A SOUND.
ALL AT ONCE HE SAW A WEE MAN SITTING BENEATH A TREE JUST A FEW STEPS AWAY.
THE STRANGE LITTLE FELLOW WAS HARD AT WORK MAKING A TINY SHOE.
TICK-TACK, TICK-TACK, TICK-A-TACK TOO, WENT THE LITTLE HAMMER.
YES, IT WAS THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER.
HOW GLAD TOM WAS!
He would keep his eyes on the sly little elf every minute until he found the pot of gold.
Good morning, said Tom.
The fairy shoemaker didn't say a word.
Tom went very close to him and asked, Aren't you the fairy shoemaker?
The elf did not answer him.
Tom went closer still.
Where is the pot of gold, he cried.
Show it to me.
Wait a minute, said the tiny elf.
I just dropped a tack on the ground.
Help me find my tack, and then I will see what I can do for you.
He is trying to make me look away, thought Tom, but I will keep my eyes on this sly fellow.
He got down on the ground with the fairy shoemaker as if to help him look for the tack.
Puff, the sly elf, blew dust into Tom's eyes, nose, and mouth.
Ker-choo! went Tom.
Ker-choo!
He had to shut his eyes, and when he opened them, the elf was gone.
When Tom got home, his mother said, What did I tell you?
See how red your eyes are?
The fairy shoemaker knows many sly tricks.
You had better work for your money instead of hunting for a pot of gold.
Tom tries again.
But Tom would not give up.
He went on hunting for the fairy shoemaker.
He still hoped to find the pot of gold.
I found the fairy shoemaker once, he said, and I will find him again.
So every day Tom looked for him on the hill, in the meadow, and in the woods.
And one day he heard the elf again near the pond in the meadow.
Tick-tack!
Tick-tack, tick-a-tack-two.
The boy listened.
Yes, it was the fairy shoemaker's hammer.
As Tom listened, he could hear a little voice singing.
This way, that way, so we make a shoe.
Tack a toe, tack a heel, tick-a-tack-two.
Tom walked quietly to the pond.
The wee elf was sitting on a stone.
He was holding a little shoe and hammering tacks into it.
His tiny hammer went tick-tack, tick-tack, tick-a-tack, too.
Tom crept up softly.
He was very, very close before the fairy shoemaker saw him.
That's a fine shoe, said the boy.
The strange little fellow looked up in surprise.
Thank you, sir, he answered.
How very small it is, said Tom.
It's for a fairy, isn't it?
That's a secret, said the elf.
Tom crept closer and closer, keeping his eyes on the elf.
"'Why do you work so hard?' he asked.
"'We should all work,' answered the elf.
"'You should do a little work yourself.
Look, look!
The cows have broken down the fence.
They are in the cornfield.'
Tom had not seen any cows, and was so surprised that he almost turned to look.
Then he thought, "'That's another trick to make me look away.' so he kept his eyes on the wee man.
He went closer, and then jump!
Tom caught the tiny elf in his hand.
Another trick!
Now I have you, said Tom.
Where is the pot of gold?
I won't let you go until you show me where it is.
Come on, then, said the elf.
It is in the woods.
I will show you.
Tom started for the woods, holding the elf in his hand.
After they had gone a short way among the trees, the wee man cried, Stop!
Do you see that large tree?
Yes, answered Tom.
But where is the pot of gold?
It is under that tree, said the fairy shoemaker.
You must dig for it.
Well, said Tom, I shall have to run home for a spade.
But first I'll put my tie around this tree.
Then I'll remember where to dig when I come back.
He held the elf under his arm while he put his yellow tie around the tree.
Now aren't you going to let me go? asked the fairy shoemaker.
I will let you go, said Tom, but you must promise not to take my tie off the tree while I am gone for the spade.
I promise, said the fairy shoemaker.
I will not touch it while you are away.
Now put me down.
Tom put the elf down.
All right, he said.
Thank you for the pot of gold.
Goodbye, said the fairy shoemaker.
Much good may the pot of gold do you when you get it.
And suddenly he was gone.
Tom hurried home as fast as he could run.
He found the spade and carried it back into the woods where he had left his tie.
When he got there, what do you think he saw?
Every tree in the woods had a yellow tie around it.
The elf had kept his promise.
He had not touched the boy's tie, but where was the pot of gold?
There were so many, many trees in the woods that Tom could not dig under every one of them.
He was so surprised that he dropped his spade.
He rubbed his eyes.
For a long time he stood looking at the trees with their yellow ties.
Then he picked up his spade and walked slowly home.
The fairy shoemaker had been too sly for him a second time.
Mother is right, thought Tom.
The fairy shoemaker knows too many tricks.
I shall get rich sooner if I work for my gold instead of trying to get it from that sly old elf.
