小精灵与鞋匠

从前有一位鞋匠，他工作非常勤奋，为人也十分诚实，但即便如此，他依然无法维持生计。最后，他家徒四壁，只剩下足够做一双鞋的皮革了。

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.

于是他裁好了皮革，准备第二天做，打算清晨早起开工。

Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning to rise early in the morning to his work.

尽管身处困境，他依然问心无愧，心情坦然。他平静地去睡觉，把一切忧虑都交托给上天，很快便进入了梦乡。

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.

第二天清晨，他做完祷告后，便坐下来准备干活。令他大为惊奇的是，桌上竟然放着一双已经做好的鞋。这位善良的人不知道该说什么，也不明白这件怪事是怎么发生的。

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. The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening.

他仔细端详着做工，整双鞋没有一针走错，做得如此精巧、精准，简直是一件杰作。

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.

当天就有一位顾客上门，这双鞋非常合他的脚，他心甘情愿地付了比平时更高的价钱。贫穷的鞋匠用这些钱买了足够做两双鞋的皮革。

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.

晚上，他裁好了皮革，早早地去睡觉，以便第二天能早起开工。但他省去了所有的麻烦，因为当他清晨起床时，鞋子已经做好了，就等着他拿。

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.

很快，买家纷纷上门，他们为他的商品付了丰厚的报酬，于是他又买足了做四双鞋的皮革。

Soon in came buyers, who paid him handsomely for his goods, so that he bought leather enough for four pair more.

他再次在晚上裁好皮革，第二天清晨发现鞋子又做好了，就像之前一样。就这样持续了一段时间：晚上准备好的材料，到黎明时分总是已经做好了，这位善良的人很快又变得富裕起来，生活优渥。

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.

圣诞节前夕的一个晚上，他和妻子坐在火炉旁聊天，他对妻子说：“我想今晚熬夜守着，看看究竟是谁来帮我做工。”

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.’

妻子很赞同这个想法，于是他们留下一盏灯，躲在房间角落里，藏在一块挂着的帘子后面，观察会发生什么。

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.

午夜一到，两个赤身裸体的小矮人走了进来。他们坐在鞋匠的凳子上，拿起所有裁好的皮革，用他们的小手指忙碌起来，缝合、敲打、锤击，速度之快让鞋匠惊叹不已，眼睛一刻也舍不得离开他们。

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.

他们一直不停地干活，直到工作全部完成，鞋子整齐地放在桌上。此时离黎明还早，随后他们像闪电一样迅速地溜走了。

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.

第二天，妻子对鞋匠说：“这些小精灵让我们变得富有，我们应该感激他们，如果可以的话，得报答他们一下。

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.