The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

This selection is available from Project Gutenberg as part of a collection. It is also available to read online at AmericanLiterature .com (on other sites) and it can be found in print.

The Elves and The Shoemaker is a set of three fairy tales about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from three young helpful elves. The set of related tales was published by the Brother Grimms in the first edition of Kinder- und Hausmärchen (1812), as tale no. 39. Their versions of the three stories are based upon the accounts of Gretchen Wild (1787–1819). In the first edition, the three stories are subtitled "The Shoemaker for Whom They Did Work", "The Servant Girl Who Stood In as Godmother for Them", and "The Woman Whose Child They Exchanged", respectively, although the Grimms did not give titles to the individual tales in later editions.

I am happy to find a story with a happy ending! The shoemaker is rich and peaceful and the little Elves are no longer naked and they do not have to work every night anymore. We need happy endings!

I enjoyed it too. I'm so glad it didn't turn out to be a story where the shoemaker got greedy and took advantage of them.

I remember as a child (2nd grade) joining the Girl Scouts and being a Brownie. This story was in our handbook in order for us to learn to be helpful. It's always been close to my heart for that reason.

Oh that’s so lovely Gem! I was afraid that once the elves got their clothes they would vanish and the shoemaker would become poor again. I’m glad this didn’t happen—he was helped when he needed help the most, but his skills were not made obsolete by the elves’ superior abilities.

Interesting that those who included this in the scout manual positioned the view from the perspective of the elves.