Скачать книгу

so skilfully and so quickly with their little fingers that the shoemaker could not turn away his eyes for astonishment. They did not stop until all was done, and stood finished on the table, and they ran quickly away.

      Next morning the woman said, “The little men have made us rich, and we really must show that we are grateful for it. They run about so, and have nothing on, and must be cold. I’ll tell thee what I’ll do: I will make them little shirts, and coats, and vests, and trousers, and knit both of them a pair of stockings, and do thou, too, make them two little pairs of shoes.” The man said, “I shall be very glad to do it;” and one night, when everything was ready, they laid their presents all together on the table instead of the cut-out work, and then concealed themselves to see how the little men would behave. At midnight they came bounding in, and wanted to get to work at once, but as they did not find any leather cut out, but only the pretty little articles of clothing, they were at first astonished, and then they showed intense delight. They dressed themselves with the greatest rapidity, putting the pretty clothes on, and singing, “Now we are boys so fine to see, Why should we longer cobblers be?”

      Then they danced and skipped and leapt over chairs and benches. At last they danced out of doors. From that time forth they came no more, but as long as the shoemaker lived all went well with him, and all his undertakings prospered.

      SECOND STORY

      There was once a poor servant-girl, who was industrious and cleanly, and swept the house every day, and emptied her sweepings on the great heap in front of the door. One morning when she was just going back to her work, she found a letter on this heap, and as she could not read, she put her broom in the corner, and took the letter to her master and mistress, and behold it was an invitation from the elves, who asked the girl to hold a child for them at its christening. The girl did not know what to do, but at length, after much persuasion, and as they told her that it was not right to refuse an invitation of this kind, she consented. Then three elves came and conducted her to a hollow mountain, where the little folks lived. Everything there was small, but more elegant and beautiful than can be described. The baby’s mother lay in a bed of black ebony ornamented with pearls, the coverlids were embroidered with gold, the cradle was of ivory, the bath of gold. The girl stood as godmother, and then wanted to go home again, but the little elves urgently entreated her to stay three days with them. So she stayed, and passed the time in pleasure and gaiety, and the little folks did all they could to make her happy. At last she set out on her way home. Then first they filled her pockets quite full of money, and after that they led her out of the mountain again. When she got home, she wanted to begin her work, and took the broom, which was still standing in the corner, in her hand and began to sweep. Then some strangers came out of the house, who asked her who she was, and what business she had there? And she had not, as she thought, been three days with the little men in the mountains, but seven years, and in the meantime her former masters had died.

      THIRD STORY

      A certain mother’s child had been taken away out of its cradle by the elves, and a changeling with a large head and staring eyes, which would do nothing but eat and drink, laid in its place. In her trouble she went to her neighbour, and asked her advice. The neighbour said that she was to carry the changeling into the kitchen, set it down on the hearth, light a fire, and boil some water in two egg-shells, which would make the changeling laugh, and if he laughed, all would be over with him. The woman did everything that her neighbour bade her. When she put the egg-shells with water on the fire, the imp said, “I am as old now as the Wester forest, but never yet have I seen any one boil anything in an egg-shell!” And he began to laugh at it. Whilst he was laughing, suddenly came a host of little elves, who brought the right child, set it down on the hearth, and took the changeling away with them.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4RtGRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgADAEAAAMAAAABB9AAAAEBAAMAAAABDIAAAAECAAMAAAADAAAA ngEGAAMAAAABAAIAAAESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEVAAMAAAABAAMAAAEaAAUAAAABAAAApAEbAAUAAAAB AAAArAEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAfAAAAtAEyAAIAAAAUAAAA04dpAAQAAAABAAAA6AAAASAA CAAIAAgACvyAAAAnEAAK/IAAACcQQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENDIChNYWNpbnRvc2gpADIwMTc6 MTA6MjUgMjA6NTg6MTgAAAAEkAAABwAAAAQwMjIxoAEAAwAAAAEAAQAAoAIABAAAAAEAAAOEoAMA BAAAAAEAAAWgAAAAAAAAAAYBAwADAAAAAQAGAAABGgAFAAAAAQAAAW4BGwAFAAAAAQAAAXYBKAAD AAAAAQACAAACAQAEAAAAAQAAAX4CAgAEAAAAAQAAGcAAAAAAAAAASAAAAAEAAABIAAAAAf/Y/+0A DEFkb2JlX0NNAAH/7gAOQWRvYmUAZIAAAAAB/9sAhAAMCAgICQgMCQkMEQsKCxEVDwwMDxUYExMV ExMYEQwMDAwMDBEMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMAQ0LCw0ODRAODhAUDg4OFBQO Dg4OFBEMDAwMDBERDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAz/wAARCACgAGQD ASIAAhEBAxEB/90ABAAH/8QBPwAAAQUBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAwABAgQFBgcICQoLAQABBQEBAQEB AQAAAAAAAAABAAIDBAUGBwgJCgsQAAEEAQMCBAIFBwYIBQMMMwEAAhEDBCESMQVBUWETInGBMgYU kaGxQiMkFVLBYjM0coLRQwclklPw4fFjczUWorKDJkSTVGRFwqN0NhfSVeJl8rOEw9N14/NGJ5Sk hbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2N0dXZ3eHl6e3x9fn9xEAAgIBAgQEAwQFBgcHBgU1AQAC EQMhMRIEQVFhcSITBTKBkRShsUIjwVLR8DMkYuFygpJDUxVjczTxJQYWorKDByY1wtJEk1SjF2RF VTZ0ZeLys4TD03Xj80aUpIW0lcTU5PSltcXV5fVWZnaGlqa2xtbm9ic3R1dnd4eXp7fH/9oADAMB AAIRAxEAPwDn212OaHtEgnQccSptEVkwRPMpi211YaX+0T7dB3nVS3WNr9xBQSgFTOZjwC3umfVt 2bjYVrMhwOeHwxtbXEbftEbN11e7+if4b7P9P9B63pXbMOt7rnRWI8TGi0a+oZ9VDMZmQRVS0tY0 MZw71NHuNe+3b9ov9P1H/ovWs9NJTO7oONTS26/Lc6aMi55qpBH6DHq6ntZ6t1TnMuxL9u97a3sy P8H6X6RW3/VRuLVc++5z/TaHMDWN1a9/ostdN7drN30/+1P/AACy39WzcugHJvLxsuYJDZ25Lfs+ S1zmsbv30/oWvf8AzNP8z6auVdV6lYy39MLRY6XNcys6zv3tmr227vcyxv0ElK6t9WKej4+ebL3X Pxtr21Nqh4a8u2Ou2W2ejW/Z+r2s9ar6FV/o2WemgP8AqlY2jLs+0vJw8f13O+zwxzgzItth/rf0 bfjeg2+ttl3r3fpsWpXcvqPU78eym23fXc0ttaQwAgu9Z43Bm5rH2++3Z/OLJf1nqpueyzJLmlvp /wA3X9DZbS7dtr91vo5d7LLnfp7fV/SWfo60lOgz6iWNtcXZmxn2huOx3pTuccu/pljtvq+302UV 5f8A1/0v+EWL1npT+m5FONc4G23GpybBt27H3B/qY30nbvQ2fzn/AIGtNvWur5G4PzXbPUNu0MrA 9R7/AF32fQ+l6vvVDqr+oZeQcvKuOXZG0vcA120F1m0hjWt+na/3JKcxrNvcEdkf0Xkb6yeRwSNS R/35C21HXg9gUei57G6ndWDwPFBSHY+fT3v3Rt2T/wBHlJL1T62+Bs3TsnWPBJJT/9Af1Xb0nJ6r V0zqOEcs5thbVcLHVioMrstduZW5vqep6St9Lweg9X+seZhs6ecfDxKMlrqnXWO33U3Mqbk79+9r dn+CWb9T7Sfrb0wfvWWf+eL1t/VUtq+tfUyA0vNea6DwYvZyglo4HS+nu+rvRct1YdfmdTrxcmze 4b6nOta+vaHbGbmsb7q/egfWvL+reDfn9IwennHzsYta3L9d7o0rvf8AoHvd9Ot3oq+erWdS+rP1 ZzX49GK6zr+Ow1YrDXUAHXsltbnP+l+cqf14zcnO6xl9LswamUY+Q17Muul7LH/og2L8uTVY39M7 /MqSUi6HidLr+r3Uet52KeoMwDXVVhix1Qc55rBe57f+ObsWl0zovQ6vrRn00zmdLb04Z9FItLvT eXbXUevU9znbdv59n+FVfo7HYf1J6yaqxlPoyca30XNLxZsfjWem+tm57q7Nm1/8hbtIw8D61Zte Pi1Y7G9E+0PxmVhlZcbHGz1GVj86NtiSnOuwulX5P1eyMbHfVh9asdXkYj7HODdg/Mt3ep/mv/7b QelfVbo+Vh/WZ/2ecvBzMzH6c/1HywVs30V7d+23Y/8A0vqK43Oo6hk/U7qbKhityi+tmJX/ADNZ Zz6LWtb6fqf+kv8ARqx0bLroys9zWHa/6xW0WbhEm2t9G7+rvekhwsjouDi/UHC6u2qOp5LqHPt3 v1ZdZ7P0W/0m/q7tv82tbrH1U6RR9Z+jYWPV6eDmi85NfqPM+gz1jue97rG7tzW+x6D9aKLcb6r5 fT6yXt6Zk9Pw6yP3aqcR5d/4MtfrFlW3rWe9/wCl6M+6ulvcHKw8TZ/4Lckl476w9E6J0/q31grY +vDbh4tT+m49rnn1Lntrtu9GX77btjX1Vsd6nvyvV9P9GrVnSvqfg4nTMPq1NlT+qYH2v9t+q/ay 4hjvTpx2fontZ6v0Nn836Pq+r6r7ED68OefrV1FsEtb6Pw/mauVpdF6XnZFLPqd1utuRg5OH+0Ok 51W5zsQk7W1es5lX836m5nu9jH/Zf02Nf6dSU+e7b/Tnb79vHaYST/aXfZd0Ddt3d4mP+oSQU//R zOj43VLOpi7ozHvz8drrKdnp7miPRsf+s/ofo3bPd++oW0/XPpHVWXuZZg9R6oX01H9A51xtfWbq 2CbqGepe+l253pbP6i2PqELH/Wi1lejG4V7Z495fjHn5qH1e+q/U8X619Kr6xl/a7McHJbstfewB rLfz7voO9djHexBLiWj6zdLfg/V+9lmPZRdXl4GI70nbbnPfXjZDLmerv3X+r7LbvT/4NdKz/nx1 EZfTM59ua+k1/asctxmBkxdRL6m07t231P0dqsdYtbnZH1Z6w4bn5YrrsdGs13Uv/wCrssWo+q/K 6n9b8XFcGXvooZW4vNcOdQ7aXWt91X9dJDymEfrT07r5wenVXY2bZV6l2P8AovfS0w23bkF1F2x7 va+l/qfzlf8ApFIX9Z25fXKbHkXAY2ZmEVncLNn6DZYP+J/o9X6L/g1d6/1G/o/1o+q7clxdkdLx 2V597txa8ZGzEvfXbaGuyPSa2619n/o1L65YV/TsTF6LiWNBvzMnqN20EgMc97MKo7v3abdn9fGS S5/RqvrPmVUjptb76Oj2uGJtFIFNjx6m1vrbH2/o7f8AC+sxEup+s2Pls6a5tjc/OyB1BuOPQ3Pv YTZ9r3D9E3Z9n+h6jKv0X80o/UevPp+tWC11p9F7rTaxrnAOIx7Q3fW39G/+0l0GzMr+sXU+p5Nr 7f2Vh5+RUXFzoLXllbQbC7b7H3bWpIbGQOvZORf0nJL35WVc267GPpAuuaxhrs3s21t20U1fQt9H 2LM6jlfWB+VkYb7rLL+qX11ZdG2kGy+ksox2btrWVuY6ptf6J9Vf6P8ASrrLXtf9dOkZjdW9Qoqv kcT6V7T/ANBtSxwJ+tzdwkDqvt+P2hySnK6z0362MN3WOuYtrASxuTkvNAH5uPSSz

Скачать книгу