Question
The Elves and the Shoemaker
by Brothers Grimm
This passage tells the story of a struggling shoemaker who one day finds that someone is finishing his shoes for him. While he enjoys the money it brings, he wants to know who is finishing the shoes for him.
As you read, pay attention to who is telling the story.
There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest, but still he could not earn enough to live upon. At last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.
Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning to rise early in the morning to his work. 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.
In the morning after he had said his prayers, he sat himself down to his work; when, to his great wonder, upon the table stood the shoes already made. The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening. 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.
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. In the evening he cut out the work, and he 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.
Soon in came buyers, who paid him handsomely for his goods, so that he bought leather enough for four pair more. 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.
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.” 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.
As soon as it was midnight, there came in two little elves. 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 he could not take his eyes off them. 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.
___
Adapted from The Elves and the Shoemaker, by Brothers Grimm, Public domain.
Which character’s thoughts does the narrator have access to?
The customer at the store
The shoemaker’s wife
The shoemaker
The little elves
by Brothers Grimm
This passage tells the story of a struggling shoemaker who one day finds that someone is finishing his shoes for him. While he enjoys the money it brings, he wants to know who is finishing the shoes for him.
As you read, pay attention to who is telling the story.
There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest, but still he could not earn enough to live upon. At last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.
Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning to rise early in the morning to his work. 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.
In the morning after he had said his prayers, he sat himself down to his work; when, to his great wonder, upon the table stood the shoes already made. The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening. 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.
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. In the evening he cut out the work, and he 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.
Soon in came buyers, who paid him handsomely for his goods, so that he bought leather enough for four pair more. 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.
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.” 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.
As soon as it was midnight, there came in two little elves. 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 he could not take his eyes off them. 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.
___
Adapted from The Elves and the Shoemaker, by Brothers Grimm, Public domain.
Which character’s thoughts does the narrator have access to?
The customer at the store
The shoemaker’s wife
The shoemaker
The little elves
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The narrator has access to the thoughts of **the shoemaker**. The story conveys his feelings of wonder and curiosity about the mysterious work being done for him, as well as his conscience being clear and his heart being light amidst his troubles. The thoughts or feelings of the other characters, such as the customer, the shoemaker's wife, or the little elves, are not clearly expressed in the narration.