The Elves and the Shoemakers

The elves and the shoemakers.

小精灵与鞋匠

Molly and Ollie made very good shoes. They lived and worked together. To make good shoes, they had to use the very softest leather. The cost of leather went up and up. They had no money for more. The very last pair of shoes was sold. Now Molly and Ollie were poor.

莫莉和奥利做的鞋子特别好。 他们一起生活，一起干活。 要做好鞋子，就得用最最柔软的皮革。 可是皮革的价格涨了又涨。 他们没钱再买皮革了。 最后一双鞋子也卖出去了。 现在莫莉和奥利变得很穷。

A bit of red leather was all they had. They shut the shop and went to bed. No money for leather, no leather for shoes. We have nothing to sell, they said.

他们只剩下一小块红色皮革了，关了店门就上床睡觉了。 没钱买皮革，没皮革做鞋子，我们没东西可以卖啦，他们说。

In the night, six elves came in. They sat down in a row. They snipped the leather and stitched some shoes, the finest they could sew.

到了夜里，六个小精灵走了进来，他们坐成一排，裁剪皮革、缝制鞋子，做出了他们能做的最漂亮的鞋子。

Did you make these shoes dear Molly? They're lovely, Ollie said. It wasn't me, said Molly. I was asleep in my bed.

亲爱的莫莉，这些鞋子是你做的吗？它们真好看呀，奥利说。 不是我呀，莫莉说，我一直都在床上睡觉呢。

A rich man came and bought the shoes. You make good shoes, he said. Here is the money to make some more. Make me a hundred pairs in red. They must be made by Friday noon, for that's my wedding day. And if those pairs of shoes are late, I shall refuse to pay.

一个有钱人过来买下了这双鞋子。 你们做的鞋子真好，他说。 这些钱给你们，再多做些鞋子。 给我做一百双红色的鞋子。 周五中午之前必须做好，那天是我的婚礼日。 要是鞋子做晚了，我就不会付钱的。