Papa Dan was the finest shoemaker in the whole town of
Bliss, Anywhere.
Seriously.
Okay, yes, in point of fact, he was the only shoemaker, but why quibble over
details?
He was also very sweet.
He was so sweet and kind he couldn’t bear to charge people
for his fine shoes.
Especially when they came to him with a tale of woe.
He was a sucker for those.
Thus the people of Bliss were very well shod indeed.
And Papa Dan semi-cheerfully ‘footed’ the bill. (*snort*)
A friend, he was.
A businessman, not so much.
And that’s where our story starts…
Papa Dan was busily cutting the leather for a fine, new
pair of shoes.
His last.
Let’s face it, he was broke.
Subsidizing the entire town’s footwear needs had him in the
poorhouse.
But though he was financially the poorest person in the
town, he still shared what he had.
Even leaving part of his meager food supply on the porch
each evening for whoever needed it.
The elves who inhabited the darker corners of the little
community were very grateful for his offerings.
Afraid to mix with the ‘big’
people, they were the only group poorer than Papa Dan.
But they watched him and noted his kind, generous ways. And
dwindling resources.
After he had finished preparing the leather, tidying up…and
dozing off…they quietly crept in.
And sewed his shoes.
Okay, yes, that’s not something one sees every day (or
night)—someone sneaking in to do good
deeds under cover of darkness.
That’s like someone creeping into someone’s house to clean.
And…hmmm…
(Erm…if anyone’s willing to sneak into my house and clean, I’mhappy to leave the back door open.
And do my best to sleep through the whole operation.
Just putting that out there…)
Back to my story…
So the elves sewed while the shoemaker slept.
And the next morning he found—not the leather he had left—but
instead two very fine shoes.
Beautifully, perfectly stitched.
Just then, the Queen of Anywhere stopped by.
Okay, I know that doesn’t happen often in really real life.
In point of fact, never.
Hey! If I wanted reality, I’d watch the news.
“Ahemahemahem!” she said in her ‘queenly’ way. “What
beautiful shoes! I would like to buy them!”
The shoemaker stared at her.
Number 1—queen.
Number 2—willing to pay real money.
“Erm…” he said.
You can probably understand his confusion.
I mean, how often did either of those things happen? (see
above)
“Uh…okay.” He was definitely on a roll now.
Coins changed hands.
“Ta!” said the queen.
“Wow!” he said. “Now I have enough money to buy leather for
two pairs of shoes!”
Which he did.
Carefully, he cut out two pairs of shoes, then left them
for the morrow.
Again, he headed to bed.
Again the elves visited.
Again they sewed the shoes.
Again they disappeared, giggling happily.
Oh, wait. I forgot to add the ‘giggling happily’ to their earlier
visit.
Oops.
Now picture an almost carbon copy of yesterday—except the
shoes are doubled.
Queen, entering the shop, “I just love those shoes I bought
here yesterday and I want pairs for my friends!”
“I just have these two pairs today,” the shoemaker said,
holding them up.
“That’s okay. I only have two friends,” the queen said, blithely,
handing over a small sack of coins. “Ta! Ta!”
Now I know what you’re thinking. No one is trying these
shoes on.
Normally people do that.
What can I say…
If you want reality, there’s a 24-hour news channel on the
telly.
Ahem…
The shoemaker was overjoyed. “Now,” he said, “I can buy
leather for four pairs of shoes!”
Repeat X 4 shopping.
Repeat cutting.
Repeat elf sewing.
Four pairs of shoes.
Queen.
Coins.
Joy!
The shoemaker waved the large bag of coins. “Wow! Now I can
buy leather for eight pairs of shoes! Or seven pairs and some lunch. Because I
haven’t eaten since this story started…”
One trip to the local tanners followed by a quick
drive-thru at the A&W and he was back and cutting once more.
All day he cut.
I mean—seven pairs!
Then, exhausted, slept.
Now you’re probably wondering if he was wondering just who had sewed these shoes that were
responsible for his recent turn of amazingly good fortune.
Short answer? Yes.
Kindness wants to recognize kindness.
Holding the seven beautifully finished pairs of shoes the
next morning, he knew he had to find out who the clever person or persons were
who spent their nights sewing for unsuspecting people.
So he started to plan…
Because of the queen’s generous patronage, his little shop
was now thronged with people clamouring for those seven pairs of shoes.
Before breakfast, he was again sold out.
And that’s when his plan came into being.
He would buy leather for shoes and cut it out as per usual.
Then he would pretend to sleep, but in reality, spy on the
perpetrators.
Hmmm…are they still considered ‘perpetrators’ if they sneak
in to do good things?
Asking for a friend…
Anyways, spy he did.
And what did he see? A group of little, ragged, underfed
elves.
Busily and happily sewing his shoes.
After they left, he sat there and thought.
And thought.
And thought some more.
Suddenly he knew what he needed to do.
Then he got to work.
The next night, the elves found, not the leather for shoes
they expected, but a suit of clothes and shoes for each of them.
That shoemaker, when he gets going, gets things done!
As they stood there in wonder, he leaped out of hiding with
a happy laugh and all were able—at long last—to get acquainted.
Needless to say, they were soon fast friends.
But the story doesn’t end there.
The queen, totally enamored with her new shoes, made Papa Dan
(and the elves) the kingdom’s official shoemakers.
I think their shoemaking factory still stands today!
And that’s the sole story.
Each month Karen, Mimi or I choose a number between 12 and 50 and we three craft a post using that number of words one or multiple times.
This month’s number is: 33
It was chosen by Karen of Baking in a Tornado!
Now go and see what my friends have created!
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