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Seriously.
Okay, yes, to be truthful, he was the only shoemaker, but why quibble over details?
He was also very sweet.
In point of fact, 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’ (*snort*) the bill.
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 happily shared what little he had.
Even leaving part of his meager food supply on the
porch each evening for whoever might need 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.
Say what you will about Papa Dan, his ability to
sleep through something important was unmatched.
Well, except for my Husby. In church.
But I digress…
And yes, that’s not something one sees every night –
someone sneaking in to do good deeds under cover of darkness.
That’s like someone creeping into someone’s house
to clean.
And…wait a spec…
Erm…if anyone’s willing to sneak into my
house and clean, I’m happy 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 in his life – or anyone else’s – did
either of those things happen? (see above)
“Uh…okay.” He was definitely on a roll now.
Coins changed hands.
The queen nodded and, lifting one hand, also gave
him a queenly, fingersandthumb-together- wave and a brief, “Ta!” Then left the
shop.
“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.
There can only be one conclusion…
Everyone in this country has the same sized feet.
Ahem…
The shoemaker was overjoyed. “Now,” he said, “I can
buy leather for four pairs of shoes!”
Repeat shopping X 4.
Repeat cutting X 4.
Repeat elf sewing X 4.
Voila! 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!
And of course every single item just the right
size.
Just like when you order on Amazon and everything delivered
fits perfectly.
Am I right…?
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.
Fly on the Wall!
When my blogging sisters and I get to wow you with our
escapades (real and imagined) that occupied us this month.
You've read my offering.
Now go and see what's happening in my sisters' world!
Tell them I sent you!