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(The narrator enters.)
Narrator: They stayed awake. One hour went by and a few more. The clock struck two. Then three. Then four. Suddenly they came, the two little elves.
(Two elves enter. They sit on the table and start working. The shoemaker and his wife peep from the cupboard.)
(Elves sing.)
Snip! Snip! Snip! Snip! Sew!
This is how we make a shoe
Snip! Snip! Snip! Snip! Sew!
(The shoemaker and his wife come out of the hiding place and greet the elves.)
Shoemaker: We don't know how to thank you. The shoes you make are just the best.
Shoemaker's wife: How do you work so quickly and make such beautiful shoes?
Elf 1: We just work. Helping others is our pleasure.
Elf 2: But we cannot do it anymore now. There are others like you who are in need. We’re going to them from tomorrow onwards.
Elf 1: Yes this will be our final visit and this our final shoe.
Shoemaker: Won't you come from tomorrow onwards?
Shoemaker's wife: But why?
Elf 1: We helped you when you were in need. Now, you can work hard and live happily.
(The shoemaker moves to the side of the room with his wife.)
Shoemaker: (angrily) What did they say? I'll not let them go....
Shoemaker's wife: But...they will be leaving today.
Shoemaker: (pointing at the elves at work) Look ...they’re making beautiful shoes! I can’t make such perfect shoes...I’ve only one way left....
Shoemaker's wife: (surprised) What’s that?
Shoemaker: I’ll never let them go....I’ll make them my slaves.... Go and close all the doors and windows....
Shoemaker's wife: (moves closer to her husband, holds his hands together) Don’t you remember those days...we couldn’t pay the rent...those days of insult.... even without food.
Shoemaker: We’ll go back to those days, if they stop coming.
Shoemaker's wife: No dear, it’ll never happen. They’ve helped us... a lot... made us rich... we shouldn’t be this greedy. Greedy people can never be happy....
Shoemaker: (thoughtful) Yes, I shouldn’t be that greedy.... I should be thankful....
(The shoemaker and his wife look at the elves. The elves finish their work and handover the shoes to the shoemaker.)
Elf 1: This is our last shoe... we’re leaving.
Shoemaker's wife: We’ll always be thankful to you.
Shoemaker: We will work hard and live.
Shoemaker's wife: You taught us how to make marvellous shoes.... And you are leaving now.
Shoemaker: This is your last visit.... Let’s have our dinner.
(The shoemaker hands the food and drink to the elves. They eat and drink merrily.)
Shoemaker's wife: We’ll keep your memory alive.
(They move towards the window.)
Elf 1: Thank you so much. The food and the drink was good.
Elf 2: Your shop is famous now. Work hard and you’ll have good fortune forever.
(Exit the elves. The shoemaker and his wife wave them goodbye.)
(The narrator enters.)
Narrator: The elves skipped through the window and disappeared. They never came back. The shoemaker and his wife worked hard and they lived happily ever after.
(Black out)
"Don't do that!" she shouted angrily.
# Slave = അടിമ
I'm tired of being treated like a slave!
# Insult = അപമാനം
She made several insults about my appearance.
# Greedy = അത്യാർത്തിയുള്ള
# Alive = സജീവമായി
The club really comes alive on weekends.
# Skipped = ചാടി
# Disappeared = അപ്രത്യക്ഷമായി
The search was called off for the sailors who disappeared in the storm.
He knew eleves would work hard and make perfect shoes for him.
2. Why did he change his decision?
His wife advided him that greedy people could never be happy.
