There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest: —
从前有一位鞋匠，他非常勤奋，也非常诚实， —

but still he could not earn enough to live upon; —
但他就是赚不到足够养活自己的钱； —

and at last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.
最后他所拥有的一切都用光了，只剩下足够制作一双鞋子的皮革。

Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning to rise early in the morning to his work. —
于是他将皮革剪好，准备第二天开始工作时早早起床。 —

His conscience was clear and his heart light amidst all his troubles; —
尽管困境重重，他的良心是清白的，心情是轻松的。 —

so he went peaceably to bed, left all his cares to Heaven, and soon fell asleep. —
他平静地上床睡觉，将所有的烦恼交托给了上天，很快就入睡了。 —

In the morning after he had said his prayers, he sat himself down to his work; —
第二天早上他祷告完后，便坐下开始做工。 —

when, to his great wonder, there stood the shoes all ready made, upon the table. —
令他大为惊奇的是，桌子上竟然已经摆放好了做好的鞋子。 —

The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening. —
善良的人不知道该说什么或者怎么想这种奇怪的事情。 —

He looked at the workmanship; —
他仔细看了一下工艺； —

there was not one false stitch in the whole job; —
整个工作没有一个假针脚， —

all was so neat and true, that it was quite a masterpiece.
一切都如此整洁和真实，简直是一件杰作。

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; —
同一天有一个顾客进来，这些鞋子非常合适他，以至于他愿意为它们支付比平常更高的价格； —

and the poor shoemaker, with the money, bought leather enough to make two pairs more. —
穷鞋匠用这笔钱买了足够的皮革做两双鞋； —

In the evening he cut out the work, and went to bed early, that he might get up and begin betimes next day; —
晚上他裁剪好材料，早早上床睡觉，以便第二天一大早开始工作； —

but he was saved all the trouble, for when he got up in the morning the work was done ready to his hand. —
但他却省去了所有的麻烦，因为当他早上起床时，工作已经准备好了； —

Soon in came buyers, who paid him handsomely for his goods, so that he bought leather enough for four pair more. —
很快就有买家进来，他们为他的商品付了一笔可观的钱，以至于他买到足够做四双鞋的皮革； —

He cut out the work again overnight and found it done in the morning, as before; and so it went on for some time: —
他再次在晚上裁剪好材料，第二天早上发现工作已经完成，和以前一样；于是就这样继续进行了一段时间； —

what was got ready in the evening was always done by daybreak, and the good man soon became thriving and well off again.
在晚上准备好的东西总是在天亮前完成，这个好人很快又变得兴旺起来了。

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. —
一个晚上，圣诞节的时候，他和妻子坐在火炉旁聊天。他对妻子说：“今晚我想熬夜守着，看看是谁来帮我完成工作。” —

’ The wife liked the thought; —
妻子喜欢这个主意， —

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.
所以他们留了一盏灯亮着，躲在房间的一个角落里，挂着一条帘子，观察发生了什么。

As soon as it was midnight, there came in two little naked dwarfs; —
午夜时分，进来了两个小小的赤裸的矮人。 —

and 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 could not take his eyes off them. —
他们坐在鞋匠的工作台上，拿起所有已经剪好的材料，开始用小手指拼命地缝制、抓打和敲打。鞋匠惊讶得目瞪口呆，无法移开目光。 —

And on they went, till the job was quite done, and the shoes stood ready for use upon the table. —
他们继续工作，直到活儿都完成了，鞋子整整齐齐地放在桌子上，可以穿了。 —

This was long before daybreak; —
这都是在天亮之前的事情， —

and then they bustled away as quick as lightning.
然后他们像闪电一样忙碌地离开了。

The next day the wife said to the shoemaker. —
第二天妻子对鞋匠说： —

‘These little wights have made us rich, and we ought to be thankful to them, and do them a good turn if we can. —
“这些小家伙使我们富裕起来了，我们应该感激他们，如果可以的话，帮助他们一把。” —

I am quite sorry to see them run about as they do; —
我真的很抱歉看到他们乱跑， —

and indeed it is not very decent, for they have nothing upon their backs to keep off the cold. —
实际上这并不太好，因为他们身上没有东西来御寒。 —

I’ll tell you what, I will make each of them a shirt, and a coat and waistcoat, and a pair of pantaloons into the bargain; —
我告诉你，我会给他们每人做一件衬衫、一件外套和背心，还附上一条长裤。 —

and do you make each of them a little pair of shoes.’
你也给他们每人做一双小鞋。”

The thought pleased the good cobbler very much; —
这个想法非常让这位好鞋匠高兴， —

and one evening, when all the things were ready, they laid them on the table, instead of the work that they used to cut out, and then went and hid themselves, to watch what the little elves would do.
一个晚上，当所有东西都准备好了，他们把它们放在桌子上，而不是原来用来裁剪的工作，然后去藏起来，看看小精灵会做什么。

About midnight in they came, dancing and skipping, hopped round the room, and then went to sit down to their work as usual; —
午夜左右，它们蹦蹦跳跳地进来，围着房间转了一圈，然后像往常一样去坐下工作。 —

but when they saw the clothes lying for them, they laughed and chuckled, and seemed mightily delighted.
但是当它们看到为它们准备的衣服时，它们笑了起来，好像非常高兴。

Then they dressed themselves in the twinkling of an eye, and danced and capered and sprang about, as merry as could be; —
然后他们眨眼间就穿好衣服，跳舞、蹦跳、跳跃起来，开心极了； —

till at last they danced out at the door, and away over the green.
最后他们跳出门外，向着绿草地奔去。

The good couple saw them no more; —
善良的夫妇再也没有见到他们， —

but everything went well with them from that time forward, as long as they lived.
但从那时起，他们的生活一直幸福美满，直到他们离世。