“I should like to make them some pretty clothes,” said the wife, “they are quite naked.”

“I will make the shoes if you will make the coats,” said her husband.

That very day they commenced their task.  The wife cut out two tiny, tiny coats of green, two weeny, weeny waistcoats of yellow, two little pairs of trousers, of white, two bits of caps, bright red (for every one knows the elves love bright colours), and her husband made two little pairs of shoes with long, pointed toes.  They made the wee clothes as dainty as could be, with nice little stitches and pretty buttons; and by Christmas time, they were finished.

On Christmas eve, the shoemaker cleaned his bench, and on it, instead of leather, he laid the two sets of gay little fairy-clothes.  Then he and his wife hid away as before, to watch.

Promptly at midnight, the little naked elves came in.  They hopped upon the bench; but when they saw the little clothes there, they laughed and danced for joy.  Each one caught up his little coat and things and began to put them on.  Then they looked at each other and made all kinds of funny motions in their delight.  At last they began to dance, and when the clock struck two, they danced quite away, out of the window.

They never came back any more, but from that day they gave the shoemaker and his wife good luck, so that they never needed any more help.

WHO KILLED THE OTTER’S BABIES?[23]

Once the Otter came to the Mouse-deer and said, “Friend Mouse-deer, will you please take care of my babies while I go to the river, to catch fish?”

“Certainly,” said the Mouse-deer, “go along.”

But when the Otter came back from the river, with a string of fish, he found his babies crushed flat.

“What does this mean, Friend Mouse-deer?” he said.  “Who killed my children while you were taking care of them?”

“I am very sorry,” said the Mouse-deer, “but you know I am Chief Dancer of the War-dance, and the Woodpecker came and sounded the war-gong, so I danced.  I forgot your children, and trod on them.”

“I shall go to King Solomon,” said the Otter, “and you shall be punished.”

Soon the Mouse-deer was called before King Solomon.

“Did you kill the Otter’s babies?” said the king.

“Yes, your Majesty,” said the Mouse-deer, “but I did not mean to.”

“How did it happen?” said the king.

“Your Majesty knows,” said the Mouse-deer, “that I am Chief Dancer of the War-dance.  The Woodpecker came and sounded the war-gong, and I had to dance; and as I danced I trod on the Otter’s children.”

“Send for the Woodpecker,” said King Solomon.  When the Woodpecker came, he said to him, “Was it you who sounded the war-gong?”

“Yes, your Majesty,” said the Woodpecker, “but I had to.”

“Why?” said the king.

“Your Majesty knows,” said the Woodpecker, “that I am Chief Beater of the War-gong, and I sounded the gong because I saw the Great Lizard wearing his sword.”