History Literature / TheElvesAndTheCobbler

The tale has inspired many adaptations and popular culture references. Animated short adaptations include ''WesternAnimation/JollyLittleElves'' by Creator/WalterLantz in 1934, and Creator/TexAvery's 1950 MGM cartoon short ''The Peachy Cobbler''. The house-elf Dobby in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets,'' who can only be freed from his drudgery with a gift of clothing, is another reference to this fairy tale.

"[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/shoemaker/index.html The Elves and the Cobbler]]" (or "The Elves and the Shoemaker", "The Shoemaker and the Elves") is an often copied and re-made {{fairy tale}} about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from elves. It is best known from the [[Creator/TheBrothersGrimm Brothers Grimm fairy tales]], where it was included as entry no. 39 as "Die Wichtelmänner" ("The Gnomes").

The fairy tale follows a poor cobbler with ailing sales. One night he wakes up to find the shoes he had planned to create in the morning already made, and much to his fortune a customer comes in and pays more than usual for the shoes. This gives him enough money to buy materials for two pairs of shoes, which he again finds already finished on the counter the next morning. The pattern repeats for several days, and the poor cobbler's fortunes turn as his shop becomes famous. But one night the cobbler and his wife hide in the shop so they can see who has been creating the shoes for him. To their astonishment, they see a group of little elves, who are naked (or in most modern retellings, wearing ragged, dirty clothing and barefoot). In gratitude, they leave gifts of shoes and little clothes, watching again to see the elves happily accept their new finery. Thereafter they do not come again, but the cobbler no longer needs their help and considers their joy his reward.

** The elves help the poor Cobbler and his wife each night, by making fine shoes to sell. Each morning the Cobbler after selling the shoes for the elves have made, he is shown to use a bit of his newfound money to help another person in need. Most variants the elves continue until the shoemaker's debt is paid off or until he is rich enough to retire, at which point the Cobbler and his wife decide to see whose been helping them. Once they see the sorry condition the elves clothing are in, the Cobbler and his wife create shoes and clothing for the elves as a repayment of sorts for the help they have given them; and the elves in turn leave as their aid is no longer needed.

* BittersweetEnding: The cobbler's business is saved, but the story usually ends with the elves leaving, never to return. At least one version states that giving them clothes released them from a curse, a version that likely inspired Dobby's story.

''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/shoemaker/index.html The Elves and the Cobbler]]'' (or ''The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Shoemaker and the Elves'') is an often copied and re-made {{fairy tale}} about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from elves. It is best known from the [[Creator/TheBrothersGrimm Brothers Grimm fairy tales]], where it was included as entry no. 39 as ''Die Wichtelmänner'' (''The Gnomes'').

!! Tropes in ''The Elves and the Cobbler'':

The tale has inspired many adaptations and popular culture references. Animated short adaptations include "WesternAnimation/JollyLittleElves" by Creator/WalterLantz in 1934, and Creator/TexAvery's 1950 MGM cartoon short "The Peachy Cobbler". The house-elf Dobby in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets,'' who can only be freed from his drudgery with a gift of clothing, is another reference to this fairy tale.

'''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/shoemaker/index.html "The Elves and the Cobbler"]]''' (or "The Elves and the Shoemaker", "The Shoemaker and the Elves") is an often copied and re-made {{fairy tale}} about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from elves. It is best known from the [[Creator/TheBrothersGrimm Brothers Grimm fairy tales]], where it was included as entry no. 39 as "Die Wichtelmänner" ("The Gnomes").

The tale has inspired many adaptations and popular culture references. Among these, Tex Avery adapted the story for his 1950 MGM cartoon short ''The Peachy Cobbler''. The house-elf Dobby in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets,'' who can only be freed from his drudgery with a gift of clothing, is another reference to this fairy tale.

The fairy tale follows a poor cobbler with ailing sales. One night he wakes up to find the shoes he had planned to create in the morning already made, and much to his fortune a customer comes in and pays more than usual for the shoes. This gives him enough money to buy materials for two pairs of shoes, which he again finds already finished on the counter the next morning. The pattern repeats for several days, and the poor cobbler's fortunes turn as his shop becomes famous. But one night the cobbler and his wife hide in the shop so they can see who has been creating the shoes for him. To their astonishment, they see a group of little elves, themselves wearing ragged, dirty clothing and barefoot. In gratitude, they leave gifts of shoes and little clothes, watching again to see the elves happily accept their new finery. Thereafter they do not come again, but the cobbler no longer needs their help and considers their joy his reward.

The fairy tale follows a poor cobbler with ailing sales. One night he wakes up to find the shoes he had planned to create in the morning already made, and much to his fortune a customer comes in and pays more than usual for the shoes. The event recurs a few times, leading the way to better times for the poor cobbler. One day the cobbler discovers a pair of elves creating the shoes for him, and out of compassion decides to make some clothes for the creatures. The elves happily accept the gifts and thereafter do not come again, but they have ushered in a new era of good business for him.

* ChristmasMiracle: The Elves are discovered by the Shoemaker first on Christmas.

The fairy tale follows a poor cobbler with ailing sales. One night he wakes up to find the shoes he had planned to create in the morning already made, and much to his fortune a customer comes in and pays more than usual for the shoes. The event recurred a few times, leading the way to better times for the poor cobbler. One day the cobbler discovered a pair of elves creating the shoes for him and out of compassion decides to make some clothes for the creatures. The elves happily accepted the gifts and thereafter did not come again, but they had ushered in a new era of good business for him.

* DeusExMachina: Very convenient of the elves to turn up just when sales were ailing...

The tale has inspired many adaptations and popular culture references. Among these, Tex Avery adapted the story for his 1950 MGM cartoon short ''The Peachy Cobbler''. The house-elf Dobby in ''HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets,'' who can only be freed from his drudgery with a gift of clothing, is another reference to this fairy tale.

"The Elves and the Cobbler" (or "The Elves and the Shoemaker", "The Shoemaker and the Elves") is an often copied and re-made {{fairy tale}} about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from elves. It is best known from the [[Creator/TheBrothersGrimm Brothers Grimm fairy tales]], where it was included as entry no. 39 as "Die Wichtelmänner" ("The Gnomes").

"The Elves and the Cobbler" (or "The Elves and the Shoemaker", "The Shoemaker and the Elves") is an often copied and re-made {{fairy tale}} about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from elves. It is best known from the [[TheBrothersGrimm Brothers Grimm fairy tales]], where it was included as entry no. 39 as "Die Wichtelmänner" ("The Gnomes").

* ChristmasMiracle: The Elves are discovered by the Shoemaker first on Christmas.

* LawOfInverseFertility: In some versions, the shoemaker and his wife are trying to have a baby, but have been unsuccessful. They ''do'' conceive, and it's implied to be due to some of the elves' magic being left with them at the end.

"The Elves and the Cobbler" (or "The Elves and the Shoemaker", "The Shoemaker and the Elves") is an FairyTale believed to be of German descent and often copied and re-made story about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from elves. Listed as entry 39 in the German [[TheBrothersGrimm Grimm's Fairy Tales]] under the common title ''Die Wichtelmänner''.

The fairy tale follows a poor cobbler with ailing sales. One night he wakes up to find the shoes he had planned to create in the morning already made, and much to his fortune a customer comes in and pays more than usual for the shoes. The event recurred a few times, leading the way to better times for the poor cobbler. One day the cobbler discovered a pair of elves creating the shoes for him and out of compassion decides to make some clothes for the creatures. The Elves happily accepted the gifts and thereafter did not come again, but they had ushered in a new era of good business for him.

The tale has inspired many adaptations and popular culture references. Among these, Tex Avery adapted the story for his 1950 MGM cartoon short The Peachy Cobbler. The house-elf Dobby in ''HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets,'' who can only be freed from his drudgery with a gift of clothing, is another reference to the fairy tale.

Tropes associated with this work include:

* FamilyUnfriendlyAesop: Be generous to people and they will abandon you.