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The Elves and the Shoemaker: a book club kit
Where it comes from. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, two brothers in Germany, wrote this down in 1812, from stories people told.
In short (for the leader; it gives the ending away). A poor shoemaker has leather for only one last pair of shoes, and in the morning he finds them already made, perfectly. This goes on night after night until he and his wife hide to see who is helping them, and they find two tiny elves. To thank them, the couple makes the elves little clothes and shoes, and the elves put them on, dance out of the door and never come back.
The lesson, in one line. When someone is kind to you, be kind back.
Reading plan. Read it together at the meeting: about 5 minutes aloud, or ahead of time at home.
Questions to talk about
- Where does The Elves and the Shoemaker come from?
The story's answer: It is a German fairy tale. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812, in the first edition of their collection Kinder- und Hausmärchen, as tale number 39, and they based it on the accounts of Gretchen Wild. It is one of three short “elves” tales that sit together in the collection. - Who are the elves in The Elves and the Shoemaker?
The story's answer: In German they are called Wichtelmänner. Wicht is an old word for a creature, related to English “wight,” and folklorists file the tale as one about helpful elves. In the story the two elves sew the shoemaker's shoes at night. - Why did the elves leave the shoemaker?
The story's answer: In the Grimms' story, the shoemaker and his wife make clothes and little shoes for the elves as a gift. The elves put them on, are delighted, dance out of the house and never return, and the shoemaker keeps doing well. This telling ends the same way. - Who in the story was kind, and who was not? How do you know?
Listen for: Ask for the moment in the story that shows it. - Which part would you change, and how would the story end then?
Listen for: There is no wrong ending; ask what else would have to change. - Is there a rule of three in this story (three tries, three wishes, three visitors)? Why do you think fairy tales like threes?
Listen for: Many do; a third time is where the change happens.
Did you know?
- A German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, who published it in 1812 in the first edition of Kinder- und Hausmärchen, as tale number 39.
- The German title is Die Wichtelmänner. Wicht is an old word for a creature, related to English “wight.”
- The Grimms based all three “elves” tales in this group on the accounts of Gretchen Wild.
Activity: Draw the story as a map
On one big sheet, draw every place the story happens and the path between them. Mark the spot where things go wrong and the spot where they come right.
More to talk about
More facts for the leader
- Margaret Hunt's English translation of 1884 titled the group “The Elves.”
Words to teach before you start
- leather: animal-skin material
- stitch: thread loop
- customer: person who buys
- elves: tiny magic people
- trousers: pants
- knitted: made from yarn
Questions leaders ask
How long does a The Elves and the Shoemaker book club meeting take?
Reading it aloud takes about 5 minutes in all, so plan one meeting of 30 to 45 minutes, with time left for the questions. The reading plan on the sheet says where to stop.
What age is The Elves and the Shoemaker for?
It is written at Peabody level 8, a grade 3 reading level, so most children at that level can read it alone. Younger children can listen to it read aloud.
Do the children need to read it before the meeting?
No. Each child can read it free on Peabody, before the meeting or together at it, and the questions work either way. The sheet's short version gives the ending away, so keep it for the leader.
How do I use the questions?
Start with the story's own questions, which have answers in the leader's notes, then move to the open ones and listen for reasons. There is no wrong answer to an open question. Stop when the group runs out of things to say.
Club kits for stories like this
- Jack and the Beanstalk (level 8)
- Stone Soup (level 8)
- The Bremen Town Musicians (level 8)
- The Ugly Duckling (level 8)
- The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats (level 8)
- Tom Thumb (level 8)
How this kit is made
The short version, the facts and the first questions with their answers are the story's own, written for its page in Peabody's library and checked against the sources named there. The open questions, the activity and the plan are Peabody's, written for this kind of story. No part of it is written by a computer model.
Running the meeting: the meeting plans (30, 45 and 60 minutes) and the sign-up sheet.