A Treasury of Literary Classics -
Fairy Tales Series

Instruction:

    Read the story and answer the following questions.

The Elves and the Shoemaker

by the Brothers Grimm

The Brothers Grimm, Jacab Ludwig Carl Grimm (4 January, 1785 - 20 September, 1863) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm (24 February, 1786 - 16 December, 1859) were German academics, folklorists and linguists. They collected and published folklore during the 19th century. They were the first and best-known collectors of German and European folk tales and popularised traditional oral tales such as "Cinderella", "The Frog Prince", "Hansel and Gretel" and "Snow White".

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1. At the beginning, how many pairs of shoes could the shoemaker make with the leather he had?

A. He could make one pair of shoes.
B. He could make two pairs of shoes.
C. He could make three pairs of shoes.
D. He could make four pairs of shoes.

Your answer:

Read paragraph 1.

"He was left with just enough leather to make a single pair of shoes."

2. Why was the shoemaker able to buy leather for two pairs of shoes later?

A. The elves put some money on the table for the shoemaker to buy more leather.
B. The shoemaker took some leather from other shoe shops.
C. The buyer liked the shoes very much and gave the shoemaker more money for them.
D. The shoemaker's wife bought some leather from the market.

Your answer:

Read paragraph 2.

"The shoes looked so well on him that he willingly paid a high price. The shoemaker could now buy enough leather for two pairs of shoes."

3. Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the elves?

A. The elves were very small.
B. The elves did not wear clothes.
C. The elves worked for the shoemaker and his wife during the night.
D. The elves were unable to speak.

Your answer:

Read paragraphs 4 and 5.

"As soon as the clock struck twelve, in came two little naked dwarfs. They sat down at the shoemaker's bench, took up all the leather that was cut out, and began to work diligently, stitching, sewing and hammering with their nimble fingers and flying hands."

"They hopped and danced and sang merrily."

4. The shoemaker's wife said, "These little elves have made us wealthy. We ought to show them our gratitude." How did the elves help the shoemaker and his wife become rich?

A. They gave leather to the shoemaker and his wife to sell.
B. They stitched shoes for the shoemaker and his wife to sell.
C. They sold shoes for the shoemaker and his wife.
D. They gave money to the shoemaker and his wife.

Your answer:

Read paragraphs 1 and 2.

"The next morning, he got up early and started working. To his amazement, the shoes were completely finished. They were made with excellent workmanship."

"Soon buyers came and they bought the shoes." ... "This went on for some time, and the shoemaker became rich."

5. How did the elves work? Put the events in the correct order.

  1. They took the leather which was cut out beforehand.
  2. They sat down by the shoemaker's table.
  3. They stopped when all the work was done.
  4. They began to stitch, sew and hammer the leather to make new shoes.

A. (i) → (ii) → (iii) → (iv)
B. (ii) → (iii) → (iv) → (i)
C. (ii) → (i) → (iv) → (iii)
D. (iv) → (iii) → (i) → (ii)

Your answer:

Read paragraph 4.

6. What did the shoemaker and his wife do to thank the elves?

A. They cooked some delicious food for the elves.
B. They made some little clothes and shoes for the elves.
C. They made a lot of shoes for the elves.
D. They sang some songs to the elves.

Your answer:

Read paragraph 5.

"She suggested, 'I'll sew some shirts, undershirts, trousers and jackets for them, and knit a pair of stockings for each of them. You'll make each of them a pair of shoes.' The good cobbler agreed with his wife. One evening, all these things were ready."

7. Three types of verbs can be found in stories. They were saying verbs, action verbs and thinking verbs.

Saying verbs are verbs that we use to report what the characters said, e.g. "said" in "He said, 'It's really baffling what happened in the night that turned the leather into such fine shoes!' "

Action verbs are verbs that we use to show what the characters did, e.g. "cut" in "He cut the leather out before he went to bed."

Thinking verbs are verbs that we use to show the characters' feelings and thoughts, e.g. "wondered" in " 'What happened?' he wondered."

Read the following descriptions and the words underlined. Identify the correct type of verb from the list given.

A. Saying verbs B. Action verbs C. Thinking verbs
Description Type of verb
7a. Soon buyers came and they bought the shoes. (Paragraph 2)
7b. His wife thought it was a good idea because she was curious too. (Paragraph 3)
7c. As soon as the clock struck twelve, in came two little naked dwarfs. (Paragraph 4)
7d. She suggested, "I'll sew some shirts, undershirts, trousers and jackets for them, and knit a pair of stockings for each of them. You'll make each of them a pair of shoes." (Paragraph 5)

Read the sentences carefully to understand their meanings.

8. Which of the following is the best description for the shoemaker and his wife?

A. They were thankful.
B. They were curious.
C. They were reliable.
D. They were brave.

Your answer:

Read paragraph 5.

"The wife said to her husband, 'These little elves have made us wealthy. We ought to show them our gratitude ...' "

9. How did the elves feel when they first saw the presents?

A. Curious
B. Pain
C. Joyful
D. Confused

Your answer:

Read paragraph 5.

"At first they were puzzled, but they were soon overjoyed."

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Score Sheet

Questions Results
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6
Question 7a
Question 7b
Question 7c
Question 7d
Question 8
Question 9
Total

Extension: Time to think!

10. What is the moral lesson of the story?

11. Do you have a family member or a friend who always helps you? What does this person say to you or do for you? Think and share with your parents or classmates.