Characters : narrators 1 and 2 , Tom, mother, elf (Fairy Shoemaker)

NARRATOR 1 - Once there was a lazy boy named Tom who was always wishing to be rich.

MOTHER - Tom, you should go out and find some work. We need the money.

TOM - Mother, I'll find the Fairy Shoemaker. He knows where there is a huge pot filled with thousands of gold coins. I'll catch him and make him tell his secret.

MOTHER - Take care, Tom. The Fairy Shoemaker is a sly elf. You'll become rich sooner if you do some useful work and earn your golden coins.

NARRATOR 1 - Tom did not want to work. He started out to hunt for the elf. Every day he looked in the woods and the meadows. At last one afternoon Tom heard a tiny tapping sound behind a tree.

NARRATOR 2 - Tick-a-tack, tick-a-tack, tick-a-tack-too. At first it seemed to be the tapping of a woodpecker. When Tom listened more closely he could hear somebody singing softly in a tiny voice.

ELF - Tick-a-tack, tick-a-tack, tick-a-tack-too
Tack-a-toe, tack a heel, soon we'll have a shoe.

TOM - Oho, that must be the song of the Fairy Shoemaker. I'll catch him and then he'll have to lead me to the huge pot of gold. Soon my mother and I shall be rich.

NARRATOR 1 - Tom crept forward on his hands and knees until he saw the Fairy Shoemaker. The tiny elf had a long nose and a pointed chin. He wore a tall cap and an apron. He was busy pounding tacks into a tiny shoe that was upside down in front of him. As he worked , he sang

ELF - Tick-a-tack, tick-a-tack, tick-a-tack-too
Tack-a-toe, tack a heel, soon we'll have a shoe.

TOM - Good day. That's a fine song.

NARRATOR 2 - The wee elf pretended not to hear. He did not even glance at Tom.

TOM - Show me the pot of gold !

ELF - Wait a minute. I have just dropped a tack. Help me find it.

NARRATOR 2 - Tom knew that if he glanced away for a second, the sly little elf would disappear.

TOM - Hmmm, I'll just pretend to look for the tack.

NARRATOR 1 - Tom crept forward slowly on his hands and knees pretending to look for the tack. Suddenly the elf snatched up some dust and threw it in Tom's face.

TOM - AAAAAH-CHOO!

NARRATOR 2 - When Tom sneezed, he shut his eyes. He opened them quickly, but the elf had disappeared. Tom went home and told his mother what had happened.

MOTHER - Where have you been, Tom?

TOM - I found the Fairy Shoemaker, but he tricked me. He threw dust in my face and made me sneeze.

MOTHER - I told you that he was a sly elf. Now go and find work so you can earn some money.

TOM - I'm not going to give up. If I found the Fairy Shoemaker once, I can find him twice.

NARRATOR 1 - Every day Tom hunted for the elf. On the fifth day he heard the tap, tap, tap of the hammer again.

ELF - Tick-a-tack, tick-a-tack, tick-a-tack-too
Tack-a-toe, tack a heel, soon we'll have a shoe.

NARRATOR 2 - Tom crept forward until he saw the elf sitting in the shade of a holly-berry tree.

TOM - I won't let him throw dust in my face this time. I won't glance away once.

NARRATOR 1 - The Fairy Shoemaker was pounding tacks into the toe of a tiny shoe that was upside down in front of him. Tom crept forward slowly.

TOM - That's a fine shoe. Why are you working ?

ELF - We should all work. You ought to do a little work yourself.

TOM - Ho, ho, ho ! That would be foolish. I don't need to work. I'll become rich without working.

NARRATOR 2 - Quick as a wink Tom grabbed the Fairy Shoemaker.

TOM - I have caught you at last. Now you can't throw dust in my face and make me sneeze. I won't let you go unless you lead me to the huge pot of gold.

ELF - Well, if I must tell you my secret, I suppose I must.

NARRATOR 1 - Off they went into the thick woods.

ELF - You will find the pot of gold there under that tree. Dig there for the treasure.

TOM - I'll have to go home for a shovel, but first I'll put my yellow tie around this tree. Then I can find the right tree when I come back.

NARRATOR 2 - Tom glanced at the elf and saw that he was smiling slyly.

TOM - Will you promise not to touch this tie while I am gone.

ELF - Yes, I promise not to touch it. I promise not to let anybody else touch it either.

TOM - Then I'll let you go free. Thanks for leading me to the gold.

NARRATOR 1 - Tom set the Fairy Shoemaker down and started to run home.

ELF - Ho, ho, ho! You'll find that you have to work for any gold you ever get.

NARRATOR 2 - Pop! The next second the elf disappeared.

NARRATOR 1 - Tom hurried back to the woods with a shovel. He could hardly wait to begin digging for the treasure.

TOM - Now I'll be rich. I caught the Fairy Shoemaker and he told me his secret.

NARRATOR 2 - But when Tom returned he was very surprised. Every single tree had a yellow tie around it.

NARRATOR 1 - The Fairy Shoemaker had kept his promise. Nobody had touched Tom's tie, but the sly elf had tricked him again.

TOM - I can't tell which tie is mine. Now I'll never be able to find the treasure. Mother is right. I'll become rich sooner if I do some useful work and earn my gold.

NARRATORS 1 and 2 - The End!