Once words ran high in a smithy. The furnace said: “If I cease to burn, the smithy must close.” The bellows said: “If I cease to blow, no fire, no smithy.” The hammer and anvil, also, each claimed the sole credit for keeping up the smithy. The ploughshare that had been shaped by the furnace, the bellows, the hammer and the anvil, cried: “It is not each of you alone, that keeps up the smithy, but ALL TOGETHER.” THE NAIL BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM (TRANSLATED)[7] [Footnote 7: From the Riverside Fourth Reader.] A merchant had done good business at the fair; he had sold his wares, and filled his bag with gold and silver. Then he set out at once on his journey home, for he wished to be in his own house before night. At noon he rested in a town. When he wanted to go on, the stable-boy brought his horse, saying: “A nail is wanting, sir, in the shoe of his left hind foot.” “Let it be wanting,” answered the merchant; “the shoe will stay on for the six miles I have still to go. I am in a hurry.” In the afternoon he got down at an inn and had his horse fed. The stable-boy came into the room to him and said: “Sir, a shoe is wanting from your horse's left hind foot. Shall I take him to the blacksmith?” “Let it still be wanting,” said the man; “the horse can very well hold out for a couple of miles more. I am in a hurry.” So the merchant rode forth, but before long the horse began to limp. He had not limped long before he began to stumble, and he had not stumbled long before he fell down and broke his leg. The merchant had to leave the horse where he fell, and unstrap the bag, take it on his back, and go home on foot. “That unlucky nail,” said he to himself, “has made all this trouble.” THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER BY HORACE E. SCUDDER There was once a shoemaker who worked very hard and was honest. Still, he could not earn enough to live on. At last, all he had in the world was gone except just leather enough to make one pair of shoes. He cut these out at night, and meant to rise early the next morning to make them up. His heart was light in spite of his troubles, for his conscience was clear. So he went quietly to bed, left all his cares to God, and fell asleep. In the morning he said his prayers, and sat down to work, when, to his great wonder, there stood the shoes, already made, upon the table. The good man knew not what to say or think. He looked at the work. There was not one false stitch in the whole job. All was neat and true. That same day a customer came in, and the shoes pleased him so well that he readily paid a price higher than usual for them. The shoemaker took the money and bought leather enough to make two pairs more. He cut out the work in the evening, and went to bed early. He wished to be up with the sun and get to work. He was saved all trouble, for when he got up in the morning, the work was done. Pretty soon buyers came in, who paid him well for his goods. So he bought leather enough for four pairs more.