SimondidasMichaeladvised，andundertooktomakebootsthatwouldnotloseshapeorsplitforawholeyear。
　　Callinghisservant，thegentlemantoldhimtopullthebootoffhisleftleg，whichhestretchedout。
　　’Takemymeasure！’saidhe。
　　Simonstitchedapapermeasureseventeenincheslong，smootheditout，kneltdown，wipedhishandswellonhisapronsoasnottosoilthegentleman’ssock，andbegantomeasure。Hemeasuredthesole，androundtheinstep，andbegantomeasurethecalfoftheleg，butthepaperwastooshort。Thecalfofthelegwasasthickasabeam。
　　’Mindyoudon’tmakeittootightintheleg。’
　　Simonstitchedonanotherstripofpaper。Thegentlemantwitchedhistoesaboutinhissock，lookingroundatthoseinthehut，andashedidsohenoticedMichael。
　　’Whomhaveyouthere？’askedhe’Thatismyworkman。Hewillsewtheboots。’
　　’Mind，’saidthegentlemantoMichael，’remembertomakethemsothattheywilllastmeayear。’
　　SimonalsolookedatMichael，andsawthatMichaelwasnotlookingatthegentleman，butwasgazingintothecornerbehindthegentleman，asifhesawsomeonethere。Michaellookedandlooked，andsuddenlyhesmiled，andhisfacebecamebrighter。
　　’Whatareyougrinningat，youfool？’thunderedthegentleman。’Youhadbetterlooktoitthatthebootsarereadyintime。’
　　’Theyshallbereadyingoodtime，’saidMichael。
　　’Minditisso，’saidthegentleman，andheputonhisbootsandhisfurcoat，wrappedthelatterroundhim，andwenttothedoor。
　　Butheforgottostoopandstruckhisheadagainstthelintel。
　　Hesworeandrubbedhishead。Thenhetookhisseatinthecarriageanddroveaway。
　　Whenhehadgone，Simonsaid:’There’safigureofamanforyou！Youcouldnotkillhimwithamallet。Healmostknockedoutthelintel，butlittleharmitdidhim。’
　　AndMatryó；nasaid:’Livingashedoes，howshouldhenotgrowstrong？Deathitselfcan’ttouchsucharockasthat。’
　　ThenSimonsaidtoMichael:’Well，wehavetakenthework，butwemustseewedon’tgetintotroubleoverit。Theleatherisdear，andthegentlemanhot-tempered。Wemustmakenomistakes。Come，youreyeistruerandyourhandshavebecomenimblerthanmine，soyoutakethismeasureandcutouttheboots。
　　Iwillfinishoffthesewingofthevamps。’
　　Michaeldidashewastold。Hetooktheleatherspreaditoutonthetable，foldeditintwo，tookaknifeandbegantocutout。
　　Matryó；nacameandwatchedhimcutting，andwassurprisedtoseehowhewasdoingit。Matryó；nawasaccustomedtoseeingbootsmade，andshelookedandsawthatMichaelwasnotcuttingtheleatherforboots，butwascuttingitround。
　　Shewishedtosaysomething，butshethoughttoherself:’PerhapsI
　　donotunderstandhowgentlemen’sbootsshouldbemade。
　　IsupposeMichaelknowsmoreaboutit——andIwon’tinterfere。’
　　WhenMichaelhadcutuptheleather，hetookathreadandbegantosewnotwithtwoends，asbootsaresewn，butwithasingleend，asforsoftslippers。
　　AgainMatryó；nawondered，butagainshedidnotinterfere。Michaelsewedonsteadilytillnoon。ThenSimonrosefordinner，lookedaround，andsawthatMichaelhadmadeslippersoutofthegentleman’sleather。
　　’Ah！’groanedSimon，andhethought，’HowisitthatMichael，whohasbeenwithmeawholeyearandnevermadeamistakebefore，shoulddosuchadreadfulthing？Thegentlemanorderedhighboots，welted，withwholefronts，andMichaelhasmadesoftslipperswithsinglesoles，andhaswastedtheleather。WhatamItosaytothegentleman？Icanneverreplaceleathersuchasthis。’
　　AndhesaidtoMichael，’Whatareyoudoingfriend？Youhaveruinedme！Youknowthegentlemanorderedhighboothbutseewhatyouhavemade！’
　　HardlyhadhebeguntorebukeMichael，when’rat-tat，wenttheironringthathungatthedoor。Someonewasknocking。Theylookedoutofthewindow；amanhadcomeonhorseback，andwasfasteninghishorse。Theyopenedthedoor，andtheservantwhohadbeenwiththegentlemancamein。
　　’Goodday，’saidhe。
　　’Goodday，’repliedSimon。’Whatcanwedoforyou？’
　　’Mymistresshassentmeabouttheboots。’
　　’Whatabouttheboots？’
　　’Why，mymasternolongerneedsthem。Heisdead。’
　　’Isitpossible？’
　　’Hedidnotlivetogethomeafterleavingyou，butdiedinthecarriage。
　　Whenwereachedhomeandtheservantscametohelphimalightherolledoverlikeasack。Hewasdeadalready，andsostiffthathecouldhardlybegotoutofthecarriage。Mymistresssentmehere，saying:“Tellthebootmakerthatthegentlemanwhoorderedbootsofhimandlefttheleatherforthemnolongerneedstheboots，butthathemustquicklymakesoftslippersforthecorpse。Waittilltheyareready，andbringthembackwithyou。“ThatiswhyIhavecome。’
　　Michaelgathereduptheremnantsoftheleather；rolledthemup，tookthesoftslippershehadmade，slappedthemtogether，wipedthemdownwithhisapron，andhandedthemandtherollofleathertotheservant，whotookthemandsaid:’Good-bye，mastersandgooddaytoyou！’
　　Anotheryearpassed，andanother，andMichaelwasnowlivinghissixthyearwithSimon。Helivedasbefore。Hewentnowhere，onlyspokewhennecessary，andhadonlysmiledtwiceinallthoseyears——oncewhenMatryó；nagavehimfood，andasecondtimewhenthegentlemanwasintheirhut。Simonwasmorethanpleasedwithhisworkman。Henevernowaskedhimwherehecamefrom，andonlyfearedlestMichaelshouldgoaway。
　　Theywereallathomeoneday。Matryó；nawasputtingironpotsintheoven，thechildrenwererunningalongthebenchesandlookingoutofthewindow；Simonwassewingatonewindow，andMichaelwasfasteningonaheelattheother。
　　OneoftheboysranalongthebenchtoMichael，leantonhisshoulder，andlookedoutofthewindow。
　　’Look，UncleMichael！Thereisaladywithlittlegirls！Sheseemstobecominghere。Andoneofthegirlsislame。’
　　Whentheboysaidthat，Michaeldroppedhiswork，turnedtothewindow，andlookedoutintothestreet。
　　Simonwassurprised。Michaelneverusedtolookoutintothestreet，butnowhepressedagainstthewindow，staringatsomething。Simonalsolookedout，andsawthatawell-dressedwomanwasreallycomingtohishut，leadingbythehandtwolittlegirlsinfurcoatsandwoollenshawls。Thegirlscouldhardlybetoldonefromtheother，exceptthatoneofthemwascrippledinherleftlegandwalkedwithalimp。
　　Thewomansteppedintotheporchandenteredthepassage。Feelingaboutfortheentranceshefoundthelatch，whichshelifted，andopenedthedoor。Sheletthetwogirlsgoinfirst，andfollowedthemintothehut。
　　’Goodday，goodfolk！’
　　’Praycomein，’saidSimon。’Whatcanwedoforyou？’
　　Thewomansatdownbythetable。Thetwolittlegirlspressedclosetoherknees，afraidofthepeopleinthehut。
　　’Iwantleathershoesmadeforthesetwolittlegirls，forspring。’
　　’Wecandothat。Weneverhavemadesuchsmallshoes，butwecanmakethem；eitherweltedorturnovershoes，linenlined。
　　Myman，Michael，isamasteratthework。’
　　SimonglancedatMichaelandsawthathehadlefthisworkandwassittingwithhiseyesfixedonthelittlegirls。Simonwassurprised。Itwastruethegirlswerepretty，withblackeyes，plump，androsy-cheeked，andtheyworenicekerchiefsandfurcoats，butstillSimoncouldnotunderstandwhyMichaelshouldlookatthemlikethat——justasifhehadknownthembefore。
　　Hewaspuzzled，butwentontalkingwiththewoman，andarrangingtheprice。Havingfixedit，hepreparedthemeasure。Thewomanliftedthelamegirlontoherlapandsaid:’Taketwomeasuresfromthislittlegirl。Makeoneshoeforthelamefootandthreeforthesoundone。Theybothhavethesamesizedfeet。Theyaretwins。’
　　Simontookthemeasureand，speakingofthelamegirl，said:’Howdidithappentoher？Sheissuchaprettygirl。Wasshebornso？’
　　’No，hermothercrushedherleg。’