When I were but a tiny lass
My favourite fairy tale to read,
'Twas of the cobbler a-mending shoes
So poor he was a-feared.

He had no coins to rub together
To make another pair of boots
The folks about, true nagged him sore
To get a move on with their dues.

But, then per-chance a secret plot a foot,
As little men crept in from the night
Without no light, but might of skill
They toiled and hammered 'til the dawn,
then vanished... vamoose
As every crafted shoe was built.

With a tap-tap steady beat
the needles flew
upon those great big boots
Tick tack, went the little hammers,
As mischief twinkled in the crew
for with no one to view
they crooned with lilting voice
and sipped a steamy brew,
Until one day they disappeared
with out no more to-do .

How pleased the villagers were of course
Ne'er a'fore, such stitching fine be seen,
Thus the cobblers debt was gone for good
All owing to the mysterious little men in green.

Oh such a thing for my tender little heart to dream,
Of the wonder it is to bless,
So many loving deeds done behind the scenes
as The Great Cobblers apprentice
secrets
That we never need confess.


Soft Whispers from
Derry's Heart Poems
© 2004 used with permission
heartwhispers@iinet.net.au