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Short Christmas story: the smallest elf in the workshop
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In Santa's workshop, there are lots of elves. Tall elves and round elves, elves with curly hair and elves with freckles.
And there is Mo.
Mo is the smallest elf of all. Smaller than a broom. Smaller than the big paint pots. When Mo stands next to the workbench, only the pom-pom of his hat pokes over the top.
Too small
Mo wanted to help. Very, very much.
"Can I paint the rocking horse?" he asked.
But he could not reach its head.
"Can I put the books on the top shelf?"
But he could not reach the top shelf, not even on a stool.
"Can I carry the big box of blocks?"
But the box was bigger than Mo. He could not even see where he was going.
Mo sat down on an upturned bucket. "I'm too small for everything," he sighed.
Oh no!
Just then, someone in the workshop shouted, "Oh no!"
It was Pip the elf. He was kneeling on the floor next to a big, heavy cupboard.
"My silver bell has rolled under the cupboard," said Pip. "It's the bell for the sleigh. Santa needs it tonight!"
The tall elves knelt down. They pushed their arms under the cupboard. But their arms were too big. They could not fit.
The round elves tried to move the cupboard. But it was far too heavy.
Everyone looked at each other. What now?
Just right
Then a small voice said, "Can I try?"
It was Mo.
Mo lay down on the floor. He wriggled. He squeezed. He slid all the way under the cupboard, like a little mouse.
It was dark under there. Dark and dusty. Mo sneezed. Atchoo!
And then he saw something shiny. Something round and silver.
He stretched out his hand... and got it!
Mo wriggled backwards, out from under the cupboard. He was covered in dust, from his hat to his shoes. But in his hand was the silver bell.
Jingle, jingle.
Hooray for Mo
"Hooray!" shouted Pip.
"Hooray for Mo!" shouted all the elves.
Santa came to see what all the noise was about. Pip told him everything.
Santa knelt down next to Mo and brushed the dust off his hat.
"Thank you, Mo," he said. "You know, everyone in this workshop is good at something. Tall elves are good at reaching. Strong elves are good at carrying. And small elves are good at finding things in small places."
Mo smiled from ear to ear.
That evening, the silver bell hung on the sleigh. And every time it jingled, Mo thought: being small is not too small at all. It's just right.
Things to do together
- Why did Mo feel sad at first?
- How did Mo help?
- What are you good at, because you are just the size you are?
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