The Helpful Elves

Kopisch (1799–1853) was a German poet and painter whose métier was retelling folk tales; one of his most enduring efforts has proved to be a version of an old Cologne legend about the Heinzel-männchen (house gnomes). Here, the story is paired with droll, mid-century style illustrations by Braun-Fock (1898–1973), which also take the form of cut-out figures perched at the top of each page, giving the effect of a cumulative elfin chorus. According to the tale, the people of Cologne never used to do a lick of work. They just went to sleep, “and along came the elves” to bake, butcher, build, tailor, or groom. But when a tailor’s wife tries to find out who’s behind these expertly executed chores, the elves get spooked and never return, forcing the townsfolk to become working schlubs like everybody else. Although it’s probably too brisk and unsentimental for some, one can imagine a niche audience for this curious work—surely there are children out there with a taste for Germanic astringency, especially when a moral of “So there” is served up as the chaser. Ages 3–up. (Oct.)