The Shoemaker and the Mermaids

By Pamela Love

Waves sloshed below the old man as he sat at the pier’s edge, waiting. A face emerged from the sea, her hair as white as the foam on the wave crests.

“It is good to see you, Mr. Crispin. You have the boot?”

Puzzled as he always was during these exchanges, Crispin held it out. “Though what you want with it is beyond me, ma’am. I mean, Your Majesty. I fixed it though, just like you asked.”

A young, auburn-haired mermaid pulled herself out of the water. She took the boot from him and tied it up in a canvas bag.

The queen held out a golden coin. “Your payment, sir.”

The old man shook his head. “It’s too much, ma’am, really it is.” And yet, he took the coin and slipped it into his pocket.

“We have something else for you to repair,” the mermaid queen said.

The other mermaid handed Crispin another canvas bag. When the old man opened the sack, inside was a boot, nearly identical to the first. Its wooden heel was missing a nail.

Crispin inspected it. “Yes, I can mend it for you. See you again this time next week?”

The merfolk saluted, and Crispin turned to leave.

“Why would those mermaids want boots mended?” the shoemaker mumbled. “Can’t think of anything that’s of less use to them. Need feet for those, and however much gold they have, feet they do not.” He shuffled down the cobblestone street.

“I s’pose these may belong to some human friend of theirs.” He gave a sidelong glance toward the sea. “Or perhaps mermaids can change into humans somehow. They’d need boots then. But one of these gold pieces would pay for five pairs of brand-new ones.”

Years ago, right after Crispin retired from his shop, the mermaids began their odd requests for his help. Can’t turn down a mermaid queen, he thought, so he simply did his work in his cottage.

Crispin pulled his toolbox out from under his bed, dropped the coin in among hundreds of others just like it, and rummaged around to find the small hammer. I’ll be! This boot is a left one, same as the boot I just fixed.

Raising his eyebrows, he chuckled. Those mermaids are out of their senses. Or, more likely, they don’t know much about feet.

He tapped the new nail in. “Must tell Hal and Ned about this when they get back from their fishing trip. Those sons o’ mine know more about the sea people than I ever will.”

The following week, the two mermaids were waiting when Crispin arrived at the pier. He held out the boot. “Well, here it is. Why do you want a pair of two left boots, if you don’t mind my asking?”

The queen answered, “They have great sentimental value for my family.” She leaned toward him. “But you may keep them, if you like.”

Crispin rolled his eyes. “What would I want with a couple o’ left boots?” Next time I see my boys, I’ll tell them about these mermaids and their silly notions. Why, these boots wouldn’t even fit me. Fact is, they’re more the size of Hal and Ned’s feet. At least, I think they are. It’s been so long since my sons have been home.

He rubbed the back of his neck. When was the last time he’d seen the boys? They were supposed to come home right around sundown. There’d been a knock on the door. He’d opened it, wondering why they’d knocked instead of just coming right in. But it wasn’t them standing there.

“My boys…” Crispin swallowed hard. His face turned ash white. “These—these boots belonged to them, didn’t they?”

The queen nodded. “Your sons saw a sea serpent chasing my grandchildren. Hal and Ned steered their fishing boat into the monster’s side, distracting it so the merchildren could flee. Our warriors slew the serpent, but not in time to save your sons. We are forever in their debt. We will never forget their courage.”

“And this is all that was left?” The shoemaker cradled the boot.

“Yes. Believe me, we searched. All of my people did.”

Crispin staggered along the pier’s end. “They were due home at sundown. I wanted to teach them to be cobblers. It’s safer, you know? But Ned and Hal wanted to be fishermen and I said, if they promised to be careful…”

He squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, Crispin looked back at the mermaids with a grin. “Those boys o’ mine! Late getting home again.” He shook his head and turned toward the merqueen. “I’ll teach ‘em to make me worry. Well, here’s your boot, ma’am.”

Tears glistened in the queen’s eyes. “And here is your payment. We have another task for you…” She handed him the other left boot.

The merqueen watched the shoemaker leave. As always, Crispin was mumbling under his breath. His footsteps across the pier seemed to echo her heartbeat.

The younger mermaid asked, “How long has it been, Grandmother?”

“Seven years since his sons saved you and your brother. A few seconds of remembrance, and then he forgets again. All we can do to thank his sons for their sacrifice is to ensure their father is never in want. And all we can give that father of heroes is gold, which is nothing compared to the infinite treasure he has lost.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pamela Love was born in New Jersey, and worked as a teacher and in marketing before becoming a writer. Her work has appeared in Havok, Page & Spine, and Luna Station Quarterly. She is the 2020 winner of the Magazine Merit Fiction Award for her story “The Fog Test”, which appeared in Cricket. She and her family live in Maryland.

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