A happy shoemaker - who sings beautifully while he works - is stopping his wealthy but miserable neighbour from sleeping. So the rich man hatches a plan to put an end to the shoemaker's sunny disposition. But how can a bag of gold coins steal the music from the shoemaker's life? The simple message of this La Fontaine fable - that cheerfulness is worth more than any amount of accumulated riches - is gloriously told in this lovely picture book from Brian Wildsmith, an internationally acclaimed writer and artist for children. His simple words and sumptuous illustrations bring a freshness to this timeless fable and the stunning new cover design and imaginative interior typography will delight a whole new generation of young Wildsmith fans.