The Red Shoes
Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a poor little girl named Karen. Karen’s mother had passed away, and she lived with her elderly grandmother, who did her best to care for her. Karen was a sweet and kind child, but she had one weakness: she loved beautiful things, especially shoes.
One day, a kind shoemaker in the village took pity on Karen and made her a pair of simple red shoes from scraps of leather. Though they were not fancy, Karen adored them. She wore them everywhere, even though they were worn and tattered.
When Karen’s grandmother grew too old to care for her, a wealthy woman in the village took Karen in. The woman thought the red shoes were ugly and threw them into the fire. She bought Karen a new pair of black shoes and dressed her in fine clothes. Karen was grateful but couldn’t forget her beloved red shoes.
One day, as Karen and her new guardian passed by a shoe shop, she saw a pair of beautiful red shoes in the window. They were made of the finest leather and shone like rubies. Karen longed for them, but her guardian refused to buy them, saying they were too extravagant.
Soon after, Karen’s guardian fell ill. As she lay on her deathbed, she gave Karen a pair of plain black shoes and told her to be good and humble. But Karen couldn’t resist the temptation of the red shoes. When the old woman passed away, Karen used the little money she had to buy the red shoes from the shop.
The next Sunday, Karen wore the red shoes to church. As she walked, she couldn’t help but admire how they sparkled in the sunlight. When she entered the church, an old soldier with a long red beard stood by the door. He tapped the shoes and said, “What beautiful dancing shoes!”
During the service, Karen thought only of her red shoes. When the congregation stood to sing hymns, Karen felt her feet begin to move on their own. She tried to stop, but the shoes seemed to have a mind of their own. They danced her out of the church and into the streets, spinning and twirling uncontrollably.
Karen danced through the village, past the fields, and into the forest. She danced all day and all night, unable to stop. Exhausted and frightened, she begged for help, but no one could free her from the shoes. Even when she reached the executioner’s house and pleaded with him to cut off her feet, the shoes continued to dance.
Finally, the executioner took pity on her and cut off her feet. The red shoes, still containing her feet, danced away into the forest. Karen was given wooden feet and crutches, and she returned to the village, vowing to live a humble and repentant life.
Karen spent her days in prayer and reflection, seeking forgiveness for her vanity. One Sunday, as she sat in church, she saw a vision of an angel. The angel told her that her suffering had purified her soul and that she would find peace in heaven.
When Karen passed away, her spirit ascended to heaven, where she was free from the torment of the red shoes. The villagers never forgot her story, and it served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of vanity and pride.
