This is one of Ayliyah's favourite little tales, tho it is a bit grusome.
But with everyone tuning in to the find a new Dorothy,
well who else would need red shoes![]()
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by Hans Christian Andersen
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NCE upon a time there was little girl,
pretty and dainty. But in summer time she was obliged to go barefooted
because she was poor, and in winter she had to wear large wooden shoes,
so that her little instep grew quite red.
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Karen received the shoes and wore them for the first time on the day of
her mother’s funeral. They were certainly not suitable for mourning; but
she had no others, and so she put her bare feet into them and walked
behind the humble coffin.
Just then a large old carriage came by, and in it sat an old lady; she
looked at the little girl, and taking pity on her, said to the clergyman,
“Look here, if you will give me the little girl, I will take care of
her.”
Karen believed that this was all on account of the red shoes, but the old
lady thought them hideous, and so they were burnt. Karen herself was
dressed very neatly and cleanly; she was taught to read and to sew, and
people said that she was pretty. But the mirror told her, “You are more
than pretty—you are beautiful.”
One day the Queen was travelling through that part of the country, and
had her little daughter, who was a princess, with her. All the people,
amongst them Karen too, streamed towards the castle, where the little
princess, in fine white clothes, stood before the window and allowed
herself to be stared at. She wore neither a train nor a golden crown, but
beautiful red morocco shoes; they were indeed much finer than those which
the shoemaker’s wife had sewn for little Karen. There is really nothing
in the world that can be compared to red shoes!
But with everyone tuning in to the find a new Dorothy,
well who else would need red shoes
The Red Shoes
by Hans Christian Andersen
(1845)
pretty and dainty. But in summer time she was obliged to go barefooted
because she was poor, and in winter she had to wear large wooden shoes,
so that her little instep grew quite red.
In the middle of the village lived an old shoemaker’s wife; she sat down
and made, as well as she could, a pair of little shoes out of some old
pieces of red cloth. They were clumsy, but she meant well, for they were
intended for the little girl, whose name was Karen.
and made, as well as she could, a pair of little shoes out of some old
pieces of red cloth. They were clumsy, but she meant well, for they were
intended for the little girl, whose name was Karen.
Karen received the shoes and wore them for the first time on the day of
her mother’s funeral. They were certainly not suitable for mourning; but
she had no others, and so she put her bare feet into them and walked
behind the humble coffin.
Just then a large old carriage came by, and in it sat an old lady; she
looked at the little girl, and taking pity on her, said to the clergyman,
“Look here, if you will give me the little girl, I will take care of
her.”
Karen believed that this was all on account of the red shoes, but the old
lady thought them hideous, and so they were burnt. Karen herself was
dressed very neatly and cleanly; she was taught to read and to sew, and
people said that she was pretty. But the mirror told her, “You are more
than pretty—you are beautiful.”
One day the Queen was travelling through that part of the country, and
had her little daughter, who was a princess, with her. All the people,
amongst them Karen too, streamed towards the castle, where the little
princess, in fine white clothes, stood before the window and allowed
herself to be stared at. She wore neither a train nor a golden crown, but
beautiful red morocco shoes; they were indeed much finer than those which
the shoemaker’s wife had sewn for little Karen. There is really nothing
in the world that can be compared to red shoes!
