The Red Shoes
The Girl with the Red Shoes
“The Red Shoes” is a story about a girl named Karen who lived in a small village surrounded by green fields. Her clothes were made only of thick, rough cloth. She often had no shoes, so her feet grew used to the cold or heat of the ground with every step. If ever she had shoes, they were old and made of wood, hurting her heels.
As she watched women pass by in beautiful clothes and shoes, she would clutch her old skirt. She, too, wanted to feel beautiful, not to boast, but to feel that she was also someone of worth in people’s eyes.
Karen’s First Red Shoes
One day, the shoemaker’s wife in their village pitied her. She sewed a simple pair of red shoes from scraps of leather thrown away in the shop. They weren’t shiny or expensive, but in Karen’s eyes, they were the most beautiful thing in the world.
When she wore those red shoes, she felt like a princess. She walked to church with her head held high. People noticed her. Some smiled, happy for her, but others shook their heads, thinking such bright shoes were not appropriate in church. Karen didn’t care. What mattered was that she wore shoes that made her happy. That was when a tiny seed of pride started to grow in her heart. It was not obvious yet, but slowly taking root in her longing for love and recognition.
Adopted by a Rich Old Woman
One day, a wealthy old woman passed by the church. She saw Karen, thin and dirty but with a kind face. She felt sorry for her and adopted the child to care for her and give her a better future. She brought her to her big house in town. There, Karen was dressed in beautiful clothes, bathed in perfume, and taught good manners and prayers.
When the old woman saw Karen’s red shoes made of scraps, she threw them away. In her eyes, they were not fit for a girl now living a comfortable life. Karen did not even cry out of fear and shame. But in her heart, the desire for red shoes remained.
The New Red Shoes
Years later, Karen needed shoes for her confirmation. She was brought to the famous shoemaker in town. While choosing shoes, she saw a stunning pair of shiny red shoes on display. Her heart was pinched with admiration. Though they were not proper for church, she couldn’t stop herself from asking for them.
Because the old woman’s eyesight was failing, she did not notice the color. She bought them for Karen. On her confirmation day, Karen wore a white dress and the red shoes that glimmered under the sun. As she walked inside the church, she thought not of God, but only of how beautiful her shoes were.
Karen’s Growing Love for the Red Shoes
From then on, she could not stop thinking about the red shoes. She wore them everywhere, such as to church, to town, and to gatherings. When she danced, her skirt would twirl and her shoes would sparkle, making everyone look at her.
Many times, the priest warned her that such displays of vanity were not right in church. But Karen did not listen. As she knelt in prayer, her eyes stayed on her red shoes, as if she no longer cared about the priest’s words.
The Beginning of the Red Shoes’ Curse
One evening, she was brought by the old woman to a banquet in town. She wore her red shoes and danced all night. An old soldier with a strange beard tapped her shoes and said, “Beautiful shoes for a beautiful dance.”
Karen didn’t understand what he meant. But as she started dancing, she could no longer stop. Her feet moved on their own. She kept dancing out of the hall, down the street, and into the night. She couldn’t control herself. She spun around the roads, crying as her red shoes kept stepping and swaying as if they had a life of their own.
The Old Woman’s Death and Karen’s Suffering
While Karen danced endlessly, the old woman who adopted her grew gravely ill. She died alone in their house. No one heard her final words or farewells because the child she loved was too busy with her endless dance on the streets.
When Karen paused for a moment, as her shoes struggled on a steep path, she thought of the old woman. Her heart filled with deep regret and sorrow. Her love for the red shoes had pulled her away from the only person who loved and cared for her.
Karen’s Terrifying Decision
At last, in exhaustion and terror, Karen went to the executioner’s house. She begged him for one request, which is to cut off her feet to end the curse of the red shoes. The executioner looked at her with pity. Using his sharp axe, he cut off Karen’s feet while they still wore the shoes.
The red shoes with Karen’s feet flew into the street and continued to dance away from her. She watched them as tears fell from her eyes. Her feet were replaced with wooden ones, and she was given crutches. From then on, she lived on the charity of the church, walking slowly and filled with remorse.
Karen’s Repayment
Karen became a cleaner in the church. Every day, she swept the floors, cleaned the pews, and arranged the candles. But she did not attend mass out of shame. She sat outside, listening to the songs and prayers of the people inside.
One day, while she was praying, she saw angels descending from heaven. Their faces glowed with light, and in their hands were white roses. They called Karen and said, “Come with us.” She stood and felt she no longer needed her crutches. She saw herself floating towards the light, free from the hardships of the world and the curse of the red shoes.
In the last moment of her life, she smiled. Her soul was freed from the deceitful beauty of the red shoes.
The Lesson from “The Red Shoes”
The story of “The Red Shoes” by Hans Christian Andersen shows the danger of excessive vanity and pride. There is nothing wrong with admiring beauty, but when it becomes the center of one’s life and crosses the line, it destroys the true value of a person. Karen became a victim of her desire for the red shoes, which in the end led to her downfall.
But through her repentance and humility, she gained forgiveness. In this story, we see that true beauty is not found in shoes or material things, but in humility and love for God and others. “The Red Shoes” remains a reminder that pride leads nowhere good, but with repentance and goodness of heart, there is always hope in the end.