The Red Shoes
A Modest Life and an Unexpected Discovery
In a small village lived a beautiful little girl named Karen. She lived with her mother in a small cottage. Karen was a poor little girl. She didn't even have shoes. She always wore wooden shoes that her mother made for her.
The shoes were heavy, and Karen's feet always hurt. Soon after, Karen's mother became very ill. Karen spent her time taking care of her mother.
Once, while returning home, Karen found a pair of red shoes in a box. The box was on the pavement. Karen fell in love with the red shoes and decided to take them home.
Mother and the Red Shoes
But her mother was not happy when she saw the red shoes.
— Karen, you must never pick anything up from the road. It might belong to someone else. That is stealing. Someone is probably looking for their red shoes.
— Then they should have been more careful, Mother! Finders keepers. — Oh, Karen, don't be so stubborn, my child. I know we are poor and I can't buy you new, shiny shoes, but poverty must not push us to do wrong things. Promise me you will never wear these red shoes.
Karen was sad, but she couldn't break her mother's heart, so she promised her she would never wear the red shoes.
A Loss and a Controversial Decision
Time passed, but Karen couldn't stop thinking about the red shoes.
— Mother doesn't understand. If these beautiful shoes were thrown away on the road, then maybe no one needed them.
A week later, Karen's mother had died from her illness. Karen was very, very sad. But she did something unusual. At her mother's funeral, Karen wore the red shoes. Everyone present at the funeral looked at Karen's feet. But Karen didn't care. She loved her shoes.
A New Home and a New Prohibition
At that moment, an old woman was passing by the funeral in her carriage. She was a kind old lady. When she found out that a young girl had been orphaned, she decided to adopt Karen.
— Oh, dear girl! Come with me. I will offer you shelter and food. You must learn to be someone in this life. Oh! What do you have on your feet? Why did you wear them to your mother's funeral? They are ugly. Take them off!
— No, I like them! They are mine! — Oh, child, don't be so stubborn! I will buy you a good pair of shoes.
The old lady forced Karen to take off her red shoes. Karen was sad not to see her red shoes anymore. The old lady had no children. She treated Karen like her own daughter. She gave her a room of her own and new dresses. Karen also received a new pair of shoes. But they were blue. Karen missed her red shoes. She always thought about them.
Karen's Stubbornness Grows
— Why won't anyone let me wear my beautiful red shoes? I will wear them one day and no one will be able to stop me.
Years passed, and Karen grew up. She was now a young and beautiful lady. But as she grew, her stubbornness was even greater. Karen was a difficult child.
— I won't eat this! I want rice! — But I have already prepared this delicious lunch. Do you at least want to taste it? — No! I prefer to starve!
The old lady loved Karen and didn't want her to starve. She always satisfied even her most absurd demands. Time passed. All of Karen's old clothes and her blue shoes were now small. The old lady realized that she had to buy new clothes and shoes for Karen.
The Red Shoes Reappear
As they entered a shop to buy shoes, Karen caught sight of a pair of shiny red shoes.
— Oh! They are identical to the ones I had when I was little! I want them! — Oh, the red shoes again! Karen, buy the ones you will always wear. If we have to go to a funeral, you can't wear red shoes to a funeral. It is disrespectful. I have little money. I can't buy you two pairs of shoes and we will have to walk home. My feet hurt now. I can't walk.
But Karen was very happy to see her red shoes. She didn't listen to a word.
— I don't care! I like them and I want them! If you don't buy them for me, then I will walk barefoot for the rest of my life. — Ah! Don't be so stubborn, my child. That will cost you one day.
But Karen didn't listen. The old lady had to buy the red shoes. She also bought a pair of black shoes for Karen. The old lady had no money now and they had to walk home. All the way, the old lady was bent over in pain. But Karen danced. She spun like the wind, laughing and singing, without paying attention to the old lady's sore feet.
A New Funeral and a New Defiance
The next day, the old lady had to go to a funeral.
— Karen, we have to go to a funeral in town. Come with me. But don't wear those red shoes. It's disrespectful.
Karen went to her room and looked at the black shoes. Then at the red ones and wore them. She hid her feet under her skirt, so the old lady wouldn't see the red shoes. Throughout the funeral, people kept looking at Karen's feet. There was gossip about the girl who didn't respect the dead.
Someone told the old lady about what had happened. The old lady was now furious. She took Karen by the hand and they left the funeral.
— Oh, stubborn child! What have you done? I asked you not to wear those shoes here! Why do you never listen? — But these are my shoes! I will wear them when I want to!
The Curse of the Red Shoes
An old soldier passing by watched everything. As the old lady and Karen were heading towards the carriage, he came to Karen, knelt down and whispered to the shoes:
— Be as stubborn as your mistress and keep dancing as fast as you are!
Then the soldier touched Karen's feet.
— Oh, sir, please get up! What are you doing? — Oh, I was just admiring your superb red dancing shoes. You must be an extraordinary dancer!
Karen was pleased. She wanted to show the soldier that she was indeed a brilliant dancer. She started to dance a few steps before getting into the carriage with the old lady.
— But! Ah! Why can't I stop dancing? Why won't my feet stop? What's happening to me? — Oh, Karen, what are you doing? Come back!
But Karen was already far ahead of the carriage. The red shoes no longer obeyed her at all. They were stubborn. They carried Karen into the forest and to the mountains. They danced continuously. Karen's feet now hurt. Her back also hurt from so much dancing. She couldn't sleep or eat anymore. She missed her home and her bed. But more than that, she missed the old lady. But the shoes wouldn't stop. She continued in a dancing pace day and night.
The Consequences of Stubbornness
— Ah! Someone help me! I'm tired!
But no one could come to her aid. Karen was now scared. The shoes were taking her towards the thorny bushes and Karen's feet hurt terribly. In the end, Karen managed to take off her red shoes. The shoes were no longer on her feet, but they continued to dance. Karen's feet were terribly injured. She couldn't stand without the help of a stick.
— Ow! My feet hurt! I want to go home!
Karen somehow managed to get home and the red shoes followed her. The old lady was happy to see Karen. She gave her food and managed to make her rest. The next day, Karen wanted to go to the market. But when she opened the door, she found the red shoes right on the doorstep. They were dancing and stopping Karen from leaving the house.
The old lady and Karen were surprised to see those dancing shoes. Karen quickly realized it was all her fault.
— I shouldn't have been so stubborn all my life. I was as stubborn as the red shoes. I can't leave my house, I can't go to school or to the market, I can't go anywhere! I'm so sorry. What do I do now?
Forgiveness and the Lesson Learned
— Oh, dear! Why don't you pray for the magic shoes to disappear? If you are sorry for your behavior, your prayer will be answered.
Karen began to pray and pray day and night. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see the old soldier from the village standing in front of her.
— Child, I am glad you have learned your lesson. Just as you have left your stubbornness behind, so must the shoes.
Saying these words, the soldier and the red shoes disappeared. Karen and the old lady were now happy and peaceful. Karen decided to study hard and never let the red shoes enter her life again.
Don't be stubborn, children! It will cost you one day.
