What's The Story "The Red Shoes"� By Hans Anderson All About?

"The Red Shoes" is a didactic story. It also contains the elements of pathos and sorrows. The red shoes symbolise sin and vanity. The story reveals the fact that sinful and vain people are punished by God. But God is very kind and beneficent at the same time. If such people repent upon their sins, He forgives them.

Karen, was a poor small girl. She was very delicate and beautiful. She lived in a village. She used to wear wooden clogs which injured her feet. A shoemaker's widow took pity on her and made her a red pair of shoes. She attended the funeral of her mother with those red shoes. It was a sin. Taking pity on her a rich old lady adopted her. The old lady bought her new clothes and burnt her old red shoes.

The old lady gave her a fine pair of red shoes. Karen became more proud. She went to church in them. The people disliked it. When she was baptized she was only thinking of her red shoes. When the old lady heard this she forbade Karen to attend Church in red shoes.
Karen ignored the advice and next Sunday again went to Church in red shoes. At the Church door an old soldier with long funny beard met. He said that the red shoes were good for dancing. Karen started dancing and could not stop. Even cart man picked her back.

The kind old lady fell ill. Karen, instead of nursing her put on red shoes and went to attend a dance party. Now her punishment started. When she started dancing , she lost control over her feet. Her shoes took her away and she came out in streets. She danced day and night. She danced over thorny bushes and strong ways. She danced by the house of old kind lady who had died. One day she reached a small house of an executioner. He came out and cut her feet with an axe. He made her crutches.

Karen confessed her sins and went to a parsonage. Parson's wife took pity on her and engaged her as a maid servant. She did her duty honestly and prayed for God. One Sunday the Parson and his wife went to Church. She was alone at home. She went to her tiny room and wept bitterly. Suddenly an angel appeared with a green branch of tree in his hand. He touched the ceiling and walls of the tiny room with the green bough. Karen found herself in Church. She felt much peace and joy and died hearing hymn in praise of God.