“The Red Shoes” is a fairy tale that belongs to the collection of the Danish writer and poet Hans Christian Andersen, published in 1845. It is a story that tells the story of a poor girl who could not buy some shoes, so that she always went barefoot, until one day she had red slippers that would teach her a great lesson. It is a perfect story to make the little ones at home reflect on values ​​as essential as humility, conformity and simplicity.

A story to reflect on vanity

A long time ago there lived a beautiful girl named Karen. She was passionate about dancing, so she used to spend several hours a day dancing around the house. In fact, she sometimes imagined herself as a great dancer who received the applause of her audience. However, her family was so poor that they couldn’t even buy her what she wanted most: red dancing shoes.

When her mother died, a wealthy lady took in the girl and took care of her as if she were her daughter, taking care of her every whim. One day, she called her and said: Paw Patrol coloring pages.

– This afternoon we will go to a big party, buy some suitable shoes for the celebration.

However, Karen ignored the old woman, taking advantage of the fact that the lady did not see very well, she ordered a pair of red dance shoes from the shoemaker. The slippers were gorgeous! Worthy of a dancer, so on the day of the celebration no one could take their eyes off Karen’s red shoes.

One of the guests approached the old woman and told her that it was not well seen for a girl to wear that color for shoes. The woman, angry with Karen for having disobeyed her, rebuked her right there:

– You shouldn’t have. You have disobeyed me and you have behaved like a vain girl, so you will not get far.

However, the girl ignored the scolding and took advantage of any occasion to show off her beautiful shoes. To Karen’s bad luck, misfortune knocked on her door again and her benefactor, the old lady, died shortly after. To say her last goodbye, she organized a funeral attended by people from all over the region.

Karen was heartbroken, but as she was getting dressed for the funeral she saw the red shoes glowing in the dark. She knew she shouldn’t, but, without a second thought, she reached for the slippers and slipped her little feet into them.

– I will be much more elegant! – She said to herself and left for the funeral.

As she entered the church, an ugly, bearded old man addressed her:

– What beautiful dance shoes! Do you want me to clean them? – She asked him.

Karen thought that this way the shoes would shine more and, without paying attention to what the lady always told her about dressing demurely, she gave the slippers to the man. The man stared at the shoes and giving the soles a blow, ordered them in a whisper:

– Adjust well when you dance!

At the end of the funeral and leaving the church, Karen began to feel something strange in her feet. She looked down and, without being able to contain them, the red slippers took on a life of their own and began to move following a strange rhythm, as if they were possessed.

The people of the town, surprised, saw how Karen danced away through the squares, the meadows and the pastures. No matter how hard she tried, there was no way to get her shoes off, they seemed to be stuck to her feet! Thus, the days passed and Karen kept dancing and dancing.

I was so tired! She had never felt so alone and sad before. She cried and cried as she danced, thinking how foolish and vain she had been, as well as her ungrateful attitude towards the good lady and the townspeople who had helped her so much.

– I can not anymore! – She moaned desperately. – I have to take off these shoes even if it is necessary to cut off my feet.

Determined, she went dancing to a nearby town where an executioner very famous for his skill with the ax lived. When he arrived, without stopping dancing and with tears in his eyes, he shouted from the door:

– Salt! Salt! I can’t get in because I’m dancing.

– Don’t you know who I am? I cut heads! – the executioner told him.

– No, I don’t want you to cut off my head! If you do, I won’t be able to repent for my vanity. But please, cut off my feet with the red shoes so I can stop dancing – Karen asked desperately.

However, great was Karen’s surprise when the door opened and instead of seeing a terrible executioner, she saw the shoe-shine beggar who had enchanted her red slippers.

– What beautiful dance shoes! – She exclaimed. – They sure fit great when dancing! – She said winking at poor Karen.

– Let me see them up close.

The beggar put his skeletal fingers to the shoes and the red slippers stopped. Karen stopped dancing immediately. She with great embarrassment she thanked him and went home. She had learned her lesson, so as soon as she arrived she put the slippers in a glass case and not a day went by that she wasn’t thankful that she didn’t have to keep dancing inside those red slippers.