And sing a glad song
Of praise by the way."




THE RED SHOES.


BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN, TRANSLATED BY MARY HOWITT.

* * * * *

CHAPTER FIRST.


HOW LITTLE KAREN WAS ADOPTED BY A LADY, AND HOW SHE CAME BY HER RED
SHOES.

There was once a little girl who was very pretty and delicate, but in
the summer she was obliged to run about with bare feet, she was so poor,
and in the winter to wear large wooden shoes, which made her little
instep quite red, and that looked so dangerous!

In the middle of the village lived old mother Shoemaker, and she sat and
sewed together, as well as she could, a little pair of shoes out of red
cloth; they were very clumsy, but it was a kind thought,--they were
meant for the little girl.

The little girl was called Karen. On the very day her mother was buried