00:00Once upon a time,
00:29a shoemaker worked extra long hours
00:32to make a pair of beautiful red shoes
00:34for a little girl who lived next door
00:36with her mother, who was very sick.
00:39They were too poor to have a doctor
00:41or even to afford shoes for the little girl,
00:44whose name was...
00:46Karen!
00:47I have made a very special pair of shoes
00:50for a good little girl who takes care of her mother
00:52for you.
00:55Oh, thank you so much!
00:57But late that night,
00:59Karen's happiness turned to deep sorrow
01:01Oh, Mama!
01:03as her beloved mother died in her sleep.
01:08On the day of her mother's funeral,
01:10Karen wore the red shoes.
01:12She knew that bright red shoes
01:13were totally improper for a funeral,
01:15but she had no other choice.
01:17They were the only shoes she owned.
01:19How can my shoes look so happy on such a sad day?
01:26Poor little girl,
01:33and all alone.
01:35Oh, you poor darling.
01:39When the lady learned that Karen had become an orphan,
01:43her heart was touched.
01:45She took Karen home with her
01:47and arranged with the minister at her church
01:49to adopt Karen as her very own daughter.
01:55Karen thought surely it was the beautiful red shoes
01:58that had brought her so much good fortune and happiness.
02:03Karen's new home was the largest,
02:06loveliest house she'd ever seen,
02:08and her new mother bought her beautiful clothes
02:10and hired a private teacher to educate her.
02:13But Karen was very unhappy
02:14because her favorite shoes were considered
02:16too dirty to wear,
02:17and they were destroyed in the fireplace.
02:23Not a day went by without Karen thinking about the red shoes
02:27and longing for them.
02:30If only I could wear them again,
02:32I know they'd make me happy.
02:40Karen, I think it's time you receive your baptism in the church.
02:45Tomorrow, let's go into town
02:47and get you some new clothes and new shoes, okay?
02:50Thank you, Mama.
03:00At the shoe store,
03:01Karen spotted a pair of red shoes,
03:04and of course,
03:05she fell in love with them at first sight.
03:10They fit you beautifully, Karen.
03:13Oh, can I really have these shoes, Mama?
03:15Please, can I?
03:17The kind lady never told anyone she was colorblind.
03:20She didn't know they were red
03:21and not suitable for a baptism.
03:23Mm-hmm.
03:28Huh?
03:35The old soldier frightened Karen
03:37with a strange way he stared at the red shoes.
03:40And the way he said,
03:42Once you start dancing
03:43in these beautiful red shoes,
03:46they'll stick to your feet very well.
03:51Karen was very proud
03:52that everyone in church stared at her red shoes.
03:56Everyone.
03:58All through the sermon,
03:59Karen thought only about the red shoes,
04:02and she didn't hear a word the minister said.
04:05Even while receiving her baptism,
04:07her mind was only on her red shoes.
04:09Oh, I can't wait to start dancing
04:13in these wonderful, beautiful shoes.
04:22Outside the church,
04:23the old soldier again spoke to Karen.
04:26Ah, they are beautiful dancing shoes.
04:30Karen felt a strange urge,
04:32and she tried dancing a little step then and there.
04:34all of a sudden...
04:48The shoes were dancing on their own power,
04:50and Karen couldn't make them stop
04:51no matter how hard she tried.
04:53It took several large men a great deal of struggling to hold Karen down and to get those red shoes off her feet.
05:09Those mysterious red shoes would be put away in a closet after this.
05:17Soon after that, the kind lady became sick and couldn't leave her bed.
05:23Karen was very grateful to her adopted mother and did her best to take care of her.
05:28But the postman brought Karen an invitation to an exciting dance party in town.
05:32And soon Karen's mind could think of nothing but her red shoes and how wonderful it would be to dance again.
05:44I'm sorry about the dance, but I need you here.
05:47Oh, it's okay, Mama.
05:49But in Karen's heart, the red shoes kept beckoning to her, irresistibly.
05:57Oh, I wish I could put them on and go to the dance party.
06:00Maybe I'll just try them on.
06:03No harm in that.
06:05Karen forgot the shoes have a will of their own.
06:08And the moment she put them on, they began forcing her to dance.
06:11And Karen danced off to the party, leaving her mother alone.
06:27At the party, Karen danced like a wild, possessed creature.
06:35The shoes would not let her stop and rest.
06:37On and on she danced, away from the party, out of town and deep into the forest beyond.
06:51Help!
06:52Help!
06:52Help!
06:52Help!
06:53Help!
06:53Help!
06:54Help!
06:54Help!
06:55Help!
06:56Help!
06:57Help!
06:58Help!
06:59Help!
07:00Help!
07:01Help!
07:02Help!
07:03Help!
07:04Help!
07:05Help!
07:06Help!
07:07Help!
07:08Help!
07:09Help!
07:10Help!
07:11Help!
07:12Help!
07:13Help!
07:14Help!
07:15Help!
07:16Help!
07:17Help!
07:18Help!
07:19Help!
07:20Karen suddenly realized her poor, sick, adopted mother had died, alone and helpless.
07:38And it was all Karen's fault for being so selfish and thoughtless.
07:41It's my fault. I never should have left her alone in the house.
07:53Oh, dear God, forgive me for the great wrong I've done.
07:56Please, take me instead and let her live.
08:00Take me to where my adopted mother is, dear God.
08:11Very well, Karen. Come with me. Don't be afraid.
08:41Karen, wake up, dear.
08:47Huh? Oh, Mama, you are all right. It was all just a bad dream.
08:51Oh, Mama, I'm so glad you've recovered.
08:53Oh, thank you. Thank you, dear God.
08:57Oh, Mama. Mama.
08:59Since that day, Karen never again neglected her responsibilities.
09:03And the red shoes are locked away safely in a place where there is no danger that anyone will ever find them again.
