Page:Hans Andersen's fairy tales (Robinson).djvu/268

 HANS ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES and after she had once begun, her feet continued to move, just as though the shoes had received power over them; she danced round the church-yard, she could not stop. The coachman was obliged to run after her; he took hold of her and lifted her into the carriage, but the feet still continued to dance, so as to kick the good old lady most cruelly. At last the shoes were taken off, and the feet had rest.



And now the shoes were put away in a press, but Karen could not help going to look at them every now and then. The old lady lay ill in bed; the doctor said she could not live much longer. She certainly needed careful nursing, and who should be her nurse and constant attendant but Karen? But there was to be a grand ball in the town. Karen was invited; she looked at the old lady who was almost dying she looked at the red shoes she put them on, there could be no harm in doing that, at least; she went to the ball, and began 222