The Dancing Shoes

Once upon a time there was a poor little orphan girl who had been living on the streets since her parents died, begging barefoot to passersby. The wife of a shoemaker felt sorry for the little girl and gave her a pair of red shoes to wear. At least now she need not beg barefoot.
One cold, cold day, the little girl was in the village square wearing her red shoes when a carriage passed by. The lady in the carriage felt so sorry for the little girl that she took her home with her. She gave the little girl something to eat, a warm bed and a place to stay forever. The little girl was so happy that she danced and she danced. In fact, she loved her new life so much that she would dance with her own reflection. Until one day, she had worn out her new shoes. “Go and buy yourself a new pair of shoes,” said the little old lady. “Make sure you buy sensible shoes mind!” she called; but the little girl didn’t listen. Instead of buying sensible shoes to go to school and to church in, she bought new red dancing shoes.
Then one day, the sweet old lady turned ill: right on the day of a big festival in the village. The little girl had been looking forward to the festival very much, so she waited until the lady was asleep, and crept out of the house in her new red dancing shoes. She danced and danced and danced; until the clock struck twelve. “Oh no!” thought the little girl. “The dear little old lady won’t be better quite yet and I must get home.” But however hard she tried, she could not get home. The shoes stuck to her feet and kept on dancing, and dancing, and dancing: and they took her all across the land. Perhaps the shoes have forgotten how to get home...

The dancing shoes have been dancing in the Fairytale Forest since 1953.