“Shoes”

Cast of Characters
Karen, Mother, Old Lady and Soldier, Man
Setting
Cemetery, House, Hill and Shoe Market

Narrator: In a small village, lived a beautiful girl named Karen, she lived with her
mother in a small hut, Karen was a poor girl. She had no shoes to wear. She always
wore wooden shoes that her mother had made for her. The shoes were hard and
Karen’s feet hurt. Soon, Karen’s mother got very ill. Karen spent all her time taking care
of her mother. Once, while coming back home, Karen found a pair of red shoes in a
box. The box was on the sidewalk. Karen love the red shoes. And decided to take them
home. But her mother was not happy to see the red shoes.
Mother: Karen, you must never pick up anything off the road! They may belong to
someone. This is stealing! Somebody must be looking for their red pair of shoes.
Karen: Then they should have been more careful, Mama! Finders are keepers!
Mother: Oh Karen! Don’t be so stubborn my child. I know we are poor and I can’t buy
you shiny new shoes. But our poverty must not make us do wrong things! Promise me
that you will never wear these red shoes.
Karen: Mother does not understand. If these beautiful shoes were thrown on the road,
then maybe nobody needed them.
Narrator: A week later, Karen’s mother passed away due to her illness. Karen was
very, very sad. But she did something very unusual. On her mother’s funeral, Karen
wore the red shoes! Everybody at the funeral stared at Karen’s feet. But Karen did not
care. She love her shoes. Just then, an old lady was passing by the funeral in her
carriage. She was a kind old lady. When she learnt, that a young girl was orphaned, she
decided to adopt Karen.
Old Lady: Oh! My poor child! Come with me, I will give you a house to live and good
food to eat. You must study hard and make a name for yourself! Oh! What are those in
your feet! Why did you wear them on your Mother’s funeral? Those are ugly. Take those
off.
Karen: No! I like them! They are mine.
Old Lady: Oh! Child don’t be so stubborn! I will give you a good pair of shoes to wear.
Narrator: The Old Lady forced Karen, to take off the red shoes. Karen was sad to have
her red shoes go away. The Old Lady had no children of her own. She treated Karen
like her own daughter. She gave her a room. And a new dresses to wear. Karen also
got a new pair of shoes. But these were blue! Karen missed her res shoes. She always
thought of them.
Karen: Why doesn’t anybody let me wear my beautiful red shoes? I will wear them
someday. And then nobody could stop me.
Narrator: Years passed, and Karen grew up. She was now a beautiful young girl. But
as she grew, so did her stubborn nature. Karen was a difficult child.
Karen: I will not eat this! I want rice!
Old Lady: But I have already prepared this delicious lunch. Won’t you at least taste it?
Karen: No! I would like to rather starve!
Narrator: The Old Lady loved Karen and did not want her to starve. She always gave in
to her unreasonable demands. Time passed by. All Karen’s old clothes and her blue
shoes were now tight and short. The Old Lady realized, that she has to buy Karen new
clothes and shoes. As they entered a shop to buy shoes, Karen saw a pair of red shoes.
Karen: Oh! They are exactly like the ones I had when I was small. I want them.
Old Lady: Oh! The red shoes again! Karen buy the ones that you can always wear!
What if we have to attend a funeral? You can’t wear red shoes to a funeral! It is
disrespectful! I have a little money. I can’t buy you two pair of shoes. Else we will have
to walk back home. My feet hurt now, I can’t walk.
Narrator: But Karen was so happy to see her red shoes, she didn’t listen to a word.
Old Lady: I don’t care! I love them and I want them! If you don’t buy me these, then I
will walk barefoot for the rest of my life!
Old Lady: Don’t be stubborn my child. This is cost you someday.
Narrator: But Karen did not listen. The Old Lady had to buy the red shoes. She also
brought a pair of black shoes for Karen. Old Lady had no money now and they had to
walk back home. All throughout the way, the Old Lady crouched the pain. But Karen
dance. She swirled the wind laughing and singing. Paying no attention to the Old Lady’s
aching feet. The next day. The Old Lady had to attend a funeral.
Old Lady: Karen, we have to go attend a funeral in the town. Come with me. But don’t
wear those red shoes. It is disrespectful.
Narrator: Karen went to her room and looked at the black shoes. She then looked at
the red shoes ad wore them. She hid her feet behind her skirt as she didn’t want the Old
Lady to see the red shoes. All through the funeral, people kept looking at Karen’s feet.
There was gossip about the girl who doesn’t respect dead! Someone told the Old Lady
of what has happened. The Old Lady was now furious! She grabbed Karen’s hand. And
stepped out of the funeral.
Old Lady: Oh! You stubborn girl! What have you done? I have asked you to not wear
there here! Why don’t you ever listen!
Karen: But these are my shoes! I will wear wherever I want to!
Narrator: An old soldier passing by was watching the whole thing. As the Old Lady and
Karen began to walk towards the carriage. He come to Karen. Kneeled down and
whispered to her shoes.
Soldier: Be stubborn just like your owner and sit fast as you dance!
Narrator: The Old Soldier the patted Karen’s feet.
Karen: Oh, Sir, please get up. What are you doing?
Soldier: Oh! I was only admiring your beautiful real dancing shoes. You must be a
brilliant dancer!
Narrator: Karen was pleased. She wanted to show the soldier. That she indeed was a
brilliant dancer. She started to dance a few steps before boarding the carriage with the
Old Lady. But…
Karen: Oh! Why can’t I stop dancing! Why don’t my feet stop? What is happening to
me!?
Old Lady: Oh! Karen! What are you doing? Come back here.
Narrator: But Karen was gone far ahead of the carriage. The res shoes didn’t listen to
her anymore. They were stubborn. They took Karen to the forest and to the mountains.
They danced and danced. Karen’s feet was hurt. Her back was sore from dancing she
could sleep or eat. She missed her house and her bed. But moreover she missed the
Old Lady. But the shoes didn’t stop. Off she wave at night and day. Oh somebody help
me! I am tired! But nobody could come for her help. Karen was now scared. The shoes
took her to the thorny bushes. And Karen’s feet were now badly hurt! Finally, Karen
managed to take the shoes off, but they were still dancing! Karen’s feet were now
broken. She could not stand without the support of a stick!
Karen: I want to go home.
Narrator: Karen somehow managed to reach home. And the dancing red shoes
followed her. The Old Lady was so happy to see Karen. She gave her food and made
her rest. Then, next day Karen realized that all that is her fault.
Karen: I should have been so stubborn my whole life! I feel so sorry.
Soldier: Hey Karen your fault is your fault but I give you a second chance.
Narrator: Karen and the Old Lady were now happy and peaceful.