er said:

"You probably don't know who I am? I cut off the bad people's heads
with my axe, and mark how my axe rings!"

"Do not strike off my head," said Karen, "for if you do I cannot repent
of my sin. But strike off my feet with the red shoes!"

And then she confessed all her sin, and the executioner cut off her feet
with the red shoes; but the shoes danced away with the little feet over
the fields and into the deep forest.

And he cut her a pair of wooden feet, with crutches, and taught her a
psalm, which the criminals always sing; and she kissed the hand that had
held the axe, and went away across the heath.

"Now I have suffered pain enough for the red shoes," said she. "Now I
will go into the church, that they may see me."

And she went quickly toward the church door, but when she came there the
red shoes danced before her, so that she was frightened, and turned
back.

The whole week through she was sorrowful, and wept many bitter tears;
but when Sunday came she said:

"Now I have suffered and striven enough! I think that I am just as good
as many of those who sit in the church and carry their heads high."

And then she went boldly on; but she did not get further than the
churchyard gate before she saw the red shoes dancing along before her;
then she was seized with terror, and turned back, and repented of her
sin right heartily.

And she went to the parsonage, and begged to be taken there as a
servant. She promised to be industrious, and to do all she could; she
did not care for wages, and only wished to be under a roof and with good
people. The clergyman's wife pitied her, and took her into her service.
And she was industrious and thoughtful. Silently she sat and listened
when in the evening the pastor read the Bible aloud. All the little ones
were very fond of her; but when they spoke of dress and splendor and
beauty, she would shake her head.

Next Sunday they all went to church, and she was asked if she wished to
go too, but she looked sadly, with tears in her eyes, at her crutches.
And then the others went to hear God's word; but she went alone into her
little room, which was only large enough to contain her bed and a chair.
And here she sat with her hymn-book; and as she read it with a pious
mind, the wind bore the notes of the organ over to her from the church;
and she lifted up her face, wet with tears, and said:

"O Lord, help me!"

Then the sun shone so brightly; and before her stood the