The story of a little girl name Karen who was very poor and was given a pair of red shoes made of cloth to keep her feet warm in the winter. When her mother dies, she's adopted by a rich older woman who burns the shoes, saying they're ugly. Karen grows up pretty and happy with the old woman, but one day she sees a princess wearing beautiful red shoes and wants a pair just like them. When it comes time for Karen to be confirmed, she's to have a new pair of shoes. The pair she wants are red leather shoes that were maid for a count's daughter, but were too small. Karen buys them without the old woman knowing and wears them to her confirmation and gets in trouble for it. When the old woman falls ill, instead of taking care of her Karen goes to a ball and dances, but finds she can't stop dancing.
Karen Sorenson
Hans Christian Andersen
Mrs. Ingrid Sorenson
Karen #1 / Confirmation Class
Mother / Dancers at the Ball
Old Rag Face
Old Lady
Helga / Church Congregation / Masquerade Ball Dancers
Karen #2 (as Gaby Zuckerman)
Coachman
Queen
Princess / Confirmation Class / Vain Girls and Parson's Children
Shoemaker
Soldier
Preacher
Karen #3
Angel / Shoeshoppe Customers
Executioner
Postman / Dancers at the Ball
Shoeshoppe Customers / Church Congregation / Dancers at the Ball
Shoeshoppe Customers / Confirmation Class / Masquerade Ball Dancers
Shoeshoppe Customers / Dancers at the Ball
Shoeshoppe Customers
Church Congregation / Masquerade Ball Dancers
Church Congregation
Church Congregation
Church Congregation / Masquerade Ball Dancers
Confirmation Class / Masquerade Ball Dancers / Vain Girls and Parson's Children
Confirmation Class
Dancers at the Ball
Dancers at the Ball
Dancers at the Ball
Dancers at the Ball
Shoeshoppe Customer / Dancers at the Ball