Страшные сказки / Scary stories

Then the cock drew the carriage himself, but when he got it over and reached the other shore with the dead hen, and was about to draw over the others, there were too many of them. The carriage ran back, and they all fell into the water together, and were drowned.

Then the little cock was left alone with the dead hen, and dug a grave for her and laid her in it. He made a mound above it, on which he sat down and fretted until he died too, and then every one was dead.

The Red Shoes

Hans Christian Andersen

There was once a little girl, very nice and very pretty, but so poor that she went barefooted all summer.

And in winter she wore thick wooden shoes that chafed her ankles until they were red.

In the middle of the village lived Old Mother Shoemaker. She took some old scraps of red cloth and made them into a little pair of shoes. They were a bit clumsy, but she intended to give them to the little girl. Karen was the little girl’s name.

The first time Karen wore her new red shoes was on the very day when her mother was buried.

Of course, they were not right for mourning, but they were all she had. So she put them on and walked barelegged after the plain wicker coffin.

Just then a large old carriage came by, with a large old lady inside it. She looked at the little girl and took pity upon her[19 - took pity upon her – сжалилась над ней]. And she went to the parson and said:

“Give the little girl to me, and I shall take good care of her[20 - I shall take good care of her – я о ней позабочусь]”.

Karen was sure that this happened because she wore red shoes. But the old lady said the shoes were hideous, and burned them. She gave Karen new clothes. She taught Karen to read and to sew. People said she was pretty, but her mirror told her,

“You are more than pretty. You are beautiful”.

It happened that the Queen travelled through the country with her little daughter, who was a Princess.

Karen went with all the people to see them at the castle. The little Princess was dressed in white. She came to the window. She didn’t wear a train[21 - didn’t wear a train – не носила шлейфа], and she didn’t wear a gold crown. But she wore a pair of splendid red morocco shoes. Of course, they were much nicer than the ones Old Mother Shoemaker made for little Karen.