In this Danish fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, a pair of cursed red shoes force a young girl to dance herself to near insanity.

The Red Shoes

Traditional fairy tales aren’t exactly suitable for kids. Women vomit spiders. Children get eaten. There’s even murder! Every Wednesday, we take you through the twists and turns of the dark origins of your favorite pieces of folklore. To listen to the full Tales catalog for free, be sure to subscribe on Spotify! Tales is a Spotify Original from Parcast.

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Young Katie can't wait to be an adult. So when a witch with a magic wand helps her dreams come true, Katie never wants to go back home... until she learns the witch's cannibalistic secret.

Season of the Witch is a special storytelling series across Parcast Network. Follow Superstitions and Haunted Places to find more spooky stories and historical haunts! 
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Season of the Witch: The Magic Wand

This Norwegian folktale follows a young boy caught in a terrifying cat-and-mouse game with a witch. And while his situation vaguely resembles other “home alone” tales, this one has a dark and bloody ending.…
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Buttercup

This Passamaquoddy tale follows a boy who tries to find a home with his mother's tribe — but instead, discovers an evil disease.
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The Woman Who Loved a Serpent

This Greek saga follows Hercules on one of his infamous Labors. Instead of battling a violent, mythical beast, however, he faced a challenge that tested his cleverness… and his stomach.
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The Augean Stables

This Swiss fairy tale takes a look at the dark things that can happen at a remote forest cottage... and reminds us that not all good Samaritans are rewarded for their deeds.
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The Red Shoes

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