Hans Christian Andersen and "The Red Shoes" Right near the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park is the Hans Christian Andersen Monument.  If you're not familiar with that Danish author, it's worth some investigation.  He wrote many stories we all have heard of, such as "The Little Mermaid" and "The Ugly Duckling". He also wrote "The Red Shoes", where the main character is a "little girl, pretty and dainty".  In the story the girl loses control of herself to her red dancing shoes that won't stop dancing.  So she begs an executioner to cut off her feet, which he does.  But the amputated feet in the red shoes keep dancing and getting in the girl's way.  At the end of the story an angel appears with roses and sets her free by sending her to heaven (apparently setting the girl free by taking her life). In addition to all of that, Hans Christian Andersen was a rather questionable character himself, allegedly keeping a detailed diary of his self-pleasure and having a fondness young boys. Nothing to see here...