The Galoshes of Fortune by Hans Christian Andersen. Short summary

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The Sadness Fairy and the Lucky Fairy’s chambermaid argue about whether magic can bring happiness to people. But the magical pangs left behind by the younger fairy bring only trouble, not happiness.

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One day in Copenhagen, people were arguing about the times of the Middle Ages. At this time, two fairies entered the hallway — the Sorrow Fairy and the chambermaid of the Happiness Fairy. The latter said that she had magic slippers, capable of carrying the wearer anywhere.

The fairies left the galoshes in the hallway. At first the Justice Counselor put them on and was transported to the Middle Ages. But the mud, unpaved streets, and dislike of strangers did not please him. When the boot was taken off him in a tavern, he found himself back in his own time.

Subsequently, the galoshes went to different people, and no one was happy. The watchman went to the moon and almost died, the medic was afraid he was going crazy, the police clerk turned into a poet, and then a lark.

A student, after getting his riding boots, went on a trip. But there were so many difficulties that he was unable to see anything. And when he wanted to know the ultimate purpose of life, he ended up in a coffin.

The fairies took the student’s shoes off, and he came back to life. The younger fairy took her gift back, for it was of no use to anyone.