Ruby slippers

Ruby slippers are red shoes that are worn by the character Dorothy (Judy Garland) in the movie The Wizard of Oz. They are an important part of the story. Many pairs of slippers were made for the movie. One pair can be seen at the Smithsonian Institution in the United States. The others are owned by private collectors.

Cover of The Wizard of Oz showing Dorothy's red shoes

Plot

Dorothy gets the slippers after her house falls on the Wicked Witch of the East, killing the witch. The witch's sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, wants the ruby slippers. She attacks Dorothy many times during her journey down the yellow brick road. The Wicked Witch of the West wants the slippers for herself so she can become the most powerful witch in all of the land of Oz.

Dorothy knows that the slippers are powerful, but she does not know why. At the end of the movie, she learns their power: click your heels together three times, and repeat "There's no place like home."