How big are 9 herrings side by side? or in a 3X3 matrix? Now then we have the box sized and it would be feet accompli........

If they were Clementines would they not be orange boses?

Or is there a referrence to Old German (Anglo Saxon) and the "nine" is telling us that she had "no" shoes therefore she had to resort to herring boxes. Topses that!

Or am I just throwing in a red herring........ I'll get my coat .......