The Seven Ravens

There was once a man who had seven sons, and still he had

no daughter, however much he wished for one. At length his

wife again gave him hope of a child, and when it came into

the world it was a girl. The joy was great, but the child was

sickly and small, and had to be privately baptized on account of

its weakness. The father sent one of the boys in haste to the

spring to fetch water for the baptism. The other six went with

him, and as each of them wanted to be first to fill it, the jug

fell into the well. There they stood and did not know what to do,

and none of them dared to go home. As they still did not return,

the father grew impatient, and said, they have certainly forgotten

it while playing some game, the wicked boys. He became afraid that

the girl would have to die without being baptized, and in his

anger cried, I wish the boys were all turned into ravens. Hardly

was the word spoken before he heard a whirring of wings over his

head, looked up and saw seven coal-black ravens flying away.

The parents could not withdraw the curse, and however sad they

were at the loss of their seven sons, they still to some extent

comforted themselves with their dear little daughter, who soon

grew strong and every day became more beautiful. For a long time

she did not know that she had had brothers, for her parents were

careful not to mention them before her, but one day she

accidentally heard some people saying of herself, that the girl was

certainly beautiful, but that in reality she was to blame for the

misfortune which had befallen her seven brothers. Then she was much

troubled, and went to her father and mother and asked if it was

true that she had had brothers, and what had become of them. The

parents now dared keep the secret no longer, but said that what

had befallen her brothers was the will of heaven, and that her

birth had only been the innocent cause. But the maiden took it to

heart daily, and thought she must save her brothers. She had no

rest or peace until she set out secretly, and went forth into the

wide world to search for her brothers and set them free, let it

cost what it might. She took nothing with her but a little ring

belonging to her parents as a keepsake, a loaf of bread against

hunger, a little pitcher of water against thirst, and a little

chair as a provision against weariness.

And now she went continually onwards, far, far to the very end of

the world. Then she came to the sun, but it was too hot and

terrible, and devoured little children. Hastily she ran away, and

ran to the moon, but it was far too cold, and also awful and

malicious, and when it saw the child, it said, I smell, I smell

the flesh of men. At this she ran swiftly away, and came to the

stars, which were kind and good to her, and each of them sat on its

own particular little chair. But the morning star arose, and gave

her the drumstick of a chicken, and said, if you have not that

drumstick you can not open the glass mountain, and in the glass

mountain are your brothers.

The maiden took the drumstick, wrapped it carefully in a cloth,

and went onwards again until she came to the glass mountain. The

door was shut, and she thought she would take out the drumstick.

But when she undid the cloth, it was empty, and she had lost the

good star's present. What was she now to do. She wished to rescue

her brothers, and had no key to the glass mountain. The good

sister took a knife, cut off one of her little fingers, put it in

the door, and succeeded in opening it. When she had gone inside, a

little dwarf came to meet her, who said, my child, what are you

looking for. I am looking for my brothers, the seven ravens, she

replied. The dwarf said, the lord ravens are not at home, but if

you will wait here until they come, step in. Thereupon the little

dwarf carried the ravens' dinner in, on seven little plates, and

in seven little glasses, and the little sister ate a morsel from

each plate, and from each little glass she took a sip, but in the

last little glass she dropped the ring which she had brought away

with her.

Suddenly she heard a whirring of wings and a rushing through

the air, and then the little dwarf said, now the lord ravens are

flying home. Then they came, and wanted to eat and drink, and

looked for their little plates and glasses. Then said one after

the other, who has eaten something from my plate. Who has drunk

out of my little glass. It was a human mouth. And when the

seventh came to the bottom of the glass, the ring rolled against

his mouth. Then he looked at it, and saw that it was a ring

belonging to his father and mother, and said, God grant that our

sister may be here, and then we shall be free. When the maiden,

who was standing behind the door watching, heard that wish,

she came forth, and on this all the ravens were restored to their

human form again. And they embraced and kissed each other,

and went joyfully home.