Then said he, “Our sister is here,” and he lifted up the tub, and the
King’s daughter came forth in her royal garments with the golden star
on her forehead, and she was beautiful, delicate and fair. Then they
were all rejoiced, and fell on her neck, and kissed and loved her with
all their hearts.
Now she stayed at home with Benjamin and helped him with the work. The
eleven went into the forest and caught game, and deer, and birds, and
wood-pigeons that they might have food, and the little sister and
Benjamin took care to make it ready for them. She sought for the wood
for cooking and herbs for vegetables, and put the pans on the fire so
that the dinner was always ready when the eleven came. She likewise
kept order in the little house, and put beautifully white clean
coverings on the little beds, and the brothers were always contented
and lived in great harmony with her.
Once on a time the two at home had prepared a beautiful entertainment,
and when they were all together, they sat down and ate and drank and
were full of gladness. There was, however, a little garden belonging to
the bewitched house wherein stood twelve lily flowers, which are
likewise called students. She wished to give her brothers pleasure, and
plucked the twelve flowers, and thought she would present each brother
with one while at dinner. But at the self-same moment that she plucked
the flowers the twelve brothers were changed into twelve ravens, and
flew away over the forest, and the house and garden vanished likewise.
And now the poor maiden was alone in the wild forest, and when she
looked around, an old woman was standing near her who said, “My child,
what hast thou done? Why didst thou not leave the twelve white flowers
growing? They were thy brothers, who are now for evermore changed into
ravens.” The maiden said, weeping, “Is there no way of delivering
them?”
“No,” said the woman, “there is but one in the whole world, and that is
so hard that thou wilt not deliver them by it, for thou must be dumb
for seven years, and mayst not speak or laugh, and if thou speakest one
single word, and only an hour of the seven years is wanting, all is in
vain, and thy brothers will be killed by the one word.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account