there was a man who had seven sons, but he had nodaughter, GREatly though he longed for one. At lasthis wife told him that they could again expect a childand, sure enough, when it was born it was a babygirl. There was great rejoicing, but the child wasweak and puny, so weak that it had to be christenedat once. The father told one of the boys to goquickly to the spring and fetch christening water; theother six ran along with him, and because each ofthem wanted to be the first to dip the jug into thewell, it fell in and sank. So there they stood and didn't know what to do, and none of themdared go home. When they didn't come back their father got impatient and said:" I'll wagerthey've been playing some game again and forgotten all about it, the godless brats." He wasafraid the little girl would have to die unbaptized, and in his rage he cried out:" I wish thoseboys would all turn into ravens." He'd scarcely spoken the words when he heard a whirring ofwings in the air overhead, looked up and saw seven coal-black ravens flying away.
the parents were unable now to take back the curse, and yet, grief-stricken as they were atthe loss of their seven sons, they look some comfort from their beloved little daughter, whosoon got well and strong and became more beautiful with every day that passed. For a longtime the little girl didn't even know that she had had brothers, for her parents took care not tomention them, but one day by chance she heard some people talking about her. "The girl'sbeautiful, of course," they were saying, "but she's to blame really for her seven brothers'misfortune." This made her very sad, and she went to her father and mother and askedwhether it was true then that she had had brothers and what had become of them. So now itwas no longer possible for her parents to conceal from her what had happened, though theytold her that it had been God's will and that her birth had only been the innocent occasion forit. But day after day she was conscience-stricken about it, and felt that it was her duty to freeher brothers from the spell again. The thought gave her no peace, so in the end she left homesecretly and went off into the wide world to try and trace her brothers wherever they might be,and rescue them at whatever cost. She took nothing with her but a ring belonging to herparents to remember them by, a loaf of bread for when she was hungry, a jug of water forwhen she was thirsty, and a little chair for when she was tired.
She went on and on, further and further, till she reached the end of the world. There she cameto the sun, but it was too hot and terrible and it devoured little children. Quickly she ran awayand went to the moon, but it was too cold and it was grisly and evil, and when it noticed thechild it sail:” I smell human flesh.” So she hurried off as fast as she could and came to the stars,and they were friendly and kind to her, and each of them was sitting on its own little chair. Butthe morning star got up and gave her a little chicken's leg and said:” If you don't have thischicken's leg, you won't be able to unlock the glass mountain, and inside the glass mountain iswhere your brothers are.”
the girl took the leg, wrapped it up well in a piece of cloth, and set off again and went on and onuntil she came to the glass mountain. The gate was locked, and she tried to take out thechicken's leg; but when she unwrapped the cloth it was empty, and she had lost the gift of thekindly stars. What was she to do now? she wanted to rescue her brothers, but she had no keyto the glass mountain. The good little sister took a knife, chopped off one of her little fingers,stuck it in the lock and successfully opened the gate. When she got inside, a little dwarf cameto meet her, saying:” My child, what are you looking for?” “I'm looking for my brothers, theseven ravens,” she answered. The dwarf said:” My masters the ravens are not at home, but ifyou would like to wait here till they get back, then come in.” Then the dwarf brought in theravens' supper on seven little plates and in seven little cups, and the little sister ate a morselfrom each plate and drank a sip from each cup; but into the last cup she dropped the ring shehad brought with her.
Suddenly she heard a whirring and fluttering noise in the air, and the dwarf said:” Here comemy lords the ravens flying home.” And they came, asked for food and drink and looked for theirplates and cups. Then one after another of them said:” Who's been eating from my plate?Who's been drinking out of my cup? This must have been a human mouth.” And when theseventh of them had got to the bottom of his cup, the ring rolled out towards him. Then helooked at it and recognized it as a ring belonging to his father and mother, and said:” My Godgrant that our little sister is here; if she were, we should be freed from the spell.” The girl wasstanding listening behind the door, and when she heard him speak this wish she stepped out,and as she did so the ravens recovered their human shape. And they hugged and kissed eachother and went happily home.