FAR away in the land to which the swallows fly when it is winter, dwelt a king who had eleven sons,

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FAR away in the land to which the swallows fly when it is winter, dwelt a king who had eleven sons, and one daughter, named Eliza. The eleven brothers were princes, and each went to school with a star on his breast, and a sword by his side. They wrote with diamond pencils on gold slates, and learnt their lessons so quickly and read so easily that every one might know they were princes. Their sister Eliza sat on a little stool of plate-glass, and had a book full of pictures, which had cost as much as half a kingdom. Oh, these children were indeed happy, but it was not to remain so always. Their father, who was king of the country, married a very wicked queen, who did not love the poor children at all. They knew this from the very first day after the wedding. In the palace there were great festivities, and the children played at receiving company; but instead of having, as usual, all the cakes and apples that were left, she gave them some sand in a tea-cup, and told them to pretend it was cake. The week after, she sent little Eliza into the country to a peasant and his wife, and then she told the king so many untrue things about the young princes, that he gave himself no more trouble respecting them.

“Go out into the world and get your own living,” said the queen. “Fly like great birds, who have no voice.” But she could not make them ugly as she wished, for they were turned into eleven beautiful wild swans. Then, with a strange cry, they flew through the windows of the palace, over the park, to the forest beyond. It was early morning when they passed the peasant’s cottage, where their sister Eliza lay asleep in her room. They hovered over the roof, twisted their long necks and flapped their wings, but no one heard them or saw them, so they were at last obliged to fly away, high up in the clouds; and over the wide world they flew till they came to a thick, dark wood, which stretched far away to the seashore. Poor little Eliza was alone in her room playing with a green leaf, for she had no other playthings, and she pierced a hole through the leaf, and looked through it at the sun, and it was as if she saw her brothers’ clear eyes, and when the warm sun shone on her cheeks, she thought of all the kisses they had given her. One day passed just like another; sometimes the winds rustled through the leaves of the rose-bush, and would whisper to the roses, “Who can be more beautiful than you!” But the roses would shake their heads, and say, “Eliza is.” And when the old woman sat at the cottage door on Sunday, and read her hymn-book, the wind would flutter the leaves, and say to the book, “Who can be more pious than you?” and then the hymn-book would answer “Eliza.” And the roses and the hymn-book told the real truth. At fifteen she returned home, but when the queen saw how beautiful she was, she became full of spite and hatred towards her. Willingly would she have turned her into a swan, like her brothers, but she did not dare to do so yet, because the king wished to see his daughter. Early one morning the queen went into the bath-room; it was built of marble, and had soft cushions, trimmed with the most beautiful tapestry. She took three toads with her, and kissed them, and said to one, “When Eliza comes to the bath, seat yourself upon her head, that she may become as stupid as you are.” Then she said to another, “Place yourself on her forehead, that she may become as ugly as you are, and that her father may not know her.” “Rest on her heart,” she whispered to the third, “then she will have evil inclinations, and suffer in consequence.” So she put the toads into the clear water, and they turned green immediately. She next called Eliza, and helped her to undress and get into the bath. As Eliza dipped her head under the water, one of the toads sat on her hair, a second on her forehead, and a third on her breast, but she did not seem to notice them, and when she rose out of the water, there were three red poppies floating upon it. Had not the creatures been venomous or been kissed by the witch, they would have been changed into red roses. At all events they became flowers, because they had rested on Eliza’s head, and on her heart. She was too good and too innocent for witchcraft to have any power over her. When the wicked queen saw this, she rubbed her face with walnut-juice, so that she was quite brown; then she tangled her beautiful hair and smeared it with disgusting ointment, till it was quite impossible to recognize the beautiful Eliza.

When her father saw her, he was much shocked, and declared she was not his daughter. No one but the watch-dog and the swallows knew her; and they were only poor animals, and could say nothing. Then poor Eliza wept, and thought of her eleven brothers, who were all away. Sorrowfully, she stole away from the palace, and walked, the whole day, over fields and moors, till she came to the great forest. She knew not in what direction to go; but she was so unhappy, and longed so for her brothers, who had been, like herself, driven out into the world, that she was determined to seek them. She had been but a short time in the wood when night came on, and she quite lost the path; so she laid herself down on the soft moss, offered up her evening prayer, and leaned her head against the stump of a tree. All nature was still, and the soft, mild air fanned her forehead. The light of hundreds of glow-worms shone amidst the grass and the moss, like green fire; and if she touched a twig with her hand, ever so lightly, the brilliant insects fell down around her, like shooting-stars.

All night long she dreamt of her brothers. She and they were children again, playing together. She saw them writing with their diamond pencils on golden slates, while she looked at the beautiful picture-book which had cost half a kingdom. They were not writing lines and letters, as they used to do; but descriptions of the noble deeds they had performed, and of all they had discovered and seen. In the picture-book, too, everything was living. The birds sang, and the people came out of the book, and spoke to Eliza and her brothers; but, as the leaves turned over, they darted back again to their places, that all might be in order.

When she awoke, the sun was high in the heavens; yet she could not see him, for the lofty trees spread their branches thickly over her head; but his beams were glancing through the leaves here and there, like a golden mist. There was a sweet fragrance from the fresh green verdure, and the birds almost perched upon her shoulders. She heard water rippling from a number of springs, all flowing in a lake with golden sands. Bushes grew thickly round the lake, and at one spot an opening had been made by a deer, through which Eliza went down to the water. The lake was so clear that, had not the wind rustled the branches of the trees and the bushes, so that they moved, they would have appeared as if painted in the depths of the lake; for every leaf was reflected in the water, whether it stood in the shade or the sunshine. As soon as Eliza saw her own face, she was quite terrified at finding it so brown and ugly; but when she wetted her little hand, and rubbed her eyes and forehead, the white skin gleamed forth once more; and, after she had undressed, and dipped herself in the fresh water, a more beautiful king’s daughter could not be found in the wide world. As soon as she had dressed herself again, and braided her long hair, she went to the bubbling spring, and drank some water out of the hollow of her hand. Then she wandered far into the forest, not knowing whither she went. She thought of her brothers, and felt sure that God would not forsake her. It is God who makes the wild apples grow in the wood, to satisfy the hungry, and He now led her to one of these trees, which was so loaded with fruit, that the boughs bent beneath the weight. Here she held her noonday repast, placed props under the boughs, and then went into the gloomiest depths of the forest. It was so still that she could hear the sound of her own footsteps, as well as the rustling of every withered leaf which she crushed under her feet. Not a bird was to be seen, not a sunbeam could penetrate through the large, dark boughs of the trees. Their lofty trunks stood so close together, that, when she looked before her, it seemed as if she were enclosed within trellis-work. Such solitude she had never known before. The night was very dark. Not a single glow-worm glittered in the moss.

Sorrowfully she laid herself down to sleep; and, after a while, it seemed to her as if the branches of the trees parted over her head, and that the mild eyes of angels looked down upon her from heaven. When she awoke in the morning, she knew not whether she had dreamt this, or if it had really been so. Then she continued her wandering; but she had not gone many steps forward, when she met an old woman with berries in her basket, and she gave her a few to eat. Then Eliza asked her if she had not seen eleven princes riding through the forest.

“No,” replied the old woman, “But I saw yesterday eleven swans, with gold crowns on their heads, swimming on the river close by.” Then she led Eliza a little distance farther to a sloping bank, and at the foot of it wound a little river. The trees on its banks stretched their long leafy branches across the water towards each other, and where the growth prevented them from meeting naturally, the roots had torn themselves away from the ground, so that the branches might mingle their foliage as they hung over the water. Eliza bade the old woman farewell, and walked by the flowing river, till she reached the shore of the open sea. And there, before the young maiden’s eyes, lay the glorious ocean, but not a sail appeared on its surface, not even a boat could be seen. How was she to go farther? She noticed how the countless pebbles on the sea-shore had been smoothed and rounded by the action of the water. Glass, iron, stones, everything that lay there mingled together, had taken its shape from the same power, and felt as smooth, or even smoother than her own delicate hand. “The water rolls on without weariness,” she said, “till all that is hard becomes smooth; so will I be unwearied in my task. Thanks for your lessons, bright rolling waves; my heart tells me you will lead me to my dear brothers.” On the foam-covered sea-weeds, lay eleven white swan feathers, which she gathered up and placed together. Drops of water lay upon them; whether they were dew-drops or tears no one could say. Lonely as it was on the sea-shore, she did not observe it, for the ever-moving sea showed more changes in a few hours than the most varying lake could produce during a whole year. If a black heavy cloud arose, it was as if the sea said, “I can look dark and angry too;” and then the wind blew, and the waves turned to white foam as they rolled. When the wind slept, and the clouds glowed with the red sunlight, then the sea looked like a rose leaf. But however quietly its white glassy surface rested, there was still a motion on the shore, as its waves rose and fell like the breast of a sleeping child. When the sun was about to set, Eliza saw eleven white swans with golden crowns on their heads, flying towards the land, one behind the other, like a long white ribbon. Then Eliza went down the slope from the shore, and hid herself behind the bushes. The swans alighted quite close to her and flapped their great white wings. As soon as the sun had disappeared under the water, the feathers of the swans fell off, and eleven beautiful princes, Eliza’s brothers, stood near her. She uttered a loud cry, for, although they were very much changed, she knew them immediately. She sprang into their arms, and called them each by name. Then, how happy the princes were at meeting their little sister again, for they recognized her, although she had grown so tall and beautiful. They laughed, and they wept, and very soon understood how wickedly their mother had acted to them all. “We brothers,” said the eldest, “fly about as wild swans, so long as the sun is in the sky; but as soon as it sinks behind the hills, we recover our human shape. Therefore must we always be near a resting place for our feet before sunset; for if we should be flying towards the clouds at the time we recovered our natural shape as men, we should sink deep into the sea. We do not dwell here, but in a land just as fair, that lies beyond the ocean, which we have to cross for a long distance; there is no island in our passage upon which we could pass, the night; nothing but a little rock rising out of the sea, upon which we can scarcely stand with safety, even closely crowded together. If the sea is rough, the foam dashes over us, yet we thank God even for this rock; we have passed whole nights upon it, or we should never have reached our beloved fatherland, for our flight across the sea occupies two of the longest days in the year. We have permission to visit out home once in every year, and to remain eleven days, during which we fly across the forest to look once more at the palace where our father dwells, and where we were born, and at the church, where our mother lies buried. Here it seems as if the very trees and bushes were related to us. The wild horses leap over the plains as we have seen them in our childhood. The charcoal burners sing the old songs, to which we have danced as children. This is our fatherland, to which we are drawn by loving ties; and here we have found you, our dear little sister., Two days longer we can remain here, and then must we fly away to a beautiful land which is not our home; and how can we take you with us? We have neither ship nor boat.”

“How can I break this spell?” said their sister. And then she talked about it nearly the whole night, only slumbering for a few hours. Eliza was awakened by the rustling of the swans’ wings as they soared above. Her brothers were again changed to swans, and they flew in circles wider and wider, till they were far away; but one of them, the youngest swan, remained behind, and laid his head in his sister’s lap, while she stroked his wings; and they remained together the whole day. Towards evening, the rest came back, and as the sun went down they resumed their natural forms. “To-morrow,” said one, “we shall fly away, not to return again till a whole year has passed. But we cannot leave you here. Have you courage to go with us? My arm is strong enough to carry you through the wood; and will not all our wings be strong enough to fly with you over the sea?”

“Yes, take me with you,” said Eliza. Then they spent the whole night in weaving a net with the pliant willow and rushes. It was very large and strong. Eliza laid herself down on the net, and when the sun rose, and her brothers again became wild swans, they took up the net with their beaks, and flew up to the clouds with their dear sister, who still slept. The sunbeams fell on her face, therefore one of the swans soared over her head, so that his broad wings might shade her. They were far from the land when Eliza woke. She thought she must still be dreaming, it seemed so strange to her to feel herself being carried so high in the air over the sea. By her side lay a branch full of beautiful ripe berries, and a bundle of sweet roots; the youngest of her brothers had gathered them for her, and placed them by her side. She smiled her thanks to him; she knew it was the same who had hovered over her to shade her with his wings. They were now so high, that a large ship beneath them looked like a white sea-gull skimming the waves. A great cloud floating behind them appeared like a vast mountain, and upon it Eliza saw her own shadow and those of the eleven swans, looking gigantic in size. Altogether it formed a more beautiful picture than she had ever seen; but as the sun rose higher, and the clouds were left behind, the shadowy picture vanished away. Onward the whole day they flew through the air like a winged arrow, yet more slowly than usual, for they had their sister to carry. The weather seemed inclined to be stormy, and Eliza watched the sinking sun with great anxiety, for the little rock in the ocean was not yet in sight. It appeared to her as if the swans were making great efforts with their wings. Alas! she was the cause of their not advancing more quickly. When the sun set, they would change to men, fall into the sea and be drowned. Then she offered a prayer from her inmost heart, but still no appearance of the rock. Dark clouds came nearer, the gusts of wind told of a coming storm, while from a thick, heavy mass of clouds the lightning burst forth flash after flash. The sun had reached the edge of the sea, when the swans darted down so swiftly, that Eliza’s head trembled; she believed they were falling, but they again soared onward. Presently she caught sight of the rock just below them, and by this time the sun was half hidden by the waves. The rock did not appear larger than a seal’s head thrust out of the water. They sunk so rapidly, that at the moment their feet touched the rock, it shone only like a star, and at last disappeared like the last spark in a piece of burnt paper. Then she saw her brothers standing closely round her with their arms linked together. There was but just room enough for them, and not the smallest space to spare. The sea dashed against the rock, and covered them with spray. The heavens were lighted up with continual flashes, and peal after peal of thunder rolled. But the sister and brothers sat holding each other’s hands, and singing hymns, from which they gained hope and courage. In the early dawn the air became calm and still, and at sunrise the swans flew away from the rock with Eliza. The sea was still rough, and from their high position in the air, the white foam on the dark green waves looked like millions of swans swimming on the water. As the sun rose higher, Eliza saw before her, floating on the air, a range of mountains, with shining masses of ice on their summits. In the centre, rose a castle apparently a mile long, with rows of columns, rising one above another, while, around it, palm-trees waved and flowers bloomed as large as mill wheels. She asked if this was the land to which they were hastening. The swans shook their heads, for what she beheld were the beautiful ever-changing cloud palaces of the “Fata Morgana,” into which no mortal can enter. Eliza was still gazing at the scene, when mountains, forests, and castles melted away, and twenty stately churches rose in their stead, with high towers and pointed gothic windows. Eliza even fancied she could hear the tones of the organ, but it was the music of the murmuring sea which she heard. As they drew nearer to the churches, they also changed into a fleet of ships, which seemed to be sailing beneath her; but as she looked again, she found it was only a sea mist gliding over the ocean. So there continued to pass before her eyes a constant change of scene, till at last she saw the real land to which they were bound, with its blue mountains, its cedar forests, and its cities and palaces. Long before the sun went down, she sat on a rock, in front of a large cave, on the floor of which the over-grown yet delicate green creeping plants looked like an embroidered carpet. “Now we shall expect to hear what you dream of to-night,” said the youngest brother, as he showed his sister her bedroom.

“Heaven grant that I may dream how to save you,” she replied. And this thought took such hold upon her mind that she prayed earnestly to God for help, and even in her sleep she continued to pray. Then it appeared to her as if she were flying high in the air, towards the cloudy palace of the “Fata Morgana,” and a fairy came out to meet her, radiant and beautiful in appearance, and yet very much like the old woman who had given her berries in the wood, and who had told her of the swans with golden crowns on their heads. “Your brothers can be released,” said she, “if you have only courage and perseverance. True, water is softer than your own delicate hands, and yet it polishes stones into shapes; it feels no pain as your fingers would feel, it has no soul, and cannot suffer such agony and torment as you will have to endure. Do you see the stinging nettle which I hold in my hand? Quantities of the same sort grow round the cave in which you sleep, but none will be of any use to you unless they grow upon the graves in a churchyard. These you must gather even while they burn blisters on your hands. Break them to pieces with your hands and feet, and they will become flax, from which you must spin and weave eleven coats with long sleeves; if these are then thrown over the eleven swans, the spell will be broken. But remember, that from the moment you commence your task until it is finished, even should it occupy years of your life, you must not speak. The first word you utter will pierce through the hearts of your brothers like a deadly dagger. Their lives hang upon your tongue. Remember all I have told you.” And as she finished speaking, she touched her hand lightly with the nettle, and a pain, as of burning fire, awoke Eliza.

It was broad daylight, and close by where she had been sleeping lay a nettle like the one she had seen in her dream. She fell on her knees and offered her thanks to God. Then she went forth from the cave to begin her work with her delicate hands. She groped in amongst the ugly nettles, which burnt great blisters on her hands and arms, but she determined to bear it gladly if she could only release her dear brothers. So she bruised the nettles with her bare feet and spun the flax. At sunset her brothers returned and were very much frightened when they found her dumb. They believed it to be some new sorcery of their wicked step-mother. But when they saw her hands they understood what she was doing on their behalf, and the youngest brother wept, and where his tears fell the pain ceased, and the burning blisters vanished. She kept to her work all night, for she could not rest till she had released her dear brothers. During the whole of the following day, while her brothers were absent, she sat in solitude, but never before had the time flown so quickly. One coat was already finished and she had begun the second, when she heard the huntsman’s horn, and was struck with fear. The sound came nearer and nearer, she heard the dogs barking, and fled with terror into the cave. She hastily bound together the nettles she had gathered into a bundle and sat upon them. Immediately a great dog came bounding towards her out of the ravine, and then another and another; they barked loudly, ran back, and then came again. In a very few minutes all the huntsmen stood before the cave, and the handsomest of them was the king of the country. He advanced towards her, for he had never seen a more beautiful maiden.

“How did you come here, my sweet child?” he asked. But Eliza shook her head. She dared not speak, at the cost of her brothers’ lives. And she hid her hands under her apron, so that the king might not see how she must be suffering.

“Come with me,” he said; “here you cannot remain. If you are as good as you are beautiful, I will dress you in silk and velvet, I will place a golden crown upon your head, and you shall dwell, and rule, and make your home in my richest castle.” And then he lifted her on his horse. She wept and wrung her hands, but the king said, “I wish only for your happiness. A time will come when you will thank me for this.” And then he galloped away over the mountains, holding her before him on this horse, and the hunters followed behind them. As the sun went down, they approached a fair royal city, with churches, and cupolas. On arriving at the castle the king led her into marble halls, where large fountains played, and where the walls and the ceilings were covered with rich paintings. But she had no eyes for all these glorious sights, she could only mourn and weep. Patiently she allowed the women to array her in royal robes, to weave pearls in her hair, and draw soft gloves over her blistered fingers. As she stood before them in all her rich dress, she looked so dazzingly beautiful that the court bowed low in her presence. Then the king declared his intention of making her his bride, but the archbishop shook his head, and whispered that the fair young maiden was only a witch who had blinded the king’s eyes and bewitched his heart. But the king would not listen to this; he ordered the music to sound, the daintiest dishes to be served, and the loveliest maidens to dance. After-wards he led her through fragrant gardens and lofty halls, but not a smile appeared on her lips or sparkled in her eyes. She looked the very picture of grief. Then the king opened the door of a little chamber in which she. was to sleep; it was adorned with rich green tapestry, and resembled the cave in which he had found her. On the floor lay the bundle of flax which she had spun from the nettles, and under the ceiling hung the coat she had made. These things had been brought away from the cave as curiosities by one of the huntsmen.

“Here you can dream yourself back again in the old home in the cave,” said the king; “here is the work with which you employed yourself. It will amuse you now in the midst of all this splendor to think of that time.”

When Eliza saw all these things which lay so near her heart, a smile played around her mouth, and the crimson blood rushed to her cheeks. She thought of her brothers, and their release made her so joyful that she kissed the king’s hand. Then he pressed her to his heart. Very soon the joyous church bells announced the marriage feast, and that the beautiful dumb girl out of the wood was to be made the queen of the country. Then the archbishop whispered wicked words in the king’s ear, but they did not sink into his heart. The marriage was still to take place, and the archbishop himself had to place the crown on the bride’s head; in his wicked spite, he pressed the narrow circlet so tightly on her forehead that it caused her pain. But a heavier weight encircled her heart—sorrow for her brothers. She felt not bodily pain. Her mouth was closed; a single word would cost the lives of her brothers. But she loved the kind, handsome king, who did everything to make her happy more and more each day; she loved him with all her heart, and her eyes beamed with the love she dared not speak. Oh! if she had only been able to confide in him and tell him of her grief. But dumb she must remain till her task was finished. Therefore at night she crept away into her little chamber, which had been decked out to look like the cave, and quickly wove one coat after another. But when she began the seventh she found she had no more flax. She knew that the nettles she wanted to use grew in the churchyard, and that she must pluck them herself. How should she get out there? “Oh, what is the pain in my fingers to the torment which my heart endures?” said she. “I must venture, I shall not be denied help from heaven.” Then with a trembling heart, as if she were about to perform a wicked deed, she crept into the garden in the broad moonlight, and passed through the narrow walks and the deserted streets, till she reached the churchyard. Then she saw on one of the broad tombstones a group of ghouls. These hideous creatures took off their rags, as if they intended to bathe, and then clawing open the fresh graves with their long, skinny fingers, pulled out the dead bodies and ate the flesh! Eliza had to pass close by them, and they fixed their wicked glances upon her, but she prayed silently, gathered the burning nettles, and carried them home with her to the castle. One person only had seen her, and that was the archbishop—he was awake while everybody was asleep. Now he thought his opinion was evidently correct. All was not right with the queen. She was a witch, and had bewitched the king and all the people. Secretly he told the king what he had seen and what he feared, and as the hard words came from his tongue, the carved images of the saints shook their heads as if they would say. “It is not so. Eliza is innocent.”

But the archbishop interpreted it in another way; he believed that they witnessed against her, and were shaking their heads at her wickedness. Two large tears rolled down the king’s cheeks, and he went home with doubt in his heart, and at night he pretended to sleep, but there came no real sleep to his eyes, for he saw Eliza get up every night and disappear in her own chamber. From day to day his brow became darker, and Eliza saw it and did not understand the reason, but it alarmed her and made her heart tremble for her brothers. Her hot tears glittered like pearls on the regal velvet and diamonds, while all who saw her were wishing they could be queens. In the mean time she had almost finished her task; only one coat of mail was wanting, but she had no flax left, and not a single nettle. Once more only, and for the last time, must she venture to the churchyard and pluck a few handfuls. She thought with terror of the solitary walk, and of the horrible ghouls, but her will was firm, as well as her trust in Providence. Eliza went, and the king and the archbishop followed her. They saw her vanish through the wicket gate into the churchyard, and when they came nearer they saw the ghouls sitting on the tombstone, as Eliza had seen them, and the king turned away his head, for he thought she was with them—she whose head had rested on his breast that very evening. “The people must condemn her,” said he, and she was very quickly condemned by every one to suffer death by fire. Away from the gorgeous regal halls was she led to a dark, dreary cell, where the wind whistled through the iron bars. Instead of the velvet and silk dresses, they gave her the coats of mail which she had woven to cover her, and the bundle of nettles for a pillow; but nothing they could give her would have pleased her more. She continued her task with joy, and prayed for help, while the street-boys sang jeering songs about her, and not a soul comforted her with a kind word. Towards evening, she heard at the grating the flutter of a swan’s wing, it was her youngest brother—he had found his sister, and she sobbed for joy, although she knew that very likely this would be the last night she would have to live. But still she could hope, for her task was almost finished, and her brothers were come. Then the archbishop arrived, to be with her during her last hours, as he had promised the king. But she shook her head, and begged him, by looks and gestures, not to stay; for in this night she knew she must finish her task, otherwise all her pain and tears and sleepless nights would have been suffered in vain. The archbishop withdrew, uttering bitter words against her; but poor Eliza knew that she was innocent, and diligently continued her work.

The little mice ran about the floor, they dragged the nettles to her feet, to help as well as they could; and the thrush sat outside the grating of the window, and sang to her the whole night long, as sweetly as possible, to keep up her spirits.

It was still twilight, and at least an hour before sunrise, when the eleven brothers stood at the castle gate, and demanded to be brought before the king. They were told it could not be, it was yet almost night, and as the king slept they dared not disturb him. They threatened, they entreated. Then the guard appeared, and even the king himself, inquiring what all the noise meant. At this moment the sun rose. The eleven brothers were seen no more, but eleven wild swans flew away over the castle.

And now all the people came streaming forth from the gates of the city, to see the witch burnt. An old horse drew the cart on which she sat. They had dressed her in a garment of coarse sackcloth. Her lovely hair hung loose on her shoulders, her cheeks were deadly pale, her lips moved silently, while her fingers still worked at the green flax. Even on the way to death, she would not give up her task. The ten coats of mail lay at her feet, she was working hard at the eleventh, while the mob jeered her and said, “See the witch, how she mutters! She has no hymn-book in her hand. She sits there with her ugly sorcery. Let us tear it in a thousand pieces.”

And then they pressed towards her, and would have destroyed the coats of mail, but at the same moment eleven wild swans flew over her, and alighted on the cart. Then they flapped their large wings, and the crowd drew on one side in alarm.

“It is a sign from heaven that she is innocent,” whispered many of them; but they ventured not to say it aloud.

As the executioner seized her by the hand, to lift her out of the cart, she hastily threw the eleven coats of mail over the swans, and they immediately became eleven handsome princes; but the youngest had a swan’s wing, instead of an arm; for she had not been able to finish the last sleeve of the coat.

“Now I may speak,” she exclaimed. “I am innocent.”

Then the people, who saw what happened, bowed to her, as before a saint; but she sank lifeless in her brothers’ arms, overcome with suspense, anguish, and pain.

“Yes, she is innocent,” said the eldest brother; and then he related all that had taken place; and while he spoke there rose in the air a fragrance as from millions of roses. Every piece of faggot in the pile had taken root, and threw out branches, and appeared a thick hedge, large and high, covered with roses; while above all bloomed a white and shining flower, that glittered like a star. This flower the king plucked, and placed in Eliza’s bosom, when she awoke from her swoon, with peace and happiness in her heart. And all the church bells rang of themselves, and the birds came in great troops. And a marriage procession returned to the castle, such as no king had ever before seen.

遠在到燕子飛翔時，它是冬天的土地，住一個國王誰了十一個兒子，

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遠在到燕子飛翔時，它是冬天的土地，住一個國王誰了十一個兒子和一個女兒，取名伊麗莎。十兄弟王子，每個去學校與明星在胸前，和劍在他身邊。他們用鑽石鉛筆寫上金板岩，學習他們的經驗教訓，以便快速，如此容易，每個人可能知道他們是王子閱讀。他們的妹妹艾麗莎坐在板玻璃的小凳子，只好一書的全部圖片，這已經花費多達半個王國。哦，這些孩子確實是幸福的，但它不是繼續這樣做永遠。他們的父親，誰是這個國家的國王，娶了一個非常邪惡的女王，誰不愛窮人的孩子都沒有。他們知道這一點從婚禮後的第一天。在宮中有很大的慶祝活動，與孩子們玩在接收公司; 而不必像往常一樣，但所剩下的蛋糕和蘋果，她給了他們一些沙子在一個茶杯，並告訴他們假裝是蛋糕。一周後，她送小伊麗莎進入該國，以一個農民和他的妻子，然後她告訴王對年輕的王子這麼多不真實的東西，是他給了自己沒有更多的麻煩尊重他們。

“去外面的世界，並讓自己的生活，”王后說。“飛象偉大的鳥，誰沒有發言權。”但她無法讓他們醜陋如她所願，因為他們都變成了11美麗的野天鵝。然後，用一種奇怪的叫聲，他們進入了宮殿的窗戶飛了，在公園裡，超越了森林。這是清晨，當他們通過了農民的平房，在那裡他們的妹妹艾麗莎在她的房間裡躺著睡著了。他們上空盤旋的屋頂上，扭曲它們的長脖子和拍打翅膀，但沒有人聽到他們或看到他們，所以他們最終須飛走，在高高的雲層; 而在廣大的世界，他們立馬直到他們來到了一個厚厚的，黑木，它伸向遠方來到了海邊。可憐的小艾麗莎獨自一人在她的房間裡有一個綠色的葉子玩，因為她沒有別的玩具，她通過葉刺穿一個洞，並在陽光看了看，通過它，就好像她看到她的兄弟'清澈的眼睛，而當溫暖的陽光照在她的臉頰，她認為所有他們給她的吻。有一天，就像另一個通過; 有時風簌簌通過玫瑰灌木的葉子，會小聲的玫瑰，“誰能比你更漂亮了！”但是玫瑰花會大搖其頭，說，“伊麗莎是。”當老女人在平房門口坐了上週日，讀她的詩歌書，風會撲的葉子，並說這本書，“誰能比你更虔誠？”，然後讚美詩書會回答“伊麗莎。 “而且玫瑰和讚美詩書告訴真相。在十五歲，她回到家裡，但是當女王看到她是多麼美麗，她變得充滿仇恨與敵視她。心甘情願地將她已經把她變成一隻天鵝，像她的兄弟，但是她不敢這樣做，然而，因為國王希望看到自己的女兒。一天清晨女王走進浴房; 它始建大理石，並有柔軟的墊子，鑲著最美麗的掛毯。她花了三年蟾蜍和她在一起，和他們親嘴，一個說：“當艾麗莎來洗澡，坐自己在她頭上，她可能會成為像你一樣愚蠢。”然後她給另一個人說，“將自己在她的額頭，她可能會成為像你一樣醜，她的父親可能不認識她。“”放心她的心臟，“她低聲說第三”，那麼她將有邪惡的傾向，並且受到後果。 “於是，她把蟾蜍放入清水，他們立刻變成了綠色。接下來，她叫伊麗莎，並幫她脫衣服，進入浴缸。由於伊麗莎浸在水中她的頭，蟾蜍之一，坐在她的頭髮，她的額頭上第二個，第三個在她的乳房，但她似乎沒有注意到他們，當她升出水面，有三個紅色的罌粟花浮在其上。沒有生靈被毒蛇或者被親吻的女巫，他們將被改變成紅玫瑰。在所有比賽中，他們成了花，因為他們已經落在了艾麗莎的頭，在她的心臟。她太好，太天真的巫術有她的任何權力。當邪惡的王后看見了，她揉了揉臉，核桃汁，讓她相當褐色; 然後她糾結的她美麗的頭髮，用令人厭惡的軟膏塗抹它，直到它是完全不可能認識到美麗的艾麗莎。

當她的父親看到她，他被震驚了很多，並宣布，她不是他的女兒。沒有人，但看門狗和燕子認識她; 而他們只是可憐的動物，並且可以什麼都不說。那麼可憐的艾麗莎哭起來，想到了她十一個兄弟，誰是全部帶走。悲痛的心情，她偷走了遠離宮廷，走，全日，在田野和沼澤，直到她來到了大森林。她不知道在什麼方向走; 但她是如此不爽，所以渴望為她的兄弟，誰曾，像自己一樣，驅動外面的世界，她決心找上門來。她曾但很短的時間在木當夜幕降臨時，她完全迷失了道路; 所以她把她自己倒在柔軟的苔蘚，提出了她的晚禱，湊近她的頭靠在一棵樹的樹樁。所有的性質是寂靜的，軟軟的，溫和的風煽起她的額頭。數以百計的螢火蟲的光照耀在一片草地和苔蘚，像青火; 如果她碰到樹枝與她的手，永遠如此輕率，輝煌的昆蟲落在了她的身邊，像拍攝的明星。

整整一夜，她夢見她的兄弟。她和他們的孩子再次，一起玩。她看見了他們對黃金的石板鑽石鉛筆寫作，而她看著美麗的圖畫書這花費了半個王國。他們不寫行和信件，因為他們用來做; 但他們已經執行，並且所有他們已經發現並看到了高尚的行為的描述。在圖畫書也一樣，一切都活了。鳥兒的歌唱，百姓的書出來，並採訪了伊麗莎和她的兄弟; 但是，隨著樹葉翻過來，他們衝過來再次回到自己的地方，這一切可能是為了。

當她醒來的時候，太陽已經高高的天空; 但她看不到他，因為崇高的樹木傳播他們的厚厚的樹枝在她的頭上; 但他的光束透過樹葉在這裡和那裡一眼，就像一個金色的霧氣。有一個甜蜜的香味由新鮮的綠色翠綠，並在她的肩膀幾乎棲息的鳥類。她聽到很多水泉蕩漾，在湖中有金色的沙灘都流淌。灌木叢生長茂密的圓湖中，在一個地方一開口已作出了鹿，通過它伊麗莎就下到水中。該湖是如此清楚的是，沒有風簌簌的樹木和灌木的樹枝，讓他們感動，他們會覺得好像塗在湖的深處; 每片葉子倒映在水中，它無論是在樹蔭下或陽光下站了起來。當艾麗莎看到她自己的臉，她很害怕在發現它如此棕色和醜陋; 但是當她浸濕她的小手，揉了揉眼睛和額頭，白皙的皮膚閃著往復一次以上; 和，她已經脫了衣服，蘸自己在淡水後，更優美的國王的女兒不能在廣闊的世界中找到。當她再次穿上衣服，和編織她的長發，她去了湧泉，喝一些水了她的手空心的。然後，她逛到遠到森林，不知道往哪裡去，她去了。她認為她的兄弟，覺得肯定上帝不會拋棄她。這是上帝誰使野蘋果生長在木材，以滿足餓了，他現在帶領她一個這些樹，這真是太裝水果，那樹枝彎曲的重壓下。在這裡，她拉著她的午間就餐，道具擺放下的樹枝，然後走進了森林的深處悲觀。它是如此的仍然是她能聽到自己的腳步聲，以及她在她的腳碾碎每枯葉的沙沙聲。不是鳥，是可以看出，沒有一個陽光可以穿透樹木的大，黑樹枝。他們崇高的樹幹站在如此接近，如此，當她看著在她面前，似乎就好像她是在網格工作封閉。這樣的孤獨，她從來沒有過。夜很黑。不是一個單一的螢火蟲閃閃發光的苔蘚。

她悲傷地奠定了自己便睡; 並且，一段時間後，它似乎她好像分手在她的頭上的樹枝，那天使的溫柔目光看不起她從天堂。當她在早晨醒來的時候，她不知道她是否曾夢想這一點，或者如果它確實如此。然後，她繼續她的漂泊; 但她沒走多少步向前，當她遇到了一個老女人，在她的籃子漿果，她給了她一些吃的。然後伊麗莎問她，如果她沒有看到11騎王子在森林中。

“不，”老婦人回答說，“但我昨天看到11只天鵝，金冠冕在他們頭上，附近游泳的河上。”然後她帶領伊麗莎有點距離更遠的一個傾斜的銀行，並在腳下它繞一個小河邊。在其銀行的樹木伸出自己的長葉狀枝在水面上向對方，並在那裡生長不能滿足自然阻止他們，根部撕裂自己遠離地面，使枝葉也許他們打成一片葉子，因為它們掛在水。伊麗莎吩咐老婦人告別，走在流淌的河流，直到她達到了開海的岸邊。還有，以前年輕的少女的眼睛，奠定了輝煌的海洋，但不是帆出現在其表面，甚至沒有一艘船可以看到。她怎麼了，走的更遠？她注意到如何在海邊的無數石子已經平滑，並通過水的作用四捨五入。玻璃，鐵，石頭，一切都躺在那裡混到一起，採取了它的形狀來自同一個電源，感覺光滑，比她自己的纖纖玉手更順暢。“水輥上沒有倦意，”她說，“直到所有，是很難變得光滑; 等會我會孜孜不倦在我的任務。感謝您的課，明亮的波濤翻滾; 我的心臟告訴我，你會帶我到我的親愛的兄弟“。在泡沫覆蓋的海雜草，打下11白天鵝的羽毛，這是她收集起來，放在一起。水珠擋著他們; 他們是否是露珠還是淚水，沒有人能說。寂寞的，因為它是在海邊，她沒有注意到它，因為不斷流動的海水呈現在幾個小時比最不同的湖泊可能在整整一年產生更多的變化。如果黑色重雲出現，就好像海說，“我可以看看黑暗和憤怒也;”，然後風吹，波浪轉向白色泡沫，因為他們捲起。當風睡，雲閃著紅色的陽光，那麼大海看上去像一個玫瑰花瓣。但是，不管它悄悄白色玻璃狀表面休息，但仍有上了岸的議案，作為其波上漲和下跌就像一個熟睡的孩子的乳房。當太陽快要設置，艾麗莎看見11只白天鵝與他們的頭上金冠，飛向大地，一前一後，像一條​​長長的白色絲帶。然後伊麗莎下了岸邊的斜坡，趕緊躲在灌木叢後面。天鵝下車相當接近她，拍著他們的巨大的白色翅膀。只要在陽光下的水已經消失了，天鵝的羽毛掉了下來，和十阿哥美觀，艾麗莎的兄弟，站在靠近她。她發出一聲響亮的哭聲，因為，雖然他們很變了，她馬上就知道他們。她出面將他們的武器，並呼籲他們每個人的名字。然後，王子是多麼幸福的人再次滿足他們的小妹妹，因為他們認出了她，雖然她長得那麼高大，美麗。他們笑，他們哭了，並且很快就明白他們的母親是如何作惡離開他們所有。“我們的兄弟，說：”大小姐，“飛來飛去的野生天鵝，只要太陽在天空中; 但只要它沉山後，我們恢復我們人類的形狀。因此，我們必須始終接近我們的腳休息的地方在日落之前; 因為如果我們要飛向雲彩在我們恢復我們的自然形狀，男人的時候，我們應該深深地陷入海。我們沒有住在這裡，但在這片土地才公平，也在於超越的海洋，這是我們必須越過了很長的距離; 有我們的通道沒有在島上，我們可以傳遞，夜; 只是有點搖滾上升的海面，在我們幾乎無法站立與安全，甚至緊緊擠在一起。如果海上有風浪，泡沫破折號過我們，但我們感謝上帝即使這磐石; 在它已通過整個晚上，或者我們永遠都不應該已經達到了我們可愛的祖國，我們的跨海​​飛行佔據兩個年度的最長天數。我們有權限訪問了一次家每年，並保持11天，在此期間，我們在整個森林飛看起來更加在那裡我們的父親居住的宮殿，並在我們出生，並在教堂，在那裡我們母親埋葬。在這裡，它好像非常的樹木和灌木均與我們聯繫。野馬跨越平原，因為我們已經看到他們在我們的童年。木炭燃燒唱老歌，對此我們跳舞的孩子。這是我們的祖國，這是我們用愛的關係繪製; ，在這裡，我們已經找到了你，我們親愛的小妹妹，兩天時間，我們可以在這裡停留，然後我們必須離開飛到一個美麗的土地，是不是我們的家; 以及我們如何可以帶你跟我們？我們既沒有船也沒有船。“

“我怎樣才能打破這個魔咒？”說，他們的妹妹。然後她談到了幾乎整個晚上，只沉睡了幾個小時。艾麗莎是由天鵝翅膀的沙沙聲吵醒，因為他們上面飆升。她的兄弟被再次變為天鵝，於是就飛奔在圈子越來越廣，直到他們遠; 但其中一人，最年輕的天鵝，依然落後，並且把他的頭在他姐姐的腿上，而她撫摸著他的翅膀; 和他們一起保持了整整一天。到了傍晚，剩下的就回來了，並且隨著太陽下山，他們恢復了自然的形式。“明天，”其中一個說，“我們將飛走，不要再回來，直到整整一年過去了。但是，我們不能離開你這裡。有你的勇氣和我們一起去？我的手臂是強大到足以帶你穿過樹林; 並不會所有的翅膀強大到足以和你一起飛翔在大海？“

“是的，帶我走，”伊麗莎說。然後，他們花了整個晚上在織網的柔韌柳樹和蘆葦。這是非常高大和強壯。伊麗莎奠定自己倒在網，當太陽升起來，和她的兄弟再次成為野生天鵝，它們佔淨用他們的嘴，並飛上了雲端與他們親愛的姐姐，誰仍睡。在陽光落在她的臉上，因此天鵝之一飆過她的頭，讓他寬闊的翅膀可能遮陽她。他們是從什麼時候艾麗莎醒來的土地遠。她想，她一定還在做夢，它顯得那麼陌生，她覺得自己正在開展如此之高的空氣過海。她身邊躺著一個分支充滿了美麗成熟的漿果，和甜根束; 年齡最小的，哥哥們都聚攏到了他們為她，把他們安置在她身邊。她微笑著她感謝他; 她知道這是誰曾徘徊在她的遮陽她與他的翅膀一樣。他們現在這麼高，那他們腳下的大艦看起來像一個白色的海鷗掠過海浪。一個偉大的雲漂浮在他們身後出現了像一個巨大的山，在它艾麗莎看到了自己的影子和那些十天鵝，看著巨大的規模。它一共形成了更加完美的畫面比她所見過; 但隨著太陽越升越高，雲彩被留下來的，朦朧的畫面消失了。起了整整一天，他們在空中飛過像翅膀的箭頭，但比平常慢，因為他們有他們的妹妹來進行。天氣似乎傾向於是暴風雨，和Eliza看著下沉的太陽以極大的焦慮，對小岩在海洋中是沒有的視線。它似乎她好像天鵝是用自己的翅膀作出了巨大的努力。唉！她是他們而不是推進得更快的原因。當太陽落下，他們會改變男人，落入海中淹死。然後，她從她的內心深處的心臟提供了一個禮拜，但仍然沒有外觀的岩石。烏雲走近，風陣風告訴一個即將到來的風暴，而從雲層厚，重質量閃電迸發閃光燈閃光後。太陽已經到了海中，當天鵝飛奔下來，很快，那艾麗莎的頭部顫抖的邊緣; 她相信他們是下降的，但他們再次飆升前進。目前她看到的岩石略低於他們，這個時候太陽是半隱藏的海浪。岩石並沒有出現大於密封的頭攆出水面。他們如此迅速沉沒，那此刻他們的腳碰在石頭，它照耀只喜歡一個明星，最後消失就像一張紙燒焦的最後火花。然後她看見站在緊密圍繞著她與他們的武器聯繫在一起她的兄弟。有，但只容得下他們，不要放過最小的空間。海水拍打著岩石，並都用噴霧。天都亮了不斷閃爍，雷聲轟鳴之後轟鳴軋製。但姐姐和哥哥坐在握著對方的手，唱著讚美詩，從他們獲得了希望和勇氣。在清晨的空氣變得風平浪靜，而在日出天鵝飛走了從岩石與伊麗莎。海依然粗糙，並從他們在空中較高的位置，白色的泡沫上的深綠色的波浪看上去就像數以百萬計游泳的天鵝在水面上。隨著太陽越升越高，艾麗莎看見在她面前，漂浮在空氣中，一系列山脈，與人民群眾閃亮的冰在他們的首腦會議。在該中心，玫瑰城堡顯然是一英里長，有一排排列，上升一個在另一個之上，同時，它周圍，棕櫚樹揮了揮手，鮮花綻放一樣大磨坊的車輪。她問，如果這是他們被催促的土地。天鵝搖搖頭，什麼她都看見了“法塔莫爾加納，”到沒有人的可以進入的美麗千變萬化的雲宮殿。伊麗莎仍然凝視著現場，當山脈，森林和城堡消失了，二十莊嚴的教堂玫瑰代替他們，具有很高的塔，並指出哥特式窗戶。伊麗莎甚至幻想她能聽到管風琴的音色，但它是她聽到了潺潺海的音樂。當他們走近的教堂，他們也變成了船，這似乎是航行在她之下的車隊; 但她又看了一遍，她發現這只是一個海霧滑翔的海洋。所以繼續在她眼前通過場景的不斷變化，直到最後，她看到了真正的到了他們被束縛，以其藍山，它的雪松森林，它的城市和宮殿。太陽下山之前很久，她坐在一塊岩石上，在一個大山洞前，其上的過度生長而不失細膩綠色匍匐植物看上去像一個繡花地毯的地板上。“現在我們將期待聽到你的夢想到晚上，說：”小兄弟，因為他發現他的妹妹她的臥室。

“天堂授予我可以夢想如何拯救你，”她回答說。而這個想法在她的腦海裡了這樣抱她懇切祈求神的幫助，甚至在她的睡眠，她不停地祈禱。然後，它似乎她，彷彿她是在空中越飛越高，對的陰宮“法塔莫爾加納，”和一個仙女出來迎接她，容光煥發，美麗的外觀，而且還非常喜歡老女人誰給了在她的木莓，誰告訴與他們的頭上金冠天鵝的她。“你的兄弟可以被釋放，”她說，“如果你只有勇氣和毅力。誠然，水是比你自己的雙手細膩柔軟，但它打磨石頭變成的形狀; 感覺不痛為你的手指會覺得，它沒有靈魂，不能遭受這種痛苦和折磨，你將不得不忍受。你看到的蕁麻，我在我的手不放？相同種類的數量增長回合中，你睡山洞，但沒有將任何對你有用，除非他們在一個墓地的墳墓增長。這些雖然他們燒水泡在你的手中你必須收集偶數。他們打破與您的手和腳件，他們將成為亞麻，從中你必須旋轉和編織11外套長袖; 如果這些然後扔過11天鵝，法術將被打破。但要記住，那一刻起，直到它完成你開始你的任務，即使它應該佔據多年你的生活，你不能講。你說出第一個字會刺穿你的兄弟們的心就像一個致命的匕首。他們的生活掛在你的舌頭。記住所有我已經告訴你了。“當她說完，她用蕁麻摸她的手輕輕地，一陣劇痛，如燒著，醒來伊麗莎。

這是光天化日之下，並在附近，她一直睡打下了蕁麻像一個她在夢中見過。她跪了下來，並給了她感謝上帝。然後她就出去從山洞，開始與她纖細的手她的工作。她在摸索之中醜蕁麻，它燒毀了她的手和胳膊大水泡，但她決心要承擔它很樂意，如果她能只釋放了她親愛的兄弟。於是，她傷痕累累，她光腳的蕁麻和紡亞麻。在日落她的兄弟回來了，表現得非常驚恐的時候，卻發現她的啞巴。他們認為這是他們的邪惡繼母的一些新的巫術。但是，當他們看到她的手，他們知道她在做什麼代表他們，而最小的弟弟哭了，並在他的眼淚掉了的痛苦停止，燃燒水泡消失。她不停地給她的工作了一夜，因為她不能休息，直到她已經放開了她親愛的兄弟。在整個翌日，而她的兄弟消失了一樣，她坐在孤獨的，但從來沒有過的飛行時間這麼快。單塗層已經完成，她已經開始了第二次，當她聽到獵人的號角，並感到震驚與恐懼。聲音傳來越來越近，她聽到了狗叫聲，並逃離恐怖進了山洞。她急忙約束，她已經聚集成束，並坐在上面的蕁麻在一起。馬上有很大的狗跳躍朝她走出山溝，然後又和另一個; 他們咆哮一聲，跑前跑後，然後又來了。在極少數分鐘所有的獵人站在山洞前，和他們的英俊是該國的國王。他提出對她，因為他從來沒有見過一個更美麗的少女。

“你怎麼到這裡來，我親愛的孩子？”他問。但伊麗莎搖搖頭。她不敢說話，在她兄弟的生命為代價。而她躲在她的手在她的圍裙，讓國王可能看不到她必須如何的痛苦。

“跟我來，”他說; “在這裡你不能保持。如果你是，你是美麗的那麼好，我會打扮你在絲綢和天鵝絨，我會在你的頭上放置一個金色的王冠，和你們同住，兩規則，讓你的家在我最富有的城堡。“然後他她抬起他的馬。她哭了，扭著雙手，但王說，“我只想為你的幸福。一時間會來的時候你會感謝我的。“然後他疾馳而去翻山越嶺，抱著她在他面前的這匹馬，和獵人跟著他們後面。當太陽落下去，他們走近一個公平的皇家城市，教堂，圓屋頂和。在到達城堡的國王把她領進大理石大廳，在那裡的大噴泉出場，並在牆壁和天花板上佈滿了豐富的畫作。但她沒有眼睛，所有這些輝煌的景象，她只能哀慟哭泣。她耐心地允許婦女陣列她的朝服，織在她的頭髮珍珠，在她的手指水泡軟繪製手套。當她在他們面前，她所有的衣服豐富站著，她看上去是那麼dazzingly美麗，法院在她面前深深地鞠了一躬。於是國王宣布他使她他的新娘的意圖，但大主教搖了搖頭，低聲道了美麗的年輕少女只是誰曾蒙蔽了國王的眼睛和蠱惑他的心臟一個巫婆。但國王不聽這一點; 他下令音樂聲，送達的嬌豔菜餚，跳舞最可愛的姑娘。後病房，他拉著她穿過芬芳的花園和崇高的大廳，但沒有一個笑容出現在她的嘴唇或波光粼粼她的眼睛。她看著悲傷的非常情況。王開了一個小房間中，她的門。是睡覺; 它是裝飾著豐富的綠色掛毯，並且類似的，他已經找到了她的山洞。在地板鋪設亞麻捆她從蕁麻有紡，與天花板下掛著的大衣，她做了。這些東西被帶到遠離洞穴好奇心的獵人之一。

“在這裡，您可以在老家在山洞裡再次夢見自己回來了，”國王說; “這裡是你自己僱用的工作。現在將你解悶在這一切的輝煌之中想起那個時候。“

當艾麗莎看到了所有這些東西裡面躺著這麼近她的心臟，圍繞她的嘴角起了笑容，和深紅色的血液沖向她的臉頰。她認為她的兄弟，和他們的釋放使她如此快樂，她吻了國王的手。然後，他強迫她到他的心臟。很快歡樂教堂的鐘聲宣布結婚宴席，而美麗的啞巴姑娘從林中出來要變成國家的女王。然後大主教低聲惡人的話在國王的耳朵，但他們並沒有陷入他的心臟。婚姻還是要發生，而大主教本人也將冠上了新娘的頭; 在他的邪惡儘管如此，他按下了狹窄的小圈如此緊密地在她的額頭上，這引起了她的痛苦。但重量較重包圍她的心臟，悲傷留給她的兄弟。她覺得沒有身體疼痛。她的嘴被關閉; 一個字將花​​費她的兄弟的生命。但她很喜歡的那種，英俊的國王，誰做的一切都是為了讓她高興越來越多的每一天; 她愛他，她的心臟，她的眼睛充溢著愛，她不敢說話。哦！如果她只能夠信賴他，並告訴她悲痛的他。但愚蠢的她必須留到她的任務完成了。因此，在晚上，她躡手躡腳走她的小房間，這已經掛滿了看起來像山洞，又經過迅速編織一件外衣。但是當她開始第七她發現她沒有更多的亞麻。她知道，她想用蕁麻在墓地漸長，她需要拿出他們自己。她應該如何走出去？“哦，什麼是痛在我的手指，因為我的心臟忍受煎熬？”她說。“我必須冒險，我不否認從天上的幫助。”然後用顫抖的心臟，彷彿她是要執行一個邪惡的契約，她躡手躡腳走進花園在廣闊的月光下，並通過狹窄的步行過去了，空無一人的街道，直到她達到了墓地。然後她看到了廣闊的墓碑一群食屍鬼之一。這些醜陋的生物脫下衣衫襤褸，因為如果他們打算去洗澡，然後抓開放與他們的長，瘦的手指新鮮墳墓，拉出屍體，吃的肉！艾麗莎不得不通過他們接近過，他們在她的固定他們邪惡的目光，但她默默地祈禱著，聚集燃燒蕁麻，並帶到家裡與她的城堡。一個人只看到了她，那是大主教，他是清醒的，而每個人都睡著了。現在，他認為他的觀點顯然是正確的。所有不正確的女王。她是個女巫，並蠱惑的國王和所有的人。他偷偷告訴王他所看到的和他所擔心的那樣，和硬話來自他的舌頭，聖徒的雕刻圖像搖搖頭，好像他們會說。“這其實並非如此。艾麗莎是無辜的。“

但大主教解釋它以另一種方式; 他認為，他們目睹了反對她，並在她的邪惡都搖頭。兩顆大大的淚珠滾落了國王的臉頰，他回家與疑問，在他的心臟，晚上他假裝睡覺，但出現了沒有真正的睡眠，以他的眼睛，因為他看到艾麗莎起床，每天晚上，消失在她自己的室。每天都在他的額頭變得較深，艾麗莎看見了，不理解的原因，但它驚動了她，使她的心臟顫抖，她的兄弟。她滾燙的淚水像閃閃發光的帝王天鵝絨和鑽石珍珠，而所有誰看見她都希望他們可以妻妾成群。在此同時，她已經差不多完成了她的任務; 只有一個外套郵件是想，但她沒有亞麻左側，而不是一個單一的蕁麻。一次只，而最後一次，她必須要冒險墓地和採摘幾把。她認為與孤獨行走的恐怖和可怕的食屍鬼，但她的意志是堅定的，也是她在普羅維登斯的信任。伊麗莎去了，國王和大主教跟著她。他們看見她通過檢票閘消失在境內，而當他們走近了，他們看到了食屍鬼坐在墓碑，因為伊麗莎曾見過他們，王轉身走了他的頭，因為他以為她與他們，她的頭已經落在了他的胸膛當天晚上。“人們必須譴責她，”他說，並且她很快被每個人譴責火災遭受死亡。遠離華麗的帝王廳是她帶領到一個黑暗，沉悶的細胞，其中風透過鐵欄杆吹了聲口哨。取而代之的是天鵝絨和絲綢禮服，他們給她的郵件，她編織了覆蓋她，蕁麻枕頭束的大衣; 但他們沒有什麼可以給她會高興她更多。她繼續她的任務與喜悅，並祈求幫助，而街頭男孩唱嘲笑她的歌，而不是靈魂的安慰她一句好話。到了傍晚，她聽到在光柵一隻天鵝的翅膀的撲，那是她最小的弟弟，他已經找到了他的妹妹，她抽泣著歡樂，雖然她知道，很可能這將是最後一晚，她將不得不住。但她還是希望能為她的任務基本完成，而她的哥哥們來了。然後大主教趕到，與她在她的最後幾個小時，因為他已經答應了王。但她搖搖頭，求他，通過神態和動作，不留; 在這個晚上，她知道她必須完成她的任務，否則她所有的痛苦和淚水，廢寢忘食會一直遭受徒勞的。大主教退出，說出刻薄話攻擊她。但可憐的艾麗莎知道她是無辜的，並努力繼續她的工作。

小老鼠跑來跑去的地板，他們拖著蕁麻到她的腳，幫助，以及他們可能; 和畫眉坐在窗口的光柵外，長期唱她的整個夜晚，甜蜜越好，跟上她的精神。

它仍然是黃昏，和前至少一個小時日出，當十一個兄弟站在城堡大門，並要求在王面前提上來。他們被告知，它不能是，它仍然幾乎晚上，和同睡他們不敢打擾他。他們揚言，他們懇求。那麼守衛出現，甚至國王本人，詢問什麼所有的噪音意思。此時的太陽升起來了。十一個兄弟再也沒人見過，但11只野生天鵝飛走了城堡。

現在所有的人都來自城市之門流出來，看到女巫燒毀。老馬還借鑒了那些她坐在車。他們穿著她在粗麻布的衣服。她可愛的頭髮鬆散掛在她的肩膀上，她的臉頰是致命的蒼白，她的嘴唇動了動默默的，而她的手指仍然工作在綠色亞麻。甚至在途中死亡，她不會放棄她的任務。郵件的十個大衣躺在她的腳，她正努力在最後，而暴徒嘲笑她，說：“看巫婆，她怎麼喃喃自語！她沒有讚美詩書在她的手。她坐在那裡與她的醜陋的巫術。讓我們撕開它在一千塊。“

接著就壓向了她，並且會摧毀郵件的大衣，但在同一時刻11只野天鵝飛過她，下車上車。然後，他們拍著自己的大翅膀，人群在報警上畫了一個側面。

“這是從天上來的跡象，表明她是無辜的，”低聲許多人; 但他們冒險不要大聲說出來。

當劊子手抓住她的手，抬起她走出車，她急忙扔十大衣郵件過的天鵝，他們立刻成為11英俊的王子; 但最年輕的了，而不是手臂一隻天鵝的翅膀; 因為她一直沒能完成的大衣袖子最後。

“現在我可以說，”她感嘆地說。“我是無辜的。”

然後是人，誰看到發生了什麼，向她鞠躬，為聖人前; 但她在她兄弟的手臂一沉沉沉，克服了懸念，痛苦和疼痛。

“是的，她是無辜的，說：”大哥; 然後他有關的一切已經發生; 他說話時有香味玫瑰在空中，從數以百萬計的玫瑰。每一塊柴草的堆已經扎下了根，並拋出了分支機構，並出現了厚厚的樹籬，又大又高，覆蓋著玫瑰; 而以上所有的開花白色和閃亮的花，那像閃閃發光的明星。這種花的王彈撥，並放置在艾麗莎的懷裡，當她從她昏厥中醒來，與和平和幸福在她的心臟。和所有教堂的鐘聲響起自己的，飛鳥來的偉大軍隊。和結婚遊行回到了城堡，如沒有國王曾經見過。

The Wild Swans ~ Bitterness