A king, lost in a forest while hunting, encounters a witch who offers to guide him out in exchange for marrying her beautiful daughter. Reluctantly, he agrees, but upon returning home, he fears for his seven children from his first marriage. To protect them from their new stepmother, he hides them in a remote castle. The queen, driven by jealousy, discovers their location and uses witchcraft to transform the six brothers into swans, leaving only their sister behind. Determined to rescue her brothers, the girl ventures into the woods, finds them, and learns she must remain silent for six years while crafting shirts from stitchweed to break the spell. During this time, she is discovered by a king who falls in love with her despite her silence. The wicked mother-in-law falsely accuses her of infanticide, leading to her condemnation. On the day of her execution, the six swans return, and she throws the shirts over them, restoring them to human form. They reveal the truth to the king, who rescues their stolen children and punishes the wicked mother-in-law. The family is reunited, and they live happily ever after.
By Dinah Mulock · First published 1852 · Genre: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Children's Literature