and made the little beds look sweet and clean with pretty white covers, and altogether it was no wonder that the brothers were very happy and comfortable, and that they all lived together in great peace and contentment.
One day, the two who stayed at home had prepared a dainty meal, and as soon as they were all assembled they sat down to the table, happy and in good spirits. Now there was a little garden belonging to the house in which grew twelve tall lily plants. The sister went out to pick the lilies, for she thought it would please her brothers to give them each a flower as they sat at table. But scarcely was the last one gathered, when her brothers were suddenly changed into twelve ravens, that flew right away over the trees, and in the same moment both the house and garden entirely disappeared. There was the poor girl, left alone in the wild wood; turning, however, to look around her, she saw an old woman standing near, who said, "My child, what is this that you have done? Why did you not leave those twelve white lilies untouched? Those were your brothers, who are now from this time forth, turned into ravens." The girl asked weeping, "Is there nothing that I can do to set them free?"
"Nothing," replied the old woman, "there is one way only in all the world by which they might be saved, but that would be far too hard a task for you to perform, for you would have to remain dumb for seven years, never either speaking or laughing, and if, when there were only a few minutes wanting to complete the seven years, you were to utter a single word, all your past endeavour would be in vain, and with that one word you would have killed your brothers."
The girl was silent, but in her heart she said, "I will
