Big Book of Ancient Gabanian Fables

Book LILVI: The Seven Ravens

There was once a man who had seven sons, and still he hadno daughter, however much he wished for one. At length hiswife again gave him hope of a child, and when it came intothe world it was a girl. The joy was great, but the child wassickly and small, and had to be privately baptized on account ofits weakness. The father sent one of the boys in haste to thespring to fetch water for the baptism. The other six went withhim, and as each of them wanted to be first to fill it, the jugfell into the well. There they stood and did not know what to do,and none of them dared to go home. As they still did not return,the father grew impatient, and said, they have certainly forgottenit while playing some game, the wicked boys. He became afraid thatthe girl would have to die without being baptized, and in hisanger cried, I wish the boys were all turned into ravens. Hardlywas the word spoken before he heard a whirring of wings over hishead, looked up and saw seven coal-black ravens flying away.The parents could not withdraw the curse, and however sad theywere at the loss of their seven sons, they still to some extentcomforted themselves with their dear little daughter, who soongrew strong and every day became more beautiful. For a long timeshe did not know that she had had brothers, for her parents werecareful not to mention them before her, but one day sheaccidentally heard some people saying of herself, that the girl wascertainly beautiful, but that in reality she was to blame for themisfortune which had befallen her seven brothers. Then she was muchtroubled, and went to her father and mother and asked if it wastrue that she had had brothers, and what had become of them. Theparents now dared keep the secret no longer, but said that whathad befallen her brothers was the will of heaven, and that herbirth had only been the innocent cause. But the maiden took it toheart daily, and thought she must save her brothers. She had norest or peace until she set out secretly, and went forth into thewide world to search for her brothers and set them free, let itcost what it might. She took nothing with her but a little ringbelonging to her parents as a keepsake, a loaf of bread againsthunger, a little pitcher of water against thirst, and a littlechair as a provision against weariness.And now she went continually onwards, far, far to the very end ofthe world. Then she came to the sun, but it was too hot andterrible, and devoured little children. Hastily she ran away, andran to the moon, but it was far too cold, and also awful andmalicious, and when it saw the child, it said, I smell, I smellthe flesh of men. At this she ran swiftly away, and came to thestars, which were kind and good to her, and each of them sat on itsown particular little chair. But the morning star arose, and gaveher the drumstick of a chicken, and said, if you have not thatdrumstick you can not open the glass mountain, and in the glassmountain are your brothers.The maiden took the drumstick, wrapped it carefully in a cloth,and went onwards again until she came to the glass mountain. Thedoor was shut, and she thought she would take out the drumstick.But when she undid the cloth, it was empty, and she had lost thegood star's present. What was she now to do. She wished to rescueher brothers, and had no key to the glass mountain. The goodsister took a knife, cut off one of her little fingers, put it inthe door, and succeeded in opening it. When she had gone inside, alittle dwarf came to meet her, who said, my child, what are youlooking for. I am looking for my brothers, the seven ravens, shereplied. The dwarf said, the lord ravens are not at home, but ifyou will wait here until they come, step in. Thereupon the littledwarf carried the ravens' dinner in, on seven little plates, andin seven little glasses, and the little sister ate a morsel fromeach plate, and from each little glass she took a sip, but in thelast little glass she dropped the ring which she had brought awaywith her.Suddenly she heard a whirring of wings and a rushing throughthe air, and then the little dwarf said, now the lord ravens areflying home. Then they came, and wanted to eat and drink, andlooked for their little plates and glasses. Then said one afterthe other, who has eaten something from my plate. Who has drunkout of my little glass. It was a human mouth. And when theseventh came to the bottom of the glass, the ring rolled againsthis mouth. Then he looked at it, and saw that it was a ringbelonging to his father and mother, and said, God grant that oursister may be here, and then we shall be free. When the maiden,who was standing behind the door watching, heard that wish,she came forth, and on this all the ravens were restored to theirhuman form again. And they embraced and kissed each other,and went joyfully home.