There was once a man who had seven sons, and last of all one daughter. Although the little girl was very pretty, she was so week and small that they thought she could not live, so they said she should at once be christened. 

The father sent one of his sons in haste to the spring to collect some water, but the other six ran after him for each wanted to be the first to draw the water. They were in such a hurry that they all let their pitchers fall into the well, and they stood very foolishly looking at one another, and did not know what to do, for none dared go home. In the meantime the father was uneasy and could not tell what made his boys stay so long. “Surely,” said he, “the whole seven must have forgotten themselves over some game of play.” And when he had waited still longer and they had yet to return he flew into a rage and wished them all turned to ravens. Scarcely had he spoken these words when he heard a crowing over his head, and looking up, saw seven ravens as black as coal flying round and round. Sorry as he was to see his wish so fulfilled, he did not know how what was done could be undone and so comforted himself as well as he could for the loss of his sons with his dear little daughter, who soon became stronger with each passing day. 

For a long time she did not know she had had any brothers; for her father and mother took care not to speak of them before her. However, one day by chance she heard people about her speak of them, “Yes,” they said, “she is beautiful indeed but still ’tis a pity that her brothers should have been lost for her sake.” Then she was much grieved and went to her father and mother and asked if she had any brothers and what had become of them. They dared not hide the truth from her but said it was the will of heaven and that her birth was only the innocent cause of it; but the little girl mourned about it every day and felt herself bound to do all she could to bring her brothers back. She had neither rest nor sleep till at length, one day she stole away and set out into the wide world to find her brothers, wherever they might be, and free them, whatever it might cost her. 

She took nothing with her but a little ring her father and mother had given her, a loaf of bread in case she should be hungry, a little pitcher of water in case she should be thirsty and a little stool to rest upon when she should be weary. Thus she went on and on, and journeyed till she came to the world’s end; then she came to the sun, but the sun was much too hot and fiery; so she ran away quickly to the moon, but the moon was cold and chilly and said, “I smell flesh and blood this way!” So she took herself away in a hurry and came to the stars and the stars were friendly and kind to her. Each star sat upon her own little stool but the morning star rose up and gave her a little piece of wood, and said, “If you have not this little piece of wood, you cannot unlock the castle that stands on the glass mountain where your brothers live.” The little girl took the piece of wood, rolled it up in a little cloth, and went on again until she came to the glass mountain, and found the door shut. Then she felt for the little piece of wood; but when she unwrapped the cloth it was not there and she saw she had lost the gift of the good stars. What was to be done? She wanted to save her brothers but had no key to open the castle of the glass mountain. So this faithful sister took a knife out of her pocket and cut off her finger, that was just the size of the piece of wood she had lost, and put it in the door and opened it.

As she went in, a little dwarf came up to her and said, “What are you seeking for?” “I seek my brothers, the seven ravens,” answered she. Then the dwarf said, “ My masters are not at home; but if you will, wait till they come.” Now, the little dwarf was getting their dinner ready, and he brought their food upon seven little plates, and their drinks in seven little glasses, and set them upon the table, and out of each little plate their sister ate a small piece, and out of each little glass she drank a small drop; but she let the ring she had brought with her fall into the last glass.

On a sudden she heard a fluttering and croaking in the air, and the dwarf said, “ Here come my masters.” When they came in they wanted to eat and drink, and looked for their plates and glasses. Then said one after the other, “ Who has eaten from my little plate? And who has been drinking out of my little glass?

“Caw! Caw! Well I ween,

Mortal lips have this way been.”

When the seventh came to the bottom of his glass and found the ring, he looked at it, and knew that it was his father’s and mother’s and said, “O that our little sister would but come! Then we would be free.” When the little girl heard this (for she stood behind the door all the time and listened) she ran forward, and in an instant all the ravens took their human forms again; and all hugged and kissed each other, and went merrily home.