There was once a young huntsman with a joyous heart. In the forest, he met an old woman begging for alms. Moved by compassion, he gave her what he could. In return, she told him of a magical opportunity: he would soon see nine birds fighting over a cloak. If he shot into their midst, one would die and drop a wishing-cloak. By swallowing the dead bird's heart, he would find a gold coin under his pillow each morning.
The prophecy came true. The huntsman gained the cloak and the daily gold. With his new wealth, he decided to travel the world. One day, he saw a beautiful castle where a witch and her lovely daughter lived. The witch knew of his magic heart and plotted to steal it. She forced her daughter to trick the huntsman into drinking a potion that made him cough up the bird's heart, which the girl then swallowed. From then on, the gold appeared under her pillow.
Not satisfied, the witch also wanted the wishing-cloak. She beat her daughter until the girl agreed to trick the huntsman again. Pretending to long for gems from the distant Garnet Mountain, the girl persuaded the huntsman to take her there using the cloak. Once there, the witch's magic made him sleepy. While he slept, the girl stole the cloak and the gems, wishing herself home and abandoning him.
Stranded on the mountain, the huntsman overheard giants saying that clouds near the summit could carry him away. He climbed up, was caught by a cloud, and gently dropped into a walled garden full of cabbages. Hungry, he ate some leaves and turned into a donkey. Still hungry, he kept eating and found another type of cabbage that turned him back into a man.
Realizing the cabbages' power, he took samples of both kinds. He found the witch's castle again, disguised himself, and offered the witch a "delicious salad" (the donkey-cabbage). The witch and her servant ate it and turned into donkeys. The huntsman then tricked the beautiful girl into eating it too. He tied all three donkeys together and took them to a miller, instructing him to treat them harshly, especially the old witch.
After a few days, the miller reported the old donkey (the witch) had died, and the other two were pining away. The huntsman, moved by pity, gave the two younger donkeys the good cabbage to turn them human again. The girl begged for forgiveness, blaming her mother. The huntsman forgave her, they were married, and lived happily ever after.