Once upon a time, a great King married a lovely Princess. They were very happy, but soon the King had to leave for a distant war. Before departing, he warned his Queen never to leave the castle, avoid strangers, beware of evil counsellors, and guard against strange women. The Queen promised to obey.
Alone and sad, the Queen spent her days in her rooms. One day, a kind-looking old woman approached her window and coaxed her to come into the garden to enjoy its beauty. Remembering her promise, the Queen resisted at first, but eventually gave in, not knowing the old woman was a wicked witch.
In the garden, the witch led the Queen to a clear pond and suggested she bathe. Hesitant at first, the Queen decided to enter the cool water. The moment she stepped in, the witch pushed her into the deep pond, shouting, "Swim henceforth, White Duck!" The witch then took the Queen's form and place in the palace.
When the King returned, he was joyfully greeted by the imposter, unaware of the deception.
Meanwhile, the transformed Queen, now a white duck, swam in the pond. She laid three eggs, which hatched into two ducklings and a drake. She raised them lovingly, warning them of the witch in the castle. One day, the young ducks strayed too close to the castle. The witch, recognizing them, pretended kindness, lured them inside, and plotted to kill them.
That night, as the ducklings slept, the little drake stayed awake. When the witch came to the door asking if they were asleep, the drake answered with a rhyme revealing their fear. The witch, thinking they were still awake, left but returned later. Hearing the same answer, she entered and killed the sleeping ducklings.
The next morning, the White Duck, finding her children missing, flew to the palace. There, she discovered their lifeless bodies on the marble floor. Overwhelmed with grief, she cried out a lament.
The King heard the duck's sorrowful cries and asked the witch about it. She dismissed it as mere quacking and ordered servants to chase the duck away, but it always returned to its children, crying out the truth of the witch's deeds.
Hearing the duck's words, the King grew suspicious. He ordered the duck caught, and when it finally flew into his hands, he stroked its wings. Instantly, the White Duck transformed back into his true Queen. She told him of a healing spring water in her nest. The water was brought and sprinkled on the little ducks, restoring them to life as three lovely children.
The family was reunited with joy. The wicked witch was captured and met a fitting end, and they all lived happily ever after.