English Original
There were once a king and queen who lived happily and had twelve sons. The king told his wife, "If our thirteenth child is a girl, the twelve boys must die so that she may inherit everything." He had twelve coffins made, filled them with wood shavings and a death pillow, and locked them in a room, giving the key to the queen and forbidding her to speak of it.
The queen grieved all day. Her youngest son, Benjamin, asked why she was sad. She finally showed him the coffins and explained the king's decree. Benjamin comforted her, saying they would flee. The queen instructed her sons to go into the forest. One must always keep watch from the tallest tree, looking toward the castle tower. If she gave birth to a son, she would raise a white flag for their safe return. If a daughter was born, she would raise a red flag, and they must flee far away. She promised to pray for them every night.
After receiving her blessing, the brothers went into the forest. They took turns keeping watch. On the eleventh day, it was Benjamin's turn. He saw a flag raised—not white, but blood-red. Enraged, the brothers swore vengeance, vowing that wherever they found a girl, her red blood would flow.
They went deeper into the darkest part of the forest and found an empty, enchanted hut. They decided to live there, with Benjamin staying home to keep house while the others hunted for food. They lived this way for ten years.
Meanwhile, the daughter born to the queen grew up. She was kind, beautiful, and had a golden star on her forehead. One day, while helping with laundry, she found twelve small men's shirts. She asked her mother about them. With a heavy heart, the queen told her about her twelve brothers, showed her the coffins, and explained what had happened. The princess vowed to find her brothers.
She took the twelve shirts and journeyed into the great forest. After walking all day, she found the enchanted hut and met Benjamin inside. Astonished by her beauty and the star on her forehead, he asked who she was. She said she was a king's daughter seeking her twelve brothers and showed him the shirts. Benjamin revealed he was her youngest brother. They wept for joy and embraced.
Benjamin warned her of their oath to kill any girl they met. The princess said she would willingly die to save her brothers. Benjamin hid her under a tub. When the other brothers returned from hunting, Benjamin made them promise to spare the first maiden they met before revealing their sister. They were overjoyed to see her and welcomed her with love.
The princess stayed with Benjamin, helping with the housework while the others hunted. They lived together in great harmony.
One day, wishing to please her brothers, the princess picked twelve lilies (also called "students") from the garden of the enchanted house. The moment she plucked them, her brothers turned into twelve ravens and flew away, and the house and garden vanished. An old woman appeared and explained that the flowers were her brothers. The only way to break the spell was for the princess to remain completely silent—neither speaking nor laughing—for seven years. If she uttered a single word before the time was up, her brothers would die.
The princess resolved to save them. She climbed a tall tree, sat there spinning, and remained silent. A king hunting in the forest saw her, was captivated by her beauty, and asked her to be his wife. She nodded in agreement. He took her to his castle, and they were married. The queen remained silent and never smiled.
After a few years, the king's wicked mother began to slander the silent queen, accusing her of being a beggar with an evil conscience. Eventually, the king was persuaded and sentenced his wife to death by burning.
As the flames rose around her at the stake, the seven years ended. With a whirring sound, twelve ravens flew down, turned into her brothers upon touching the ground, and saved her. The princess could finally speak and explained everything to the king. He rejoiced at her innocence. They all lived happily together thereafter. The wicked stepmother was judged and met a terrible death in a barrel of boiling oil and venomous snakes.
中文翻译
从前，有一位国王和王后幸福地生活在一起，他们有十二个儿子。国王对妻子说：“如果我们的第十三个孩子是女孩，那十二个男孩就必须死，这样她才能继承一切。”他命人做了十二口棺材，里面装满刨花和一个死亡枕头，然后把棺材锁在一个房间里，把钥匙交给王后，并禁止她提起此事。
王后整日悲伤。她最小的儿子本杰明问她为何难过。她最终带他看了棺材，并解释了国王的命令。本杰明安慰她，说他们会逃走。王后指示儿子们进入森林。必须始终有一个人在最高的树上放哨，望向城堡的塔楼。如果她生的是儿子，她会升起白旗，他们就可以安全返回。如果生的是女儿，她会升起红旗，他们就必须远远逃走。她承诺每晚为他们祈祷。
得到母亲的祝福后，兄弟们进入了森林。他们轮流放哨。第十一天，轮到本杰明。他看到一面旗子升起——不是白的，而是血红色的。兄弟们勃然大怒，发誓要报仇，誓言无论在哪里遇到女孩，都要让她流血。
他们深入森林最黑暗的地方，找到了一间空着的、被施了魔法的小屋。他们决定住在那里，由本杰明留在家里料理家务，其他人外出打猎觅食。他们这样生活了十年。
与此同时，王后生下的女儿长大了。她心地善良，容貌美丽，额头上有一颗金星。一天，她在帮忙洗衣服时，发现了十二件小号的男式衬衫。她问母亲这些是谁的。王后心情沉重地告诉了她关于十二个哥哥的事，带她看了棺材，并解释了发生的一切。公主发誓要找到她的哥哥们。
她带上十二件衬衫，出发进入大森林。走了一整天后，她找到了那间魔法小屋，并在里面遇到了本杰明。本杰明惊讶于她的美丽和额头的星星，便问她是谁。她说自己是一位国王的女儿，正在寻找她的十二个哥哥，并给他看了衬衫。本杰明透露自己就是她最小的哥哥。他们喜极而泣，拥抱在一起。
本杰明警告她，兄弟们发誓要杀死遇到的任何女孩。公主说，为了拯救哥哥们，她愿意去死。本杰明把她藏在一个大桶下面。当其他兄弟打猎回来时，本杰明让他们先承诺放过遇到的第一个女孩，然后才揭晓了妹妹的身份。兄弟们见到她欣喜若狂，满怀爱意地欢迎她。
公主和本杰明住在一起，帮忙做家务，而其他人则去打猎。他们在一起生活得非常和谐。
一天，公主想取悦哥哥们，就从魔法小屋的花园里摘了十二朵百合花（也被称为“学生”）。就在她摘下花朵的那一刻，她的哥哥们变成了十二只乌鸦飞走了，小屋和花园也消失了。一位老妇人出现并解释说，那些花就是她的哥哥们。解除咒语的唯一方法是公主必须保持完全沉默——不说话也不笑——整整七年。如果她在期限之前说出一个字，她的哥哥们就会死。
公主决心拯救他们。她爬上一棵高高的树，坐在那里纺线，保持沉默。一位在森林里打猎的国王看到了她，被她的美貌迷住，请求她做他的妻子。她点头同意了。国王把她带回城堡，他们结了婚。王后始终保持沉默，从不微笑。
几年后，国王邪恶的母亲开始诽谤沉默的王后，指责她是个乞丐，良心败坏。最终，国王被说服，判处妻子火刑。
当火焰在火刑柱周围升起时，七年期限结束了。随着一阵呼啸声，十二只乌鸦飞下来，一接触地面就变成了她的哥哥们，并救了她。公主终于可以开口说话，向国王解释了一切。国王为她的清白感到高兴。此后，他们所有人都幸福地生活在一起。那个邪恶的继母受到审判，被放进一个装满沸油和毒蛇的桶里，悲惨地死去了。