English Original
Once upon a time, a prince set out to see the world, accompanied only by his faithful servant. One evening, lost in a great forest, they saw a young girl approaching a small house. She warned them that her stepmother, a witch, lived there and disliked strangers. Despite the warning, the prince entered as darkness fell.
The witch pretended to be friendly but was secretly brewing evil. Her kind daughter warned the travelers not to eat or drink anything. They slept safely and prepared to leave at dawn. As the prince mounted his horse, the witch offered a farewell drink. The prince rode off, but his servant, tightening his saddle, was left behind. The witch handed him a poisoned glass, which broke, spilling onto the horse and killing it instantly.
The servant retrieved his saddle and found a raven eating the dead horse. Thinking it might be their only meal, he killed the raven and took it. Lost all day, they found an inn at nightfall. The servant gave the raven to the innkeeper to cook for supper.
Unknowingly, they had entered a den of murderers. Twelve killers, along with the innkeeper and the witch, sat down to eat the raven soup. They had barely swallowed a few bites when they all dropped dead, poisoned by the tainted meat. Only the innkeeper's innocent daughter remained. She showed the prince the robbers' treasure, but he refused it and continued his journey.
Eventually, they came to a town where a beautiful, proud princess had declared she would marry any man who posed a riddle she could not solve within three days. If she solved it, he would be beheaded. Nine suitors had already died. Enchanted by her beauty, the prince accepted the challenge.
He asked his riddle: "One killed none, but still killed twelve. What is it?"
The princess was stumped. Desperate, she sent her maid on the first night to eavesdrop on the prince's dreams. The clever servant, sleeping in his master's bed, caught the maid, took her robe, and chased her out. The same happened with a chambermaid on the second night.
On the third night, the prince slept in his own bed. The princess herself came, wearing a mist-gray robe, and whispered questions, hoping he would answer in his sleep. Awake, he replied: "The 'one' is a raven that ate poisoned horse meat and died. The 'twelve' are the murderers who ate the raven and died."
Having learned the answer, the princess tried to leave, but the prince held onto her robe, forcing her to leave it behind.
The next morning, she announced she had solved the riddle. The prince protested, claiming she had cheated by sneaking into his room. When the judges demanded proof, his servant presented the three stolen robes, including the princess's distinctive mist-gray one. The judges declared, "Have this robe embroidered with gold and silver; it shall be your wedding robe."
中文翻译
从前，一位王子带着他忠实的仆人周游世界。一天傍晚，他们在一片大森林里迷路了，看到一位年轻姑娘走向一间小屋。姑娘警告他们，她的继母是个女巫，不喜欢陌生人。尽管有警告，王子还是在天黑时进去了。
女巫假装友好，却在暗中酿造毒药。她善良的女儿提醒旅行者不要吃喝任何东西。他们安全度过一夜，黎明时分准备离开。王子骑上马时，女巫递上一杯告别酒。王子策马离开，但他的仆人正在紧马鞍，被留了下来。女巫递给他一个毒酒杯，杯子碎了，毒酒洒在马身上，马立刻倒地而死。
仆人取回马鞍，发现一只乌鸦正在啄食死马。想着这可能是他们唯一的食物，他杀了乌鸦带上。他们迷路一整天，夜幕降临时找到一家客栈。仆人把乌鸦交给店主做晚餐。
他们无意中闯进了一个贼窝。十二个强盗、店主和女巫坐下来喝乌鸦汤。他们刚吃了几口就全部毒发身亡，因为乌鸦肉沾染了马身上的毒药。只有店主无辜的女儿活了下来。她向王子展示了强盗的财宝，但王子拒绝了，继续上路。
最后，他们来到一个城镇，那里有一位美丽而骄傲的公主。她宣布，谁能出一个她在三天内解不开的谜语，她就嫁给谁。如果她解开了，出谜者就要被砍头。已有九位求婚者丧命。王子被她的美貌迷住，接受了挑战。
他出了谜语：“一个没杀任何人，却杀死了十二个。这是什么？”
公主被难住了。绝望中，第一晚她派女仆去偷听王子的梦话。聪明的仆人睡在王子的床上，抓住了女仆，拿走她的袍子，把她赶了出去。第二晚，同样的事情发生在一位侍女身上。
第三晚，王子睡在自己的床上。公主亲自来了，穿着一件雾灰色的袍子，低声提问，希望王子在睡梦中回答。王子醒着，回答道：“‘一个’是吃了毒马肉而死的乌鸦。‘十二个’是吃了乌鸦而死的强盗。”
得知答案后，公主想溜走，但王子紧紧抓住她的袍子，她只好弃袍而逃。
第二天早上，公主宣布她解开了谜语。王子抗议，说她溜进房间作弊。当法官要求证据时，他的仆人呈上了三件偷来的袍子，包括公主那件独特的雾灰色袍子。法官宣布：“把这件袍子用金银线绣好；它将成为你的结婚礼服。”