There was once a queen who had a little daughter, still too young torun alone. One day the child was very troublesome, and the mothercould not quiet it, do what she would. She grew impatient, andseeing the ravens flying round the castle, she opened the window, andsaid: «I wish you were a raven and would fly away, then I should have alittle peace.» Scarcely were the words out of her mouth, when thechild in her arms was turned into a raven, and flew away from herthrough the open window. The bird took its flight to a dark wood andremained there for a long time, and meanwhile the parents could hearnothing of their child.
Long after this, a man was making his way through the wood when he hearda raven calling, and he followed the sound of the voice. As he drewnear, the raven said, «I am by birth a king’s daughter, but am nowunder the spell of some enchantment; you can, however, set me free.’«What am I to do?» he asked. She replied, «Go farther into the wooduntil you come to a house, wherein lives an old woman; she will offeryou food and drink, but you must not take of either; if you do, youwill fall into a deep sleep, and will not be able to help me. In thegarden behind the house is a large tan-heap, and on that you must standand watch for me. I shall drive there in my carriage at two o’clock inthe afternoon for three successive days; the first day it will be drawnby four white, the second by four chestnut, and the last by four blackhorses; but if you fail to keep awake and I find you sleeping, Ishall not be set free.»
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