There was once a man who had seven sons, and still he had no daughter, however much he wished for one. At length his wife again gave him hope of a child, and when it came into the world it was a girl. The joy was great, but the child was sickly and small, and had to be privately baptized on account of its weakness. The father sent one of the boys in haste to the spring to fetch water for the baptism. The other six went with him, and as each of them wanted to be first to fill the jug, they crowded around the well in their excitement. In their haste to prove their helpfulness, the precious jug slipped from their hands and fell deep into the well, disappearing with a splash into the dark water below. There they stood, frozen and afraid, not knowing how to return home empty-handed.
As the boys did not return, the father grew impatient. 'They have certainly forgotten it for some game, the wicked boys!' he thought. He became terribly afraid that the girl would have to die without being baptized, and in his mounting anger, he spoke words he could never take back: 'I wish the boys were all turned into ravens.' Hardly was the word spoken before he heard a strange whirring of wings over his head in the air. He looked up and saw seven coal-black ravens flying away in a line, their cries echoing as they vanished into the distance. The curse had taken hold, and the seven brothers were gone, transformed in the blink of an eye into creatures of the air, leaving their parents in silent, bitter regret.
The parents could not recall the curse, and however sad they were at the loss of their seven sons, they comforted themselves with their dear little daughter. She soon grew strong and every day became more beautiful, a bright light in their quiet home. For a long time, she did not know that she had had brothers, for her parents were careful never to mention them before her. They kept the secret buried deep, hoping to spare her the weight of their own mistake. But truth has a way of finding its way into the light, and the absence of seven sons left a shadow in the family history that no amount of silence could truly hide. The girl lived in happy ignorance, never suspecting the secret that lay behind her parents' sadness.
One day, the girl accidentally heard some people talking about her. 'That girl is certainly beautiful,' they said, 'but in reality, she is to blame for the misfortune which befell her seven brothers.' Much troubled, she went to her father and mother and asked if it was true that she had had brothers, and what had become of them. The parents could keep the secret no longer. They told her that what had happened was the will of Heaven, and that her birth had only been the innocent cause. But the maiden took it to heart daily, feeling the weight of a debt she had never asked for. She decided she must deliver her brothers, no matter the cost. She had no rest or peace until she set out secretly into the wide world to trace them out and set them free.
She took nothing with her but a little ring belonging to her parents as a keepsake, a loaf of bread against hunger, a little pitcher of water against thirst, and a little chair as a provision against weariness. Now she went continually onwards, far, far to the very end of the world. First, she came to the sun, but it was too hot and terrible, and devoured little children. Hastily she ran away and came to the moon, but it was far too cold, and also awful and malicious. When it saw the child, it said, 'I smell, I smell the flesh of men.' Swiftly she fled from the moon’s pale, hungry light, seeking a kinder guide in the vast, strange darkness. She felt small and alone, but the memory of her brothers gave her the strength to keep her feet moving forward.
At last, she came to the stars, which were kind and good to her. Each of them sat on its own particular little chair, watching over the world with gentle light. But the morning star arose and gave her a strange gift: the drumstick of a chicken. 'If thou hast not that drumstick,' it said, 'thou canst not open the Glass Mountain, and in the Glass mountain are thy brothers.' The girl thanked the star and wrapped the drumstick carefully in a cloth to keep it safe. She felt a new hope rising in her heart, for now she had a key to the mystery. The stars winked at her as she departed, their silent encouragement lighting her way as she traveled onward toward the legendary mountain that held her brothers captive.
The maiden went onwards again until she came to the Glass Mountain. The door was shut tight, its surface smooth and impossible to climb. She reached into her cloth to take out the drumstick, but when she undid the folds, it was empty. She had lost the star's precious gift! Panic seized her. How could she rescue her brothers without the key? She had no way to open the Glass Mountain. But her devotion was stronger than her fear. Without hesitation, the brave sister took a knife and cut off one of her own little fingers. She put the finger into the lock of the door, and to her joy, the glass mechanism turned. Love and sacrifice succeeded where the lost key could not, and the heavy door finally swung open, revealing the sparkling path that led inside.
When she had gone inside, a little dwarf came to meet her. 'My child, what are you looking for?' he asked. 'I am looking for my brothers, the seven ravens,' she replied. The dwarf looked at her with knowing eyes and said, 'The lord ravens are not at home, but if you will wait here until they come, step in.' He carried the ravens' dinner in on seven little plates and in seven little glasses. The little sister, tired and hungry from her long journey, ate a tiny morsel from each plate and took a sip from each glass. In the last glass, however, she secretly dropped the gold ring she had brought from home. She then hid behind the door, her heart beating fast, waiting to see what would happen when the masters of the mountain returned.
Suddenly she heard a whirring of wings and a rushing through the air. 'Now the lord ravens are flying home,' the dwarf said. They flew inside, their black feathers gleaming in the mountain light, and immediately went to their dinner. They began to eat and drink, but soon they noticed something was different. One after another, they spoke: 'Who has eaten from my plate? Who has drunk from my glass? It was a human mouth.' They looked at each other in confusion, sensing a presence they had not felt in years. The air in the mountain was thick with anticipation. The seventh raven, reaching the bottom of his glass, felt something solid against his beak. He looked closer and saw the ring that belonged to his father and mother.
God grant that our sister may be here, and then we shall be free!' the seventh raven cried. When the maiden heard that wish, she came forth from behind the door. In the moment their eyes met, the ravens were restored to their human form. The brothers embraced and kissed their sister, their hearts full of joy and gratitude for her incredible sacrifice. The spell of the Glass Mountain was broken forever by a sister's love. They set out together, a family reunited, and traveled back through the world she had crossed alone. When they reached home, their parents welcomed them with tears of joy, and they lived happily ever after, the seven brothers and the sister who had never given up on them.
