The Twelve Wild Ducks facts for kids

"The Twelve Wild Ducks" is a classic fairy tale from Norway. It was collected by two famous storytellers, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. They put it in their book called Norske Folkeeventyr. This story is known as a "brothers turned into birds" tale, which is a common type of folk story around the world.

Story Summary: The Wild Ducks

This fairy tale begins with a queen who had twelve strong sons. She really wanted a daughter. The queen wished for a girl as white as snow and as red as blood. She even said she wouldn't mind what happened to her sons if she could have a daughter.

A magical troll woman heard her wish. The troll told the queen she would get her daughter. However, the troll would take her sons as soon as the new baby was given her name.

The Birth of Snow-white and Rosy-red

Soon, the queen had a baby girl. She named her "Snow-white and Rosy-red." Just as the troll had promised, all twelve of her sons changed. They were turned into wild ducks and flew far away.

Snow-white and Rosy-red often felt sad. One day, her mother asked her why. The girl said everyone else had brothers and sisters, but she had none. So, the queen told her about her twelve lost brothers.

A Sister's Quest

Snow-white and Rosy-red decided to find her brothers. She left home and searched for three long years. Finally, she found a small cottage where her brothers lived.

She cleaned the whole house for them. Then, she fell asleep in her youngest brother's bed. Her brothers, who flew as ducks during the day, found her when they returned as men at night.

The Brothers' Return

The oldest brother was angry. He thought Snow-white and Rosy-red was the reason for their problems. He wanted to hurt her. But her youngest brother said it was their mother's fault, not hers. Snow-white and Rosy-red also begged them, explaining she had searched for them for three years.

Her brothers told her how to break the spell. She had to weave special cloth from thistle-down. From this cloth, she needed to make Neckerchiefs, shirts, and coats for all twelve of them. The most important rule was that she could not cry, laugh, or speak until the task was done. She started working right away. Her brothers flew off as wild ducks every day but came back as men each night.

A Royal Marriage and Challenges

One day, a king found Snow-white and Rosy-red. He was impressed by her and brought her to his castle. He wanted to marry her, even though his stepmother did not approve.

Snow-white and Rosy-red kept sewing her brothers' clothes. Soon, she had a son. But the old queen, her stepmother-in-law, was very mean. She took the baby and threw him into a pit where snakes lived. Then, she put blood on Snow-white and Rosy-red's mouth. She told the king that his young wife had harmed and eaten her own baby.

This happened two more times. Snow-white and Rosy-red had two more children, and the old queen harmed them too. Finally, the old queen convinced the king that his wife should be punished. She was to be burned at a tall wooden structure.

The Spell is Broken

Just in time, Snow-white and Rosy-red finished the last piece of clothing. Her brothers arrived to take them. As they put on the clothes, they changed back into men! They told her it was finally safe to speak.

Snow-white and Rosy-red quickly told the king the whole truth. Her brothers then showed everyone the babies. They were still alive and safe in the snake pit.

Justice for the Evil Queen

The king asked his mother what a fair punishment would be for such a terrible act. The old queen suggested being pulled apart by twelve horses. So, she ended up suffering the very punishment she had suggested for someone else.

Other Versions of the Story

This tale is sometimes called The Wild Swans. Another version, said to be from Denmark, is titled Snow-White and Rosy-Red. In that story, the brothers are also "twelve ducks."