The
Wild Swans
FAR away in the land to which the swallows fly when it is
winter, dwelt a king who had eleven sons, and one daughter, named Eliza. The eleven
brothers were princes, and each went to school with a star on his breast, and a
sword by his side. They wrote with diamond pencils on gold slates, and learnt
their lessons so quickly and read so easily that every one might know they were
princes. Their sister Eliza sat on a little stool of plate-glass, and had a
book full of pictures, which had cost as much as half a kingdom. Oh, these
children were indeed happy, but it was not to remain so always. Their father,
who was king of the country, married a very wicked queen, who did not love the
poor children at all. They knew this from the very first day after the wedding.
In the palace there were great festivities, and the children played at
receiving company; but instead of having, as usual, all the cakes and apples
that were left, she gave them some sand in a tea-cup, and told them to pretend
it was cake. The week after, she sent little Eliza into the country to a
peasant and his wife, and then she told the king so many untrue things about
the young princes, that he gave himself no more trouble respecting them.
"Go out into the world and get your own living," said
the queen. "Fly like great birds, who have no voice." But she could
not make them ugly as she wished, for they were turned into eleven beautiful
wild swans. Then, with a strange cry, they flew through the windows of the
palace, over the park, to the forest beyond. It was early morning when they
passed the peasant's cottage, where their sister Eliza lay asleep in her room.
