For a long time, my hut stood empty in the deep, dark forest. Then twelve brothers came along and set up house. They never saw me, but they knew my hut was bewitched because when they arrived, twelve lilies mysteriously appeared in the garden. They took great care with those lilies until their sister came along.

She was a kind girl. She helped with the housework, but then one evening, thinking she would give her brothers a little pleasure, she picked the lilies in the garden. Thoughtless girl! That very instant, her brothers were changed into ravens, and they flew off into the forest.

“My child,” I said, appearing to her. “What have you done? Why did you not just leave the twelve white flowers alone?”

Old Forest Witch in The Twelve Brothers, Grimms. Illustration by John B. Gruelle.