The Six Swans

Once upon a time, in a land surrounded by thick forests and shiny lakes, there lived a kind and gentle queen. She had six sons, each more brave than the last. But a sad event happened when a bad witch cast a spell on the queen's sons, changing them into swans and forcing them to live as birds for six long years.

Very sad and wanting to save her sons, the queen visited them every day at a pond, talking to them and feeding them. After her visits, she went to see the wise old owl who lived deep in the forest. The owl listened to her problem and gave her a small hope – if she wove six shirts made of stinging plants and stayed silent while doing it, her sons would be freed from the witch's curse.

Wanting to save her sons, the queen started her mission, braving the very bad pain of the stinging plants as she gathered them from the forest and spun them into thread with her own hands. Day and night, she worked very hard, her fingers moving quickly as she tried to finish the shirts before the full moon lit up the sky.

As the days passed and the shirts took shape, the queen's silent hard work caught the attention of the villagers, who were amazed at her dedication and bravery. But despite their curiosity, the queen stayed focused on her task, knowing that the future of her sons depended on her success.

Finally, on the night before the full moon, the queen finished the last shirt, her hands shaking with exhaustion and excitement. With a prayer on her lips, she laid the shirts out beneath the stars and waited for the magic to work.

As the first rays of dawn broke across the horizon, a bright light filled the sky, lighting up the forest. And before the queen's eyes, the six swans changed back into her sons, their handsome faces shining with thankfulness and joy.

Filled with emotion, the queen hugged her sons tightly, tears of happiness running down her cheeks. And as they returned home to the castle, the villagers cheered and celebrated their amazing reunion, knowing that the power of love and trying hard had won over darkness once more.

From that day on, the queen and her sons lived happily ever after, their connection stronger than ever before. And though they faced many difficulties and exciting things in the years to come, they knew that as long as they stayed together, they could overcome anything life threw their way.

And so, as the stars twinkled overhead and the moon cast its gentle light upon the land, the queen and her six sons settled down for a peaceful night's rest, their hearts filled with thankfulness for the magic of family and the power of love.

The end!

Follow-up questions:

• What happened to the queen's sons that made her very sad?

• What did the queen have to do to save her sons?

• How did the queen's sons change back from swans to boys?