FAIRY TALE: SIX SWANS

SIX SWANS Once upon __ _____ a king was tricked by an evil old witch into marrying ____ daughter. Now, the king had been married before, and had _____ ______ and a beautiful daughter on his own, whom he loved _____ ________. The queen was _______ that the new queen _______ harm his children, so he hid them in a faraway castle. Even the king _______ ________ the way there. He had to roll a ball of magic string through ____ _______ _______ show him the path. The king secretly visited ___ _________ every evening. The new queen soon began to wonder where _____ ______ ______ each night. So she tricked one of the _____ _______ into telling her the secret. When she heard about the children, she knew she had to find them. The very next day the queen searched ___ _______ until she found the ball of magic string. Then, using a spell, _____ _____ ______ _______ shirts of white silk. When the king went hunting the next day, _____ ______ ______ the magic ball of string and the shirts _____ _____ ________ and went to the hidden castle. As soon as the queen saw the six sons, she took out the magic shirts and quickly _______ ________ over their heads. In a flash, they turned ______ ________ and flew away. When the sister returned home and found ___ _______ gone, she went in search of them. She wandered for _____ ______ until she came across a farm. Inside were _____ _____ beds. Suddenly, the girl _______ the beating of wings, so she hid beneath one of the beds. Six white swans flew in through the window ____ ________ ____ the beds. The swans blew on one another and the girl gasped with amazement. Their feathers fell off to reveal that ____ ______ swans, they were boys. DAUGHTER: MY BROTHERS! She cried. The boys were overjoyed to see ______ __________. But they were also worried. BROTHERS: YOU CAN´T STAY HERE, they said. BROTHERS: IT´S A SECRET HOUSE. EACH DAY, WE ARE _______ _________ JUST FIFTEEN MINUTES ________ WE TURN INTO SWANS AGAIN. DAUGHTER: HOW CAN I FREE YOU FROM THE SPELL? Asked their sister. BROTHER: IT IS TOO MUCH TO ASK. YOU _______ SEW SIX SHIRTS FROM NETTLES, said one brother. BROTHER: AND YOU ________ _______ SAY A WORD FOR SIX YEARS. DAUGHTER: I WILL DO IT, cried the sister. And with that, her brothers turned ______ _______ swans again. The princess went out and began picking nettles at once. She did not mind that they stung her soft fingers. She simply sat ______ __ ______ and began to sew. Before long, a king from ________ ___________ rode by. KING II: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? He asked. Of course, the girl ______ ______ ________. She just kept on sewing, trying not to say a word as the nettles stung her hands. The king fell in love on the spot. He took the girl home and married her. But still the girl would not speak, and ______ _______ she insisted on sewing her nettle shirts. The king´s mother was jealous of ____ _____ ________ and wanted to get rid of her. When the girl had her first baby, the king´s mother stole the child and gave it to a woodcutter. She told ___________ the queen had given the baby away. Of course, the queen ________ ____ ________ to defend herself. She just kept on sewing. Luckily, the king did not believe his mother. A year later, the queen had another baby, and one again the king´s mother _____ ____ _______ to the woodcutter. KING II´S MOTHER: NOW DO YOU BELIEVE ME? She asked of the king. The king shook his head. But when their third child disappeared, the king began ___ _______ doubts. KING II: SHE ONLY WANTS TO SEW ALL DAY, The King thought. KING II: MAYBE MOTHER SPEAKS THE TRUTH. The king begged his wife to defend herself, but she would not. Sadly, ____ _____ ___________ she was guilty. KING II: YOU WILL BE PUNISHED ___ _____ _____________, The king announced. The queen sewed ____ _______. It was the last night of the six years she had been given to complete the nettle shirts. At sunrise, the six shirts were almost finished. Only one sleeve _____ _________. When the king came for the queen, the six white swans appeared out of thin air. The queen threw the nettle shirts over their heads. At once, the swans _______ _______ _______, though the youngest had a wing instead of an arm. DAUGHTER: AT LAST I CAN SPEAK, cried the girl. She quickly told the king about her brothers, _____ _____ ______ own mother had given their children to the woodcutter. When the king heard ____ ________, he sent his mother away and went to rescue his children from the woodcutter. After that, the king, queen, ______ _________ and the six brothers lived happily ever after.