A king often rode through a deep forest to hunt, and in that forest he had hidden a small house with six little beds and one cradle. There, his six sons and his young daughter lived with a faithful servant, because the king feared an old enemy at court. Each month, he came with bread, apples, and bright ribbons from the town, while the children waited for the sound of his horse under the fir trees.
One winter evening, the king lost his way among snow-covered roots and met a woman who knew every turning of the wood. She showed him the road, and before he left her, she asked for a promise—that he would marry her. The king, cold and troubled, gave his word. When she came to the palace as queen, she watched the forest road more carefully than any guard.
When the servant heard that the new queen was asking many questions about six small beds and one cradle, he wrapped the children in cloaks before dawn. He led them deeper into the forest, to another house built beside a mossy hill. But the king's daughter, who was the youngest, had left her little cap behind on the first bed.
At noon, the queen found the cap. Carrying six white shirts in her arms, she went herself to the hidden house. The six boys were playing at bowls with hazelnuts outside, while their sister stood in the doorway. The queen lifted the shirts one by one and …
6 chapters
