A classic childrens book about swans?

Question

I read this book many years ago about this girl. Her father remarried and she didn't like her new step mother. Then one day she was in their castle and the step mother made all her brothers wear white shirts that she'd made. This then turned all the brothers into swans. To turn her brothers back to normal the girl couldn't ever speak and had to do something else which I can't remember. Also there was a part where the girl was sitting in a tree and prince decided he wanted her to be his wife and because she couldn't talk she had to choice but to go with him. They got married in the end I think. There was also a part where she was going to be burnt at the stake and her brothers flew over here in swan form I think. 

So yeah, anyone know what it's called?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

The Six Swans by The Brothers Grimm
Six brothers have been turned into swans by their evil stepmother. They can only take their human forms for fifteen minutes every evening. In order to free them, their sister must make six shirts out of starwort for her brothers, and neither speak nor laugh for six years. A king finds her doing this, is taken by her beauty and marries her. When the Queen has given birth to their first child, the King's wicked mother takes away the child and accuses the Queen, and again with the second and the third. The third time, the Queen is sentenced to be burned at the stake. On the day of her execution, she has all but finished making the shirts for her brothers; only the last shirt misses a left arm. When she is brought to the stake she takes the shirts with her, and when she is about to be burned, the six years expire and six swans come flying through the air. She throws the shirts over her brothers and they regain their human form, except for the youngest brother, who is left with a swan's wing instead of a left arm (in some versions she does not finish the sixth shirt in time, and the youngest brother is left as a swan.) The Queen, now free to speak, can defend herself against the accusations. Her mother-in-law is burned at the stake instead.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Six_Swans

You can read the story here:
http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/grimm/bl-grimm-6swans.htm

Amy C--librarian · Answer

I concur with the first answerer--those 11 brothers are in the Wild Swans

Empress of Everything · Answer

I think it may be The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Anderson

? · Answer

something Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote Caddie Woodlawn something by M. Henry (the memories relating to the horses) something by Beverly Cleary or Judy Blume I enjoyed additionally Pippi Longstocking memories, Amelia Bedelia, and My facet of the Mountain. I additionally very plenty enjoyed the Harry Potter series. and that i additionally enjoyed The Phantom Tollbooth. i ought to bypass on.

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A classic childrens book about swans?

4 Answers