Un om avea sapte copii, toti baieti, dar nicio fata, desi si-ar fi dorit foarte mult una. Pana la urma, intr-o zi, sotia ii dadu vesti bune si peste cateva luni nascu o fetita. Fericirea parintilor fu mare, dar fata era foarte mica si slaba, asa ca parintii hotarara sa o boteze imediat, de frica sa nu moara. Tatal il trimise pe unul dintre baieti la fantana, sa aduca apa pentru botez. Ceilalti au vrut sa-l insoteasca si intrecandu-se le cazu ulciorul pe fundul fantanii. Nestiind ce sa faca, se temeau sa se mai intoarca acasa. Vazand ca intarzie, tatal se impacienta si spuse: "Sigur impielitatii astia se joaca si au uitat de apa!" Din ce in ce mai ingrijorat ca ii va muri fiica fara botez, tipa intr-un acces de furie: "Sper sa va intoarceti corbi!" De abia rostira buzele sale aceste cuvinte, ca se si auzi un falfait in aer si, ridicandu-si ochii, vazu sapte corbi negri ca noaptea care zburau pe cer.
There was once a man who had seven sons, and still he had no daughter, however much he wished for one. At length his wife again gave him hope of a child, and when it came into the world it was a girl. The joy was great, but the child was sickly and small, and had to be privately baptized on account of its weakness. The father sent one of the boys in haste to the spring to fetch water for the baptism. The other six went with him, and as each of them wanted to be first to fill it, the jug fell into the well. There they stood and did not know what to do, and none of them dared to go home. As they still did not return, the father grew impatient, and said, "They have certainly forgotten it for some game, the wicked boys!" He became afraid that the girl would have to die without being baptized, and in his anger cried, "I wish the boys were all turned into ravens." Hardly was the word spoken before he heard a whirring of wings over his head in the air, looked up and saw seven coal-black ravens flying away.
Parintii nu mai putura repara efectele blestemului si ramasera indurerati de pierderea celor sapte fii. Ii mai consola compania fiicei lor, care, trecand peste pericolul primelor sale zile, devenea din ce in ce mai frumoasa. Multi ani nu a stiut nimic despre existenta celor sapte frati, pentru ca parintii aveau grija sa nu ii pomeneasca in discutiile lor. Pana intr-o zi, cand auzi vorbind niste vecini care spuneau ca e foarte frumoasa, dar si vinovata de tragedia fratilor ei. Foarte trista, fata isi intreba parintii daca avusese vreodata frati si ce se intamplase cu ei. Parintii nu mai putura pastra secretul, dar o asigurara ca si ei fusesera foarte mahniti de atunci si ca le-ar placea sa-si revada fii. Oricum, fata se simti vinovata si crezu ca era datoria ei sa-i caute. Nu mai avu odihna, nici liniste, pana cand intr-o zi, fara sa spuna nimanui, pleca in lume sa-si caute fratii, dispusa sa-i elibereze. Lua cu ea doar un inel al parintilor, ca amintire, o bucata de paine ca sa-si potoleasca foamea, o cana pe care sa se aseze daca ar fi obosita.
The parents could not recall the curse, and however sad they were at the loss of their seven sons, they still to some extent comforted themselves with their dear little daughter, who soon grew strong and every day became more beautiful. For a long time she did not know that she had had brothers, for her parents were careful not to mention them before her, but one day she accidentally heard some people saying of herself, "that the girl was certainly beautiful, but that in reality she was to blame for the misfortune which had befallen her seven brothers." Then she was much troubled, and went to her father and mother and asked if it was true that she had had brothers, and what had become of them? The parents now dared keep the secret no longer, but said that what had befallen her brothers was the will of Heaven, and that her birth had only been the innocent cause. But the maiden took it to heart daily, and thought she must deliver her brothers. She had no rest or peace until she set out secretly, and went forth into the wide world to trace out her brothers and set them free, let it cost what it might. She took nothing with her but a little ring belonging to her parents as a keepsake, a loaf of bread against hunger, a little pitcher of water against thirst, and a little chair as a provision against weariness.
Si ajunse la Soare. Soarele era teribil si arzator si manca fetite mici. Fugi si ajunse la Luna, care era rece, cruda si rautacioasa. Cand o vazu pe fata, spuse: "Miroase a carne de om!" Pleca de acolo in mare viteza si merse la stele, care, dragastoase, stateau pe cate un scaunel si o primira cu bucurie. Luceafarul de dimineata se ridica si spuse, in timp ce ii dadea o gheruta de pui: "Cu asta vei putea deshide muntele de cristal."
And now she went continually onwards, far, far to the very end of the world. Then she came to the sun, but it was too hot and terrible, and devoured little children. Hastily she ran away, and ran to the moon, but it was far too cold, and also awful and malicious, and when it saw the child, it said, "I smell, I smell the flesh of men." On this she ran swiftly away, and came to the stars, which were kind and good to her, and each of them sat on its own particular little chair. But the morning star arose, and gave her the drumstick of a chicken, and said, "If you thou hast not that drumstick thou canst not open the Glass mountain, and in the Glass mountain are thy brothers."
Ajungand la muntele de cristal, gasi poarta inchisa si cauta gheruta de pui, dar, cand desfacu batista, constata ca era goala: pierduse cadoul de la stea! Ce sa faca acum? Vroia sa-si salveze fratii, dar nu avea cheia ce descuia muntele de cristal. Atunci ii veni o idee: introduse degetul mic in incuietoare si poarta se deschise. La intrare, un pitic o intreba: "Fata mea, ce cauti aici?" - "Imi caut fratiorii, care sunt sapte corbi, raspunse ea." Piticul adauga: "Domnii corbi nu sunt acasa, dar daca doresti sa astepti pana se intorc, intra." Piticul aseza atunci mancarea pentru cei sapte corbi in sapte farfurii foarte mici si bautura in alte sapte pahare la fel de mici. Si din fiecare farfurie sora gusta cate putin si sorbi din fiecare pahar, iar in ultimul lasa sa cada inelul pe care il luase din casa parinteasca.
The maiden took the drumstick, wrapped it carefully in a cloth, and went onwards again until she came to the Glass mountain. The door was shut, and she thought she would take out the drumstick; but when she undid the cloth, it was empty, and she had lost the good star's present. What was she now to do? She wished to rescue her brothers, and had no key to the Glass mountain. The good sister took a knife, cut off one of her little fingers, put it in the door, and succeeded in opening it. When she had gone inside, a little dwarf came to meet her, who said, "My child, what are you looking for?" - "I am looking for my brothers, the seven ravens," she replied. The dwarf said, "The lord ravens are not at home, but if you will wait here until they come, step in." Thereupon the little dwarf carried the ravens' dinner in, on seven little plates, and in seven little glasses, and the little sister ate a morsel from each plate, and from each little glass she took a sip, but in the last little glass she dropped the ring which she had brought away with her.
Deodata se simti in aer un falfait si piticul explica: "Acum sosesc domnii." Si asa se intampla; corbii intrara infometati si insetati, cautand farfuriile si paharele. Si exclamara unul dupa altul: "Cine a mancat din farfuria mea? Cine a baut din paharul meu? A fost un om!" Cand cel de-al saptelea se uita pe fundul paharului, vazu inelul. Il recunoscu imediat si spuse: "Sa speram ca este al surorii noastre care a venit sa ne caute, altfel am fi foarte dezamagiti!" Cand fata, care ascultase totul din spatele usii, auzi aceasta dorinta, intra in sala si, intr-o clipa, toti se transformara in oameni. Si dupa ce se imbratisara cu sora lor, se intoarsera fericiti acasa.
Suddenly she heard a whirring of wings and a rushing through the air, and then the little dwarf said, "Now the lord ravens are flying home." Then they came, and wanted to eat and drink, and looked for their little plates and glasses. Then said one after the other, "Who has eaten something from my plate? Who has drunk out of my little glass? It was a human mouth." And when the seventh came to the bottom of the glass, the ring rolled against his mouth. Then he looked at it, and saw that it was a ring belonging to his father and mother, and said, "God grant that our sister may be here, and then we shall be free." When the maiden, who was standing behind the door watching, heard that wish, she came forth, and on this all the ravens were restored to their human form again. And they embraced and kissed each other, and went joyfully home.