Die sechs Schwäne

OPIS

Petty fisherman-farmer Heinrich had no idea that his curse would come true when he wished his six rascal sons 'never come under his eyes again' for playing carelessly rather then helping their mother deliver a single sister, Constanza, but die in labor. Reaching 18, she learns from an ant that the curse changed Michael, Alfons, Peter, Tillman, Wilhelm and Benjamin into white swans, and meeting them in a magic night they can only be liberated if she observes total silence for six years and makes for each a shirt from stingy nettles. Constanze already lamed father, now leaves home without explaining and observes the terms. In the last year, Constanze meets crown prince Markus, and both fall love, to the fury of his mother, queen-regnant Sieglinde, who will stop at nothing, helped by sycophantic courtier Otto, to bribe, chase or discredit her (future) daughter in law as a witch.