The King of Crows

In a secluded house lives the Green Man, a strange creature with green skin and a single eye, along with his three daughters, all of remarkable beauty. One winter evening, the mysterious King of the Crows—a giant, dark bird—demands the hand of one of the daughters. The two eldest daughters refuse, but the youngest, aged ten, accepts out of filial duty. The King of the Crows, satisfied, restores the Green Man’s sight and carries the young girl away to his icy kingdom in the North.

There, the young queen lives in a vast castle, surrounded by silence and solitude. Every night, the King of Ravens—bound by a spell—visits her in human form, but forbids her from trying to see him for seven years, on pain of terrible misfortune. Curiosity eventually gets the better of her: on the eve of her release, the young woman breaks the taboo, causing the king to be captured and imprisoned by an evil sorcerer.

Driven by love and remorse, the queen then embarks on an epic quest through magical lands, wearing iron shoes and armed with an inexhaustible satchel and a golden knife. After many long years of trials, she finds the blue herb that sings and breaks iron, faces giant wolves, and manages to free the King of the Ravens from his chains. Thanks to her courage and loyalty, the king and his people regain their human form and their freedom, and they all finally return to their homeland.

This tale, rich in twists and turns and symbols, celebrates the power of love, perseverance, and the ability to overcome the most extraordinary trials.