Damsels Overcome

Elisa ran from the castle. Longing for her mother, she ran until she reached a forest. Elisa decided to find her eleven brothers. While she sobbed, night fell into darkness; the woods became silent. Elisa sat against a tree waiting for morning and fell asleep.
Then Elisa woke to the sounds of splashing water. Making her way to the spring, she dipped her hands into the spring. Elisa saw her ugly face; she rubbed off the stains; she washed her hair and dress.
By the stream, an old crone sat with a basket of berries. She offered Elisa berries.
"Kind lady, have you seen eleven princes with golden crowns?”
"Yesterday, Eleven swans with gold crowns on their heads swam near the river by the ocean." The old crone led Elisa down the hill to the river, which she followed to the ocean. Scattered on the shore caught in the seaweed were eleven swan feathers.
At sunset, Elisa saw eleven swans with golden crowns on their heads fly to the shore. Flapping their long white wings, the swans settled. As the light sank below the water, the swan's feathers disappeared; Elisa saw eleven handsome men. She ran, calling their names. Between laughter and tears, the story told of the wicked stepmother, who spun the horrid spell.
"I shall free you, my brothers."
“We fly away tomorrow and cannot return for a whole year."
“Please take me with you." "Dear sister, we will."