- 2 days ago
an evil witch transforms her stepchildren, three princes, into ravens. The princess is told that if she can remain silent for three years, three months, and three days, she can break the curse.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00When people told themselves their past with stories,
00:13explained their present with stories,
00:16foretold the future with stories,
00:20the best place by the fire was kept for the storyteller.
00:30One day in November, the queen died.
00:44Outside the palace, the leaves fell lamenting, reds and golds falling.
00:51Inside, weeping, the king, his three sons, his daughter.
00:56And the people filed slowly by to shed their own tears for the dear queen.
01:03But there was one among the mourners whose eyes were dry.
01:08There was one among the mourners whose heart was ice,
01:37whose soul was cold, whose smile was sly,
01:41whose brain raced ahead to the day when the king would want to ease his loneliness.
01:48And the witch, for which she was, fixed her dry eyes on the king and schemed.
01:56Mine, she schemed.
01:59Mine, all mine.
02:03And you may well weep.
02:08Her scheme was simple and terrible.
02:13She groaned for power, for majesty over all things,
02:18for the cold ring of gold around her head.
02:20She wanted this until the want ate away her heart and soul.
02:26So she set to work on the king.
02:30The king wouldn't marry a witch.
02:32No, the king didn't even see the witch.
02:35He didn't feel the sun on his face or the rain.
02:38Just this tug of the past, all day, all night, memories tugging on his sleeve.
02:46His poor heart, you see, was broken.
02:53But the witch could charm the skin from a snake.
02:57And she turned all her power on the king.
03:00She wound him in, inch by inch.
03:03The past tugging him one way, she patiently pulling him the other.
03:09Because, he thought, when he looked at her, he saw his wife's face.
03:14And indeed, he did.
03:16You're back, he keeps saying.
03:19She says, our little secret.
03:26That's witchery.
03:28Oh, yes.
03:29It was a spell, and it worked.
03:31I've got something wonderful to tell you.
03:34I've met someone very special.
03:39Children, we're going to be married.
03:43We're going to be happy again.
03:45I hope you'll think of me as your friend.
03:49And then, in time, perhaps, as your mother.
03:53Our mother's dead.
03:55I think we mean as a new mother, don't we?
04:00Yes.
04:01In time.
04:04Well.
04:08Try for me.
04:10Will you?
04:13Oh, yes.
04:14All hugs, all family.
04:17But witch watched and cursed them.
04:23They were her rivals and her enemies, these four grieving and bewildered children.
04:28And a canker grew in her mind because she would not share.
04:33She wanted it all.
04:35And she sowed a seed of fear in the children's lives.
04:40Stairs gave way.
04:42Horses bucked while balconies crumbled.
04:44Even the toy box was terrible.
04:46Of course, the witch herself was all honey.
04:51Always honey.
04:52But sometimes the king caught a look and worried she was also the bee.
04:59Bee.
05:00That's right.
05:01And bees sting.
05:02I hate that witch.
05:04Poor man, then.
05:05Torn in half.
05:06Enchanted by his new queen.
05:08Frightened for his children.
05:10What could he do?
05:11I said I'd take you on a special holiday.
05:12We're almost there.
05:13A forest?
05:14A magic forest.
05:15Follow the thread.
05:16Follow the thread.
05:17Follow the thread.
05:18Follow the thread.
05:19Follow the thread.
05:20Follow the thread.
05:21Follow the thread.
05:22Follow the thread.
05:23Follow the thread.
05:24Follow the thread.
05:33Hurry up.
05:34It's perfect.
05:35There's a stream.
05:36And a house.
05:37Beautiful.
05:38And sure enough, there it was, pink and perfect.
05:43And the boys larked and larked as if a great weight had lifted off them.
05:48And their sister sat by the stream and dipped her toes and missed her mother.
05:53Which he always did when she was happy.
05:55This is your secret place.
05:57No one can find you here without the thread.
06:00I'll visit you each day.
06:02You've brought us here because of her, haven't you?
06:05Our stepmother.
06:06No.
06:07Of course not.
06:08But his daughter was right.
06:11Quite right.
06:12For even as she spoke, the witch, her stepmother, sat in her tower and studied horrible spells.
06:20For the children were obstacles between her and power, growing, daily growing like clouds over her.
06:29And now she would discover where they were, clouds.
06:33And puff.
06:34Then clean away.
06:36Where have you been?
06:38I took the children on a trip.
06:39A holiday.
06:40Oh, yes.
06:41Anywhere nice?
06:42Yes.
06:43Very nice.
06:44Mm-hmm.
06:45What's that you're sewing?
06:46Shirts.
06:47I'm sewing them all little shirts.
06:48Aren't they sweet?
06:49That's nice.
06:50Is there love, those?
06:51Mm-hmm.
06:52What's that you're sewing?
06:53Shirts.
06:54I'm sewing them all little shirts.
06:55Aren't they sweet?
06:56That's nice.
06:57Is there love, those?
06:58Mm-hmm.
06:59You're being very mysterious.
07:00Am I?
07:01What about?
07:02The children.
07:03Our children.
07:04You want me to be their mother, but what mother can tolerate not knowing where her children have gone to?
07:16I just want them to have a secret holiday.
07:19Makes it special.
07:20Secret?
07:21Yes, of course.
07:23But what if something should happen to them?
07:26Then where would we be?
07:27What happened to you?
07:28Still let that be an end to it.
07:29If you don't want to talk about it, that's your right.
07:30They're your children.
07:31I'm just the stepmother.
07:32But the witch had no intention of letting that be an end to it.
07:36The next day, the king rode off, and she followed stealthy as a bat.
07:41And watched him roll out the magic thread.
07:42And with sly sleight of hand, she stole it for herself.
07:43And soon she watched it wind its secret way towards the children.
07:44Shirts.
07:45And the witch had no intention of letting that be an end to it.
07:46But the witch had no intention of letting that be an end to it.
07:51The next day, the king rode off, and she followed stealthy as a bat, and watched him roll out the magic thread.
08:00And with sly sleight of hand, she stole it for herself.
08:04And soon she watched it wind its secret way towards the children.
08:10Shirts she carried.
08:14And a chill curse she knew by heart.
08:20Have you caught these fish yourself?
08:22How clever!
08:24How did you find us here?
08:25Where's our father?
08:26He's just coming.
08:28Look, I've brought you presents.
08:30I'll be nice.
08:31I sewed each one by hand.
08:34I'll put them on.
08:35Then your father can see them.
08:37But how can their father see them?
08:40When this thread won't work.
08:42When this ball won't roll.
08:46Where's your sister?
08:48I miss her.
08:49She should be here.
08:51Come along, Ben.
08:52Your shirt.
08:55And all the while, the king stumbles, lost in the forest, and cries out...
09:01Children!
09:02Mama!
09:03Mama!
09:04Mama!
09:05Mama!
09:06The shirt will hurt, the wings will sting, the beak will shriek, the eyes will cry.
09:36And the princess runs, runs for help, runs for her life.
09:43My daughter.
09:45Daughter?
09:48Boys!
09:50Boys!
09:50Husband?
09:52Husband.
09:53What have you done?
09:55Me? I've done nothing. What are you doing here? This is my secret place.
09:58Where are my children?
09:59Oh, are the children here?
10:01I can't look at you.
10:03Please do. Please look at me.
10:06I heard my daughter cry out to me.
10:08I think you must be unwell.
10:10Are you sickening for something? Let me see. Let me soothe you.
10:13Oh, no! Get away from me!
10:17Boys!
10:19What was it?
10:20Yes, you're upset.
10:24I'll have to think about this.
10:27About what we can do with you.
10:28And for a day and a night, the princess ran, stumbled, fled until she dropped.
10:36Dropped into a dead sleep.
10:38And when she woke, she saw three ravens before her.
10:42Or perhaps she dreamt it, because they spoke to her.
10:46Sister, they seem to say. We are trapped. Help us.
10:50How? How can I help you?
10:53You must keep silent.
10:55You must not speak to a single soul for three years, three months, three weeks, and three days.
11:01Only then can the spell be broken.
11:03Then I shall not speak.
11:06Putting her finger to her lips is a sign.
11:10The princess promised not to speak to a single soul for three years, three months, three weeks, and three days.
11:23The princess, she couldn't speak to anyone?
11:26No.
11:27Hello? Goodbye? I'm hungry?
11:31No.
11:31What about a note?
11:33She could write a note.
11:34Nothing.
11:35If she spoke to another soul, her brothers would remain ravens forever.
11:40Such was the power of their stepmother's spell.
11:44And so the princess made her home, high in the hollow of an old dead tree,
11:49and was silent while weeks and weeks went by.
11:52Until one day, a young prince, far from home, stumbles across a stream.
12:01And in that stream, he sees a handkerchief float by.
12:06Hello? Is this yours?
12:06Come back.
12:10Have you been cursed? Is that it?
12:14Can you not speak?
12:15Don't be frightened.
12:18Don't be frightened. I won't hurt you.
12:18Look, I'll sit quietly down here beside you.
12:21See?
12:22And saying that, he sat beside her, and took out his food, and offered it to her, and she was famished, and had some.
12:29And soon he set off talking of his past, his present, and his plans.
12:33And all the while, he's thinking, what eyes.
12:38All the while, he's thinking, to kiss that mouth.
12:43And the prince came back every day for a week.
12:46And the princess found she could smile again.
12:49A darling smile.
12:51A smile that wrapped all the way round her heart and his heart, and squeezed them tight together.
12:58And the prince gave up speaking, too.
13:01And they were content to simply sit, and hug on that smile.
13:07Until one day he could not contain his thoughts, and said them all.
13:12Love, he said, and marriage, and always, and ever.
13:16And they kiss.
13:19And that was that.
13:20So she spoke.
13:21Not a whisper.
13:24The prince set her up on his horse, and they rode the long ride to his kingdom.
13:29And on the way, he spoke of his father, the king, and of his beloved mother, who had died.
13:36And the princess wanted to say, I know.
13:39She wanted to say, mine, too.
13:42But she couldn't.
13:44So she didn't.
13:47And at length, they were there, at the gates of the palace.
13:51And as proud as you please.
13:54Father, madam, I want you to meet my sweetheart.
13:58His father looked down, and so did his stepmother.
14:04The witch.
14:05The witch.
14:06But she was married to the other king.
14:08The other king was dead.
14:10Poisoned.
14:11Oh, no.
14:15The witch had a taste for kings now.
14:17For countries.
14:19For the princess was a thorn pricking at her ambitions.
14:22The princess could not speak, but she accused with her looks.
14:27Killer of my father.
14:28The witcher of my brothers.
14:30And the witch knew she must have done with her.
14:33And so the battle began.
14:35The good princess and the wicked witch.
14:37But the prince knew nothing of this.
14:41And married his sweetheart.
14:43And it was true.
14:45The moon was honey for them.
14:48It kicked.
14:49It's moving.
14:50It's kicking me.
14:52And not a minute, it seemed, before there he was.
14:57A son.
14:58A boy.
14:59And the young mother would have given anything, everything,
15:03to say his name, sing to him, whisper.
15:07But she couldn't.
15:09So she didn't.
15:11He has his mother's eyes.
15:14Oh, lovely.
15:16Let's hope he has your voice, my dear.
15:20Look after him, won't you?
15:22Hug him all up, little man.
15:26She does.
15:27Of course she does.
15:28What?
15:44What is it?
15:46Where's the baby, darling?
15:47The princess didn't know, and couldn't speak.
15:52And their baby was nowhere to be found.
15:55And the pain of it, intolerable.
15:58Until one night, she went to the garden,
16:01and dug with her hands in the ground a small hole,
16:04and bending to the earth,
16:06screamed with all her heart,
16:09screamed and screamed her pain into the hole until morning.
16:13And it was better.
16:16And looking up to the sky,
16:17she saw her brothers, the ravens, circling above her.
16:22The days pass, they seem to say.
16:25Hold to your promise.
16:27Hold to your promise.
16:29Your father and I are so sad for you both.
16:35So sad.
16:38It couldn't be.
16:39You don't think the princess didn't,
16:41well, want the little baby, perhaps?
16:44She loved him.
16:46Of course she did.
16:48Stupid.
16:49Forget I said anything.
16:51Please?
16:54Dearest, where have you been?
16:56I looked everywhere.
16:57What have you got on your hands?
17:01What's this?
17:02Is it earth?
17:04Perhaps she's been digging a little hole.
17:07What have you been digging?
17:13It must pain you so much she's done.
17:16I hate that witch.
17:18I bet she did something to the baby.
17:21No one knew.
17:23Or no one said.
17:24And when the news came the princess was to have a second baby,
17:28the joy was muted.
17:31Quiet.
17:32And two years and two months after the princess took her bow of silence,
17:37another boy was born to her.
17:40And she would not let this precious son from her sight,
17:43not for an instant until exhaustion overcame her and her eyes stopped fighting and closed.
17:52And when she woke...
17:54And now whispers were whispered in the corridors of the castle.
18:10Two babies disappeared.
18:12What kind of mother, these whispers asked?
18:14Who loses babies who will not speak?
18:16Curse, they said, these gossips.
18:20Bewitched.
18:32Yes?
18:32You know, before, when my first son...
18:40You know, you asked, and I said...
18:42I said, impossible.
18:44But now...
18:45Now I don't know, and I'm frightened.
18:47Oh, I know.
18:49I understand.
18:51And she is with child again.
18:52I could not bear...
18:53Shh!
18:55Don't worry.
18:56When the time comes, we must watch her closely.
19:01We must love her very much.
19:04But we must watch closely.
19:06Don't worry.
19:08I'm here.
19:12Now, who do I remind you of?
19:16My mother.
19:18I know.
19:20And so, three months later, when the baby came...
19:24Darling, our son, our beautiful little son...
19:28What I should like to do is perhaps to take him with me for a day or two somewhere safe.
19:33Somewhere where no one will find him or harm him.
19:37I told you she wouldn't.
19:40Of course.
19:41Well, it's late.
19:44Stay by her until the morning, and then we'll see.
19:47Stay beside her until the morning.
19:51Peace and lovely.
19:52And lovely.
19:54And so they sat, silent, their hearts full to bursting, watching their tiny child, its
20:03fingers like stars.
20:06And the mother prayed, and the father prayed, but the strain, the tiredness of the birth washed
20:12over them, huge waves washing over them, lulling them to sleep.
20:17And for a minute, two minutes, three, they slept.
20:23And then the prince woke.
20:26Oh, no.
20:32Oh, no!
20:34What have you done?
20:36What have you done?
20:38What's happened?
20:39What's the matter?
20:40It's horrible.
20:41I can't believe it.
20:41She's a witch.
20:43My poor babies.
20:45My poor sons.
20:46Yes.
20:47She must be burned as a witch.
20:49Tomorrow.
20:50Tomorrow.
20:51Oh, she must be burned.
20:53And so it was decreed that three years, three months, three weeks, and three days, after
20:59she had taken her vow of silence, the poor, innocent princess would be burnt at the stake
21:05as a witch.
21:06Why didn't she speak?
21:08She can speak now, can't she?
21:09No.
21:10Not yet.
21:12Not until the midday.
21:15As they prepared the bonfire, the sundial in the courtyard was still far from the midday.
21:23And they came for her and tied her to the stake.
21:25And as the sundial neared the line of twelve, it was the witch herself who lit the torch and
21:33took it towards the bundles of hay and twigs.
21:39And then, and then, three ravens flew at the witch, wheeling and diving and crashing.
21:45And she dropped the torch, and in a second was nothing but dust and ashes.
21:48And her three brothers, freed from their spell, pulled their sister from the stake, and hugged
22:06her and kissed her, and now she could not speak for crying.
22:11And there was more.
22:12For now, all was restored to her, and in good health's way.
22:23And the girl who kept faith and had but one face for everyone, was rewarded with sons and
22:29brothers and a sweetheart and a crown.
22:34And she practiced her smile until it was perfect.
22:39Well, I thought the babies had been killed.
22:43No, the witch had cast them down a well.
22:47But the ravens knew and caught them up safe and cared for them.
22:51And so they lived happily ever...
22:53Yes, but it wasn't three years, three months, three weeks, and three whole days, was it?
22:58No, clever clogs.
23:01The princess spoke three minutes too soon.
23:04And because of that, her youngest brother kept one wing forever.
23:09But he didn't mind, and nor do I, and nor, my dear, should you.
23:15The Tale of the Three Ravens.
23:17The Tale of the Three Ravens.
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