The Twelve Ducks

George Webbe Dasent (1817-1896) was a folklorist and translator of legends and fairy-tales into English. Dasent was acquainted with Jacob Grimm who advised him to study mythology. Eventually George Dasent became a professor of English literature.


‘The Twelve Ducks’ is a fairy-tale collected and retold by George Dasent. It tells us about a Queen who has given birth to twelve sons. But she wants to have a daughter and that wish is so strong that she speaks it out. The next moment a witch comes up to her and promises her a daughter that would be white as snow and red as blood. In return the witch wants to have all the twelve sons. Will the queen agree?