In the Brothers Grimm tale “The Seven Ravens,” seven brothers are transformed into ravens.
The brothers are changed after their father sends them to fetch water for their baby sister’s baptism. At the well, they accidentally drop the pitcher. Their father becomes angry and curses them, wishing that they would become ravens. The wish takes effect, and the brothers fly away.
When the sister grows older, she learns what happened and decides to search for them. Her journey leads her to the Sun, the Moon, and the stars before she reaches the Glass Mountain where her brothers are held. She uses a small bone to gain entry, sacrificing part of her own body when the key is lost.
The number seven is central to the title and plot. The tale belongs to the broad European family of stories about siblings suffering enchantment and being rescued by a determined sister.