In the Brothers Grimm tale “The Six Swans,” the sister must remain silent for six years.
Her six brothers have been transformed into swans by their stepmother’s magic. A wise woman tells the sister that she can restore them by making six shirts from star flowers, but she must not speak or laugh for six years while completing the work.
The sister accepts the condition and lives in isolation, sewing the shirts. She cannot finish the final garment completely before the deadline, so one brother retains a swan wing instead of receiving a fully human arm. The brothers nevertheless return to human form, and the family is reunited.
The six-year period corresponds directly to the six enchanted brothers and gives the tale its central structural pattern. It should not be confused with “The Seven Ravens,” where a sister’s restoration task involves seven brothers and a different sacrifice. Translations may vary in small wording details, but the required silence lasts six years.