The Magic Swan
by Andrew Lang · from The Green Fairy Book
Adapted Version
Once, there was a boy named Peter. He was not happy at home. His older brothers were not kind to him. They did not share. They did not play with him. Peter wished to be happy. He wished for a friend.
One day, an old woman found him crying by a tree. "Why are you sad?" she asked. Peter told her. The woman smiled a kind smile. "Go and find your fortune," she said. She gave him a beautiful magic swan. Its feathers shone like gold. She also gave him a little stick. "This swan is special," she said. "If someone touches it, it will scream. Say 'Swan, hold fast' very quickly. Then they will be stuck!" She showed him how. "Use this to find your happiness," she said.
Peter thanked her. He walked with the swan. Soon, he found a man sleeping near a big tree. The swan was tied there. Peter used his stick. He took the swan away very quietly.
A boy saw the swan walking behind Peter. "What pretty feathers!" he said. He reached out and pulled one. The swan screamed a loud, funny scream! "Swan, hold fast!" said Peter quickly. The boy's hand stuck to the swan. He could not get away. "Help!" he said.
A girl saw them. She was washing clothes by a river. "What is happening?" she asked. She tried to help the boy. She touched his arm. The swan screamed again. "Swan, hold fast!" said Peter. Now the girl was stuck too. "Oh no!" she laughed.
An important man saw them walking. He was not happy. "This is a silly line!" he said. He tried to pull the girl away. The swan screamed. "Swan, hold fast!" said Peter. The important man was stuck. "My goodness!" he said.
His wife saw him. She ran to help. "I will save you!" she said. She touched her husband. The swan screamed. "Swan, hold fast!" said Peter. Now she was stuck too. "This is very strange," she said.
They all came to a big town. A princess lived there in a castle. She never, ever laughed. She was always very serious. She looked out her window. She saw Peter and the funny, stuck line of people. She began to smile. Then she laughed and laughed! Her laugh was like bells.
The king, her father, heard her. He was very happy. "You made her laugh!" he said to Peter. "I will give you a gift. You can have some land."
Peter chose the land. Then he took his little stick. He touched everyone with it. They were free! The boy, the girl, the man, and his wife. They all went home happy, waving goodbye.
The princess came down to see the swan. "It is so beautiful," she said. She stroked its golden feathers. The swan screamed. "Swan, hold fast!" said Peter. The princess was stuck. "Now you must stay with me," said Peter. The princess smiled a big smile. "Yes," she said. They would get married.
The swan flapped its wings. It flew away into the blue sky. Peter became a duke. He married the princess. He found the old woman. "Thank you for your help," he said. She came to live in their castle. Everyone was happy and kind.
Kindness and trying hard bring good things.
Original Story
THE MAGIC SWAN
There were once upon a time three brothers, of whom the eldest was
called Jacob, the second Frederick, and the youngest Peter. This
youngest brother was made a regular butt of by the other two, and they
treated him shamefully. If anything went wrong with their affairs, Peter
had to bear the blame and put things right for them, and he had to
endure all this ill-treatment because he was weak and delicate and
couldn't defend himself against his stronger brothers. The poor creature
had a most trying life of it in every way, and day and night he pondered
how he could make it better. One day, when he was in the wood gathering
sticks and crying bitterly, a little old woman came up to him and asked
him what was the matter; and he told her all his troubles.
'Come, my good youth,' said the old dame, when he had finished his tale
of woe, 'isn't the world wide enough? Why don't you set out and try your
fortune somewhere else?'
Peter took her words to heart, and left his father's house early one
morning to try his fortune in the wide world, as the old woman had
advised him. But he felt very bitterly parting from the home where he
had been born, and where he had at least passed a short but happy
childhood, and sitting down on a hill he gazed once more fondly on his
native place.
Suddenly the little old woman stood before him, and, tapping him on the
shoulder, said, 'So far good, my boy; but what do you mean to do now?'
Peter was at a loss what to answer, for so far he had always thought
that fortune would drop into his mouth like a ripe cherry. The old
woman, who guessed his thoughts, laughed kindly and said, 'I'll tell you
what you must do, for I've taken a fancy to you, and I'm sure you won't
forget me when you've made your fortune.'
Peter promised faithfully he wouldn't, and the old woman continued:
'This evening at sunset go to yonder pear-tree which you see growing at
the cross roads. Underneath it you will find a man lying asleep, and a
beautiful large swan will be fastened to the tree close to him. You must
be careful not to waken the man, but you must unfasten the swan and take
it away with you. You will find that everyone will fall in love with its
beautiful plumage, and you must allow anyone who likes to pull out a
feather. But as soon as the swan feels as much as a finger on it, it
will scream out, and then you must say, "Swan, hold fast." Then the hand
of the person who has touched the bird will be held as in a vice, and
nothing will set it free, unless you touch it with this little stick
which I will make you a present of. When you have captured a whole lot
of people in this way, lead your train straight on with you; you will
come to a big town where a Princess lives who has never been known to
laugh. If you can only make her laugh your fortune is made; then I beg
you won't forget your old friend.'
Peter promised again that he wouldn't, and at sunset he went to the tree
the old woman had mentioned. The man lay there fast asleep, and a large
beautiful swan was fastened to the tree beside him by a red cord. Peter
loosed the bird, and led it away with him without disturbing the bird's
master.
He walked on with the swan for some time, and came at last to a
building-yard where some men were busily at work. They were all lost in
admiration of the bird's beautiful plumage, and one forward youth, who
was covered with clay from head to foot, called out, 'Oh, if I'd only
one of those feathers how happy I should be!'
'Pull one out then,' said Peter kindly, and the youth seized one from
the bird's tail; instantly the swan screamed, and Peter called out,
'Swan, hold fast,' and do what he could the poor youth couldn't get his
hand away. The more he howled the more the others laughed, till a girl
who had been washing clothes in the neighbouring stream hurried up to
see what was the matter. When she saw the poor boy fastened to the swan
she felt so sorry for him that she stretched out her hand to free him.
The bird screamed.
'Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and the girl was caught also.
When Peter had gone on for a bit with his captives, they met a chimney
sweep, who laughed loudly over the extraordinary troop, and asked the
girl what she was doing.
'Oh, dearest John,' replied the girl, 'give me your hand and set me
free from this cursed young man.'
'Most certainly I will, if that's all you want,' replied the sweep, and
gave the girl his hand. The bird screamed.
'Swan, hold fast,' said Peter, and the black man was added to their
number.
They soon came to a village where a fair was being held. A travelling
circus was giving a performance, and the clown was just doing his
tricks. He opened his eyes wide with amazement when he saw the
remarkable trio fastened on to the swan's tail.
'Have you gone raving mad, Blackie?' he asked as well as he could for
laughing.
'It's no laughing matter,' the sweep replied. 'This wench has got so
tight hold of me that I feel as if I were glued to her. Do set me free,
like a good clown, and I'll do you a good turn some day.'
Without a moment's hesitation the clown grasped the black outstretched
hand. The bird screamed.
'Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and the clown became the fourth of
the party.
Now in the front row of the spectators sat the respected and popular
Mayor of the village, who was much put out by what he considered nothing
but a foolish trick. So much annoyed was he that he seized the clown by
the hand and tried to tear him away, in order to hand him over to the
police.
Then the bird screamed, and Peter called out, 'Swan, hold fast,' and the
dignified Mayor shared the fate of his predecessors.
The Mayoress, a long thin stick of a woman, enraged at the insult done
to her husband, seized his free arm and tore at it with all her might,
with the only result that she too was forced to swell the procession.
After this no one else had any wish to join them.
Soon Peter saw the towers of the capital in front of him. Just before
entering it, a glittering carriage came out to meet him, in which was
seated a young lady as beautiful as the day, but with a very solemn and
serious expression. But no sooner had she perceived the motley crowd
fastened to the swan's tail than she burst into a loud fit of laughter,
in which she was joined by all her servants and ladies in waiting.
'The Princess has laughed at last,' they all cried with joy.
She stepped out of her carriage to look more closely at the wonderful
sight, and laughed again over the capers the poor captives cut. She
ordered her carriage to be turned round and drove slowly back into the
town, never taking her eyes off Peter and his procession.
When the King heard the news that his daughter had actually laughed, he
was more than delighted, and had Peter and his marvellous train brought
before him. He laughed himself when he saw them till the tears rolled
down his cheeks.
[Illustration]
'My good friend,' he said to Peter, 'do you know what I promised the
person who succeeded in making the Princess laugh?'
'No, I don't,' said Peter.
'Then I'll tell you,' answered the King; 'a thousand gold crowns or a
piece of land. Which will you choose?'
Peter decided in favour of the land. Then he touched the youth, the
girl, the sweep, the clown, the Mayor, and the Mayoress with his little
stick, and they were all free again, and ran away home as if a fire were
burning behind them; and their flight, as you may imagine, gave rise to
renewed merriment.
Then the Princess felt moved to stroke the swan, at the same time
admiring its plumage. The bird screamed.
'Swan, hold fast,' called out Peter, and so he won the Princess for his
bride. But the swan flew up into the air, and vanished in the blue
horizon. Peter now received a duchy as a present, and became a very
great man indeed; but he did not forget the little old woman who had
been the cause of all his good fortune, and appointed her as head
housekeeper to him and his royal bride in their magnificent castle.
Kletke.
Story DNA
Moral
Kindness and perseverance, even in the face of adversity, can lead to unexpected good fortune and reward.
Plot Summary
Peter, the youngest and mistreated brother, leaves home after an old woman gives him a magical swan and stick. As he journeys, anyone who touches the swan becomes magically stuck to it, forming a comical procession. This bizarre chain of people, including a youth, a girl, a chimney sweep, a clown, a mayor, and a mayoress, eventually makes the perpetually serious Princess laugh. The King, overjoyed, offers Peter a reward, and when the Princess herself touches the swan and becomes stuck, Peter wins her hand in marriage, becoming a duke and remembering his magical benefactor.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Andrew Lang collected and retold many European fairy tales, often from German sources like Kletke. The story reflects common themes and structures found in 19th-century European folklore collections.
Plot Beats (14)
- Peter, the youngest of three brothers, is mistreated by his older siblings and wishes for a better life.
- An old woman advises Peter to leave home and seek his fortune, then gives him a magical swan and a stick with specific instructions.
- Peter finds the swan and its sleeping master, unfastens the swan, and leads it away.
- A youth in a building-yard admires the swan's feathers, pulls one out, and is magically stuck to the swan when Peter commands, 'Swan, hold fast.'
- A girl washing clothes tries to free the youth and also becomes stuck to the swan.
- A chimney sweep encounters the group, tries to free the girl, and becomes the third captive.
- At a fair, a clown tries to free the chimney sweep and becomes stuck.
- The village Mayor, annoyed by the spectacle, tries to intervene and becomes stuck to the clown.
- The Mayoress, enraged, tries to free her husband and also becomes part of the growing chain of captives.
- Peter and his procession arrive at the capital, where the Princess, known for never laughing, bursts into laughter at the sight.
- The King, overjoyed by his daughter's laughter, offers Peter a reward: a thousand gold crowns or land.
- Peter chooses the land, then uses his stick to free all the captives, who flee in panic.
- The Princess, admiring the swan, touches it and becomes stuck, prompting Peter to command 'Swan, hold fast,' thereby winning her as his bride.
- The swan flies away, and Peter becomes a duke, marrying the Princess and appointing the old woman as his head housekeeper.
Characters
Peter ★ protagonist
Weak and delicate
Attire: Simple peasant clothing suitable for gathering sticks in the woods
Kind, obedient
Image Prompt & Upload
A young boy around 10-12 years old with messy, sun-streaked brown hair and bright, curious eyes. He wears a simple brown tunic over a cream-colored shirt, dark trousers, and scuffed leather boots. He stands in a confident, slightly adventurous pose, one hand resting on a simple wooden walking stick. He has a hopeful, determined expression on his face. He is in a faint, magical forest clearing with soft, dappled light. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Old Woman ◆ supporting
Little
Attire: Simple, perhaps slightly magical, old-fashioned clothing
Helpful, wise
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly woman with deep wrinkles and kind, twinkling eyes, her silver hair neatly tucked under a linen headscarf. She wears a simple, faded blue dress with a clean white apron tied at her waist. She stands with a gentle, slightly stooped posture, offering a warm, welcoming smile. Her hands are clasped softly in front of her. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Princess ◆ supporting
Beautiful
Attire: Elegant gown befitting a princess, possibly with jewels
Initially solemn, then joyful
Image Prompt & Upload
A young woman in her early twenties with long, wavy chestnut hair adorned with a delicate silver tiara. She has soft blue eyes, a serene expression, and rosy cheeks. She wears an elegant yet understated pastel pink gown with lace sleeves, a modest neckline, and a flowing skirt that touches the floor. Her posture is graceful and poised, standing with hands clasped gently in front of her, embodying a calm and supportive demeanor. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
King ◆ supporting
Not described
Attire: Royal robes and crown
Delighted, generous
Image Prompt & Upload
A wise and benevolent monarch in his late fifties, with a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard and kind, thoughtful eyes. He wears a rich, deep blue velvet robe with an ermine-trimmed collar and cuffs, over a white tunic. A simple, elegant golden crown rests upon his head of short, graying hair. He stands in a calm, dignified pose, one hand resting on the pommel of a sheathed sword at his hip, the other extended slightly in a gesture of welcome or counsel. His expression is serene and approachable, with a slight, reassuring smile. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Magic Swan ◆ supporting
Large, beautiful plumage
Magical, obedient to Peter
Image Prompt & Upload
An ageless, majestic white swan with iridescent feathers that shimmer with soft rainbow hues, conveying magical energy. Its eyes are deep blue and serene, reflecting ancient wisdom, and its long neck is held gracefully upright. The swan stands elegantly on one leg, wings slightly folded, posture poised and dignified. A subtle, ethereal glow surrounds its head like a halo. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Mayor ○ minor
Respected and popular
Attire: Formal attire befitting a mayor
Pompous, easily annoyed
Image Prompt & Upload
A young child around eight years old, dressed in an oversized, formal dark blue suit jacket with gold buttons, a bright red sash draped across the chest, and a small, slightly crooked top hat perched on curly brown hair. The child stands with a proud posture, chest puffed out, one hand on hip, the other holding a rolled-up parchment, with a determined and serious expression on their round, youthful face. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Wood Gathering Spot
A place in the woods where Peter gathers sticks and cries, a little old woman appears to him.
Mood: desolate, sorrowful
Peter meets the old woman who sets him on his quest.
Image Prompt & Upload
Late afternoon light filters through an ancient forest, casting long golden rays across a small clearing. Scattered birch sticks lie upon a carpet of moss and fallen amber leaves. Towering, gnarled oaks and pines form a dense canopy, their bark textured with age. Delicate ferns and clusters of glowing pale mushrooms dot the forest floor. The atmosphere is quiet and melancholic, with a soft mist clinging to the air and motes of dust dancing in the sunbeams. The color palette is muted greens, warm browns, and soft gold, evoking a sense of timeless solitude. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Crossroads Pear Tree
A pear tree at a crossroads where a man sleeps with a swan tied to the tree.
Mood: magical, mysterious
Peter finds the magic swan.
Image Prompt & Upload
A gnarled ancient pear tree stands at the center of a misty crossroads at twilight. Its branches are heavy with ripe golden pears, and a pristine white swan is peacefully tethered to its trunk with a silken rope. A weathered wooden signpost points in four directions. Soft, ethereal light emanates from a single old-fashioned lantern hanging from a branch, casting a warm glow on the scene. The ground is covered in soft moss and fallen leaves. Fireflies begin to glow in the deep blue dusk. In the distance, a faint path leads towards a sleepy village with twinkling lights. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Building-Yard
A construction site where men are working and become captivated by the swan's feathers.
Mood: busy, humorous
The first person gets stuck to the swan.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sprawling construction site at dusk, bathed in the warm amber glow of a setting sun. Raw earth, concrete foundations, and skeletal steel beams frame the scene. Piles of lumber and coiled cables sit near idle machinery. The air is still, filled with floating dust motes and the soft, ethereal luminescence of countless delicate white swan feathers drifting gently through the violet-hued twilight, settling on rough surfaces and catching the last light. The contrast between the industrial rawness and the impossibly graceful, glowing feathers creates a moment of surreal, silent magic. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Town Square
A village square with a fair, including a circus performance and a clown.
Mood: festive, chaotic
More people get stuck to the swan, including the mayor.
Image Prompt & Upload
Twilight settles over a cobblestone town square, bathed in the warm glow of lanterns and festive bunting. A grand striped circus tent dominates the center, its canvas glowing from within. Smaller vendor stalls with colorful awnings line the edges of the square. Scattered props like unicycles, juggling pins, and a small carousel sit empty, waiting. The surrounding half-timbered houses have their windows lit with a golden light, their silhouettes sharp against the deep purple and orange sky. The air feels still and magical, as if the lively fair has just paused for a moment. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Capital City Entrance
The entrance to the capital city, where a glittering carriage with the princess appears.
Mood: triumphant, joyful
The princess laughs, breaking the curse.
Image Prompt & Upload
Golden hour sunset bathes the grand entrance of the capital city in warm, amber light. A wide cobblestone avenue leads towards towering, ornate gates of wrought iron and pale stone, flanked by high walls covered in climbing ivy and blooming wisteria. Ornate gas lanterns on tall poles glow softly, beginning to flicker on. The sky is a gradient of peach and lavender with a few wispy clouds. The architecture is elegant and stately, with carved friezes and tall, arched windows in the gatehouse towers. A soft, magical haze hangs in the air. No border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
