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Once upon a time, a brother and sister lived with their cruel stepmother in a small village surrounded by forests. Their stepmother was wicked and treated them harshly, giving them very little food and forcing them to work all day. She loved her own daughter but hated the brother and sister, often making them sleep on the cold floor while her daughter slept in a warm bed. The two siblings only had each other for comfort, and they often whispered promises that one day they would escape and find peace in the forest far from their stepmother’s cruelty.
One hot summer day, the brother said to his sister, “Let’s leave this place. We cannot bear her unkindness anymore.” The sister agreed, and early the next morning, before the sun had risen, they quietly ran away. They walked barefoot through the fields and into the forest, holding hands and whispering softly to each other. The air was fresh, the birds sang sweetly, and for a while, they felt free. But soon the sun grew hotter, and they began to feel thirsty. They searched for a stream, but before they left, their stepmother—who was also a witch—had followed them secretly and cast a wicked spell on all the springs in the forest.
After walking for a long time, the brother said, “Oh, I am so thirsty. If I could only find a little brook!” The sister, knowing their stepmother’s power, warned him gently, “Brother, I am afraid the water may be enchanted. If you drink from the wrong spring, something terrible might happen to you.” But the brother was too thirsty to wait much longer. Soon they came upon a stream that murmured gently through the mossy ground, and when the brother bent down to drink, the sister heard a soft voice whisper from the water: “Whoever drinks from me will become a tiger.”
The sister was frightened and cried out, “Don’t drink, dear brother, or you will become a wild beast and tear me to pieces!” The brother looked at the water longingly but obeyed her and said, “I will wait, but I am so thirsty. Let’s find another spring.” They walked further, and soon they heard another bubbling sound. This time the sister listened carefully, and the voice from the spring said, “Whoever drinks from me will become a wolf.” Again the sister cried, “Please, brother, do not drink, or you will turn into a wolf and eat me!” The brother sighed sadly and said, “I will wait again, but I cannot bear this much longer.”
At last, they came to a third brook that sparkled in the sunlight. The sister bent down to listen once more, and the water whispered softly, “Whoever drinks from me will become a deer.” The sister begged her brother again, “Oh, dear brother, please don’t drink, or you will turn into a deer and run away from me forever.” But this time, the brother’s thirst was too strong. Before she could stop him, he knelt and took a deep drink. The moment the cool water touched his lips, he was transformed. His clothes fell to the ground, and standing before her was a gentle young deer with bright, sorrowful eyes.
The sister began to cry, wrapping her arms around the deer’s neck and sobbing, “My poor brother, what have you done!” The deer looked at her with tears in his eyes, and though he could not speak, he rubbed his head gently against her shoulder, showing that he still loved her. The sister wiped her tears and said, “We must stay together. I will never leave you. I will take care of you, my dear brother.” She tied a soft golden ribbon around his neck so she could recognize him and then led him deeper into the forest.
After walking for a while, they found a small cottage made of wood and moss. It looked empty and safe, so the sister said, “We will live here. I will cook and keep the house, and you can rest nearby.” The deer nodded and lay down beside the door, while the sister gathered berries, nuts, and roots to eat. Every morning, the sister cooked a little meal, brushed her brother’s soft fur, and spoke to him kindly. In the evenings, they sat by the fire, and though he could not talk, the deer listened to her stories as if he understood every word.
Days passed peacefully until one morning, they heard the sound of hunting horns echoing through the forest. The deer lifted his head eagerly, for he still had the heart of a young man who loved the chase. He wanted to run toward the sound, but the sister begged, “Don’t go, brother! The hunters may catch you and hurt you.” The deer looked longingly toward the forest and stamped his foot. Seeing how restless he was, the sister finally said, “Go then, but promise to return before nightfall. And take care that no one sees your golden ribbon, for they will know you are not an ordinary deer.” The deer nodded, leaped gracefully through the trees, and was soon out of sight.
That evening, the sister waited anxiously. The sun sank behind the hills, and at last, she heard the sound of hooves and saw her brother bounding joyfully back. He was safe but tired, and she kissed his forehead with relief. The next day, the same thing happened. The deer went hunting and returned unharmed. But one afternoon, the king of that land was out hunting with his men, and his hounds began chasing the beautiful deer with the golden ribbon. The deer ran swiftly, dodging arrows and barking dogs, until at last he reached the little cottage and slipped inside.
The hunters followed his tracks and found the small house. The king told his men, “Do not go inside. We will return tomorrow and see who lives here.” When they were gone, the sister was frightened, but her brother said with his eyes that everything would be alright. The next morning, as the sun rose, the king came again, hiding behind the trees. He watched and saw the lovely maiden open the door to let in the deer. Her golden hair shone in the sunlight, and her gentle face filled him with wonder. He returned to his castle, but he could not forget her beauty.
The next day, the king sent his men to find the cottage again. When he saw the sister, he stepped forward kindly and said, “Do not be afraid. I saw you yesterday and have fallen in love with your goodness and grace. Will you come with me to my palace and be my queen?” The sister blushed and said shyly, “Yes, my lord, but my brother must come too. I cannot leave him.” The king agreed at once, and soon the little cottage was empty as the sister, her deer brother, and the royal servants made their way to the grand castle.
At the palace, the sister was dressed in fine clothes, and her kindness and beauty won the hearts of everyone. The king married her, and they lived happily together. The deer stayed with them in the royal garden, running freely but always returning to his sister’s side. The queen loved him dearly, feeding him from her own hands. But not everyone was happy. The king’s wicked mother was jealous and angry that a simple girl had become queen. She watched them with cold eyes and began to plan evil in her heart.
A year later, the queen had a beautiful baby boy, and the old mother saw this as her chance. One night, while the king was away, she crept into the room and carried off the sleeping baby. In his place, she laid a black cat beside the queen’s bed. The next morning, she went to the king and said, “The queen has given birth to a monster!” The king was horrified but could not believe it. He sent a message to his wife, but the old woman stopped it and told the queen that the king was angry. The poor queen wept bitterly, not understanding what had happened.
The wicked mother then hid the baby and pretended the queen was unfit to rule. She ordered the guards to take the young queen into the forest and leave her there to die. But the guards, seeing her gentle nature, felt pity and let her go. She wandered sadly through the woods, with her deer brother following faithfully behind. At last, she came upon a small hut and stayed there, living quietly and caring for her child, whom the good guards had secretly returned to her.
One day, the king went hunting in that part of the forest and saw the familiar deer with the golden ribbon. “That deer looks like the one that belonged to my queen,” he said. He followed it and came upon the hut. When he entered, he saw his wife and child. Overjoyed, he embraced them both, and the truth came out. The wicked mother’s lies were exposed, and she was punished for her cruelty. The queen and her brother returned to the palace, where everyone welcomed them with joy.
Soon after, the sister prayed to break her brother’s curse. Her tears fell on his fur, and at that moment, the spell was lifted. The deer disappeared, and her brother stood before her once again as a handsome young man. They cried and laughed together, and the king rejoiced to see the miracle. From that day on, peace and happiness returned to their lives. The brother lived in the palace as a noble knight, and the sister remained the kind and beloved queen. They never forgot the hard days in the forest and cherished each other forever, bound by love stronger than any spell.