Once upon a time there were twelve royal children – eleven brothers and one older sister, Elisa.

Hebû nebû, duwazdeh zarokên padîşahekî hebûn – yazdeh bira û xwîşkek mezin, navê wê Elîsa bû.

One day the mother died, and some time later the king married again. The new wife, however, was an evil witch.

Rojekê ji rojan diya wan mir, û demekê piştre padîşah jineke din ji xwe re anî. Lê jina nû ya padîşah, anku jinbava wan, cadûbazeke neçak û nebaş bû.

She turned the eleven princes into swans and sent them far away to a distant land beyond the large forest.

Jinbavê, bi cadûbaziya xwe, her yazdeh mîrzade, anku her yazdeh bira, kirin qazquling û ew şandin welatekî pir dûr, bi daristanên pahnavfireh û mezin dorpêçkirî.

She dressed the girl in rags and smeared an ointment onto her face that turned her so ugly, that even her own father no longer recognized her and chased her out of the castle.