"The Twelve Brothers" is a fairy tale about a king and queen who have twelve sons. The queen, fearing for their lives due to a prophecy that foretells their demise, decides to abandon them in the forest. The brothers, however, are transformed into swans by a curse, and they can only regain their human forms at night. Their sister, who is born later, learns of their fate and sets out to rescue them. She must remain silent and weave shirts from stinging nettles to break the curse. The story explores themes of family loyalty, sacrifice, and the struggle against adversity.