Retold by: Aanu Adegun , Folktale Origin: Algeria, Reviewed by: Funmi Durogbola
Long ago, in a village brushed against the edge of the forest, there lived a mother and her seven sons. Strong, kind boys—they worked the fields, fetched water, and sang to the stars.
But the mother, ya latif, she longed for a daughter.
One spring, her prayer bloomed: a baby girl with eyes like almonds and a voice that chirped like the morning doves. She named her Yasmina.
But fate, like a spinning spindle, had other plans.
That very night, a jealous neighbor—one who dabbled in dark things—whispered a curse into the wind:
“Let the birth of the girl be the fall of the boys.”
And so it was.
The moment Yasmina cried her first breath, a storm rose. Thunder split the sky. The boys vanished—poof!—leaving only a black feather for each.
The mother wailed. Yasmina grew, loved but sheltered, and never told the truth.
Years passed.
One day, Yasmina heard two women whispering at the well:
“She walks like a princess but doesn’t know her brothers were turned to birds.”
That night, her mother confessed everything. Yasmina’s heart cracked like dry earth.
“I will find them,” she said. “Even if I must walk barefoot to the end of the sky.”
She followed feathers. She crossed rivers that spoke riddles. She fed an old woman who turned out to be a djinniya in disguise, and the djinniya gave her a riddle:
“Your brothers live as birds by day and men by night. To break the curse, you must sew seven shirts from nettles… in silence. Speak a word, and all is lost.”
Nettles burned her hands like fire. But Yasmina worked. Days passed. Then weeks.
One day, while gathering nettles, a prince saw her. He begged her to speak.
She said nothing.
He took her to his palace, curious and in love. There she sewed by candlelight, bleeding, silent. His mother—a queen cold as iron—whispered, “She’s a witch.”
The people grew restless. At dawn, they dragged her to the fire.
Just as the flames licked the wood, she threw the last stitch into the final shirt—and cried, “Now, brothers, be free!”
And from the sky—they came.
Seven hawks turned into seven men, handsome and fierce. They tore the ropes from her wrists and carried her high above the crowd, not with wings—but with love.
The curse broke. And the prince? He begged forgiveness and married her with seven brothers beside him.
“So you see, little one—silence has a voice, and love woven with pain never unravels.”
Commentary
This story, found in Kabyle and Chaoui traditions, reflects the endurance of family love and feminine strength. Yasmina’s silence was not weakness—it was discipline, sacrifice, and fire wrapped in patience. It’s a tale of transformation, not just of the brothers, but of Yasmina herself.
Moral
“Even thorns can become thread, when the heart is brave enough to bleed.”
Comprehension Questions & Answers
What happened to Yasmina’s brothers?
They were cursed and turned into birds by a jealous neighbor.
How could Yasmina break the curse?
By sewing seven shirts from nettles in complete silence.
Why did she stay silent even when accused of witchcraft?
Because if she spoke, the curse would never be broken.
What helped Yasmina succeed in her quest?
Her determination, sacrifice, and deep love for her brothers.
What message does the story send about silence?
That silence, when chosen with purpose, can be more powerful than speech.
