The Twelve Brothers

Quick Answer

Why This Story Works for Bedtime

This one is best for older kids and a calm, guided read. It has darker stakes, but the heart is protective: a sister’s devotion and a family’s restoration.

Story Synopsis

A king and queen have twelve sons. When the queen becomes pregnant again, the king grows afraid: if the next child is a daughter, he believes the sons must die so she can inherit. He prepares in secret, and the queen learns the truth too late. She warns her sons, and the twelve brothers flee into the forest. They live hidden, making a life together, and they swear they will protect one another. But the years pass, and a sister is born—gentle and determined. When she grows older and learns what happened, she cannot rest. She chooses to find her brothers and save them. Her journey requires patience and sacrifice. In many tellings, she must remain silent for a long time and endure difficult conditions to break a curse and undo harm. Her silence is not weakness—it’s devotion. The story moves through danger and loss toward restoration: the sister’s love brings the brothers back to safety and to themselves. The Twelve Brothers is a fairy tale with heavy stakes, but its core is tender—family loyalty, courage, and the quiet strength of keeping hope.

Story Excerpt

There was once a king and a queen who lived in a grand castle and had twelve sons. The halls were lively with footsteps and laughter, and the queen’s heart was full. But when the queen was expecting a thirteenth child, the king grew quiet and troubled. One evening he said, in a hard, fearful voice, “If the thirteenth child is a girl, the twelve boys must be sent away forever, so that her inheritance will be great, and the kingdom will belong to her alone.” The queen turned pale. She begged him to turn from such a thought, but the king—caught in his own worry—did not listen. Secretly, he ordered twelve small coffins to be made. They were set in a locked room, each one lined with clean shavings, each with a little pillow laid inside. He gave the queen the key and said, “Speak of this to no one.” After that, the queen sat day after day with tears in her eyes. Her youngest son, who stayed close beside her, was named Benjamin. At last he asked gently, “Dear Mother, why are you so sad?” “I cannot tell you,” she whispered. But Benjamin would not leave her alone. His voice was steady and loving, and at last the queen’s heart could hold the secret no longer. She rose, took the key, and led him down the corridor to the locked door. Inside, the room was dim and still. Benjamin saw the twelve coffins, all prepared. The queen covered her face. “My dearest Benjamin,” she said, “your father had these made for you and your brothers. If I bear a little girl, you will all be taken away and laid in these.” Benjamin’s eyes filled, but he took his mother’s hand. “Do not weep, dear Mother,” he said.

In One Glance