Twelve Wild Ducks

3D ModelNoAI

Entry for the #FairyTaleChallenge. Made in Blender, with some Photoshop for the textures.

This represents the nordic tale of the Twelve Wild Ducks in the style of late 19th century storybook illustrations.

The story goes like this: twelve brothers are changed into ducks by a witch, and the only way for their sister to break the curse is to weave them twelve coats out of thistle hair. As long as she is working on the coats, she must not make a sound or the curse is irreversible. At some point in the many years it takes her to do this, a prince meets her and takes her as his wife. He is accomoding of her silence and weird occupation, but her jealous mother-in-law accuses her of witchcraft for collecting thistle hair at night. On the day of the execution the princess is almost done with the coats, and as she starts to burn the twelve wild ducks arrive and change back into the princes (except the youngest one who still has a wing as an arm). She can then speak and defend herself, and is innocented.