For solo female voice. Composed for and premiered by Nina Dante at Constellation, Chicago.

Text adapted from the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen:


The sun was about to go down when she heard a rushing sound and saw six swans fly in through the window. Suddenly, their feathers came off like shirts and the girl recognized them as her brothers. She was happy and crawled out from beneath the bed. Crying, the little sister said, "Can you not be saved?" "They only way” they answered, “is for you to not speak or to laugh for six years, and in that time you would have to sew together six little shirts out of daisies for us. And if a single word were to leave your lips, all your work would be lost."
After the brothers had said this, they turned back into swans and flew out the window.
So the little girl climbed up a tree in the middle of the woods and began to sew. She could not speak with anyone, and she had no desire to laugh. She sat there, looking only at her work for one year, two years, three years, four years….

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The old woman said, "My child, what have you done? Why did you pick the twelve white flowers? Those were your brothers, and now they’ve been transformed into ravens forever."

“The only way to redeem them is for you to remain silent for seven whole years. And If you speak a single word in the final hour of the seven years your brothers will be killed by that one word."
Then the girl climbed up a tall tree where she sat without speaking or laughing. And sat there year after year…

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“But I must be paid” said the witch  “And the price I demand for my draught is your voice, the best thing you possess”

‘but don’t worry, with your beautiful form, your graceful walk, and your expressive eyes; surely you can enchant a man’s heart. 

Then she cut off the mermaid’s tongue so she would ever speak again.




Tell, Monologue for Solo Female Voice

Jack Hughes