A poor goatherd boy drove his flock of goats up to Lake Arp every day. One day at midday, as he opened his black leather pouch to have his meal, three white birds flew over and settled on the lake. He had never seen such large birds before. Their plumage was snow-white, their necks long and slender, and their beaks yellow. They swam swiftly towards him and seemed to have no fear of him.

The goat boy found interest in the birds, and he picked up stones to throw at one or the other to kill them; but he missed. The birds were not frightened by his intent and moved ever closer to the shore. So he stepped down to the water’s edge, seized the bird nearest to him by the neck and dragged it ashore. But in an instant he let it go again and was startled as never before in his life, for the bird began to speak: “Oh, why do you treat me so roughly? I am only the lowliest of the three birds, and we are not birds at all, but enchanted maidens. The beautiful swan with the golden beak is a princess from the land of Radamantes. The other two of us are chambermaids, and all three of us have been transformed by a sorcerer because the princess did not want to marry. Now we must remain birds until three things are brought to us. They must be three plants, and if you can procure them for us, we shall return and then soon be set free!”

“Tell me the three plants,” said the boy. ‘It must be viper’s bugloss, valerian and nightshade.’ The goatherd said he did not know the herbs, but his mother was a herb gatherer and would certainly know them.

‘Go then, and come back soon,’ said the swan, and swam back to her companions; then all three flew up together and vanished behind the mountain.

The boy drove the flock home shortly afterwards and told his mother what had happened to him that day. Three beautiful white birds had been swimming about on Lake Arp, he had caught one of them, and it had spoken to him and asked for the three little herbs so they could be freed. The mother said: “If that is all that is missing, help is at hand; I know the herbs well, they grow nearby.” "

She gathered them that very evening and placed them in the little black pouch with the food. The next morning, the boy set off again with the goats up to the lake. As he looked up, the birds were already flying towards him, alighted on the cool blue water and swam hastily towards him. The boy took out the three little herbs. The swans rowed towards him with all their might, and he placed one of the little herbs in each of their beaks. One of them began to speak again and said: “We thank you very much, dear boy, for the great service you have done us; we are now flying back to the land of the Radamantes, where we shall be set free with the help of the three little herbs; but the sorcerer must die. If you wish, we shall take you with us. You need only take hold of two of us by the wings, then we shall soar through the air, and before the sun sets, we shall be home!‘

The goat boy said: ’Thank you very much, but I would rather remain a goat boy in the Valais than fly with you to the Radamantes!"

Then the birds took flight and vanished.