The heroine of the story is a young woman, Bohdanka (Martha Issová), who was born into the grief-stricken family of a baker, whose wife, years ago, in a fit of rage, curses their seven sons into ravens. The parents keep this family tragedy a secret from their daughter. When Bohdanka, on the threshold of adulthood, learns about her family’s curse, she decides she has to save her brothers. The local witch advises her that she must weave her brothers shirts. But not just any shirts – alone, without anyone’s help, she must harvest nettle, spin the thread, weave the cloth, and make every stitch on the shirts herself. She must do all this without uttering a single word.