the little mermaid-第2章

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children；　quite　naked；　and　sporting　about　in　the　water；　she　wanted

to　play　with　them；　but　they　fled　in　a　great　fright；　and　then　a

little　black　animal　came　to　the　water；　it　was　a　dog；　but　she　did　not

know　that；　for　she　had　never　before　seen　one。　This　animal　barked　at

her　so　terribly　that　she　became　frightened；　and　rushed　back　to　the

open　sea。　But　she　said　she　should　never　forget　the　beautiful　forest；

the　green　hills；　and　the　pretty　little　children　who　could　swim　in

the　water；　although　they　had　not　fish's　tails。

　　　　The　fourth　sister　was　more　timid；　she　remained　in　the　midst　of　the

sea；　but　she　said　it　was　quite　as　beautiful　there　as　nearer　the

land。　She　could　see　for　so　many　miles　around　her；　and　the　sky　above

looked　like　a　bell　of　glass。　She　had　seen　the　ships；　but　at　such　a

great　distance　that　they　looked　like　sea…gulls。　The　dolphins　sported

in　the　waves；　and　the　great　whales　spouted　water　from　their　nostrils

till　it　seemed　as　if　a　hundred　fountains　were　playing　in　every

direction。

　　　　The　fifth　sister's　birthday　occurred　in　the　winter；　so　when　her

turn　came；　she　saw　what　the　others　had　not　seen　the　first　time　they

went　up。　The　sea　looked　quite　green；　and　large　icebergs　were

floating　about；　each　like　a　pearl；　she　said；　but　larger　and　loftier

than　the　churches　built　by　men。　They　were　of　the　most　singular　shapes；

and　glittered　like　diamonds。　She　had　seated　herself　upon　one　of　the

largest；　and　let　the　wind　play　with　her　long　hair；　and　she　remarked

that　all　the　ships　sailed　by　rapidly；　and　steered　as　far　away　as

they　could　from　the　iceberg；　as　if　they　were　afraid　of　it。　Towards

evening；　as　the　sun　went　down；　dark　clouds　covered　the　sky；　the

thunder　rolled　and　the　lightning　flashed；　and　the　red　light　glowed

on　the　icebergs　as　they　rocked　and　tossed　on　the　heaving　sea。　On　all

the　ships　the　sails　were　reefed　with　fear　and　trembling；　while　she　sat

calmly　on　the　floating　iceberg；　watching　the　blue　lightning；　as　it

darted　its　forked　flashes　into　the　sea。

　　　　When　first　the　sisters　had　permission　to　rise　to　the　surface；　they

were　each　delighted　with　the　new　and　beautiful　sights　they　saw；　but

now；　as　grown…up　girls；　they　could　go　when　they　pleased；　and　they

had　become　indifferent　about　it。　They　wished　themselves　back　again

in　the　water；　and　after　a　month　had　passed　they　said　it　was　much

more　beautiful　down　below；　and　pleasanter　to　be　at　home。　Yet　often；　in

the　evening　hours；　the　five　sisters　would　twine　their　arms　round

each　other；　and　rise　to　the　surface；　in　a　row。　They　had　more　beautiful

voices　than　any　human　being　could　have；　and　before　the　approach　of　a

storm；　and　when　they　expected　a　ship　would　be　lost；　they　swam　before

the　vessel；　and　sang　sweetly　of　the　delights　to　be　found　in　the　depths

of　the　sea；　and　begging　the　sailors　not　to　fear　if　they　sank　to　the

bottom。　But　the　sailors　could　not　understand　the　song；　they　took　it

for　the　howling　of　the　storm。　And　these　things　were　never　to　be

beautiful　for　them；　for　if　the　ship　sank；　the　men　were　drowned；　and

their　dead　bodies　alone　reached　the　palace　of　the　Sea　King。

　　　　When　the　sisters　rose；　arm…in…arm；　through　the　water　in　this

way；　their　youngest　sister　would　stand　quite　alone；　looking　after

them；　ready　to　cry；　only　that　the　mermaids　have　no　tears；　and

therefore　they　suffer　more。　〃Oh；　were　I　but　fifteen　years　old；〃　said

she：　〃I　know　that　I　shall　love　the　world　up　there；　and　all　the

people　who　live　in　it。〃

　　　　At　last　she　reached　her　fifteenth　year。　〃Well；　now；　you　are

grown　up；〃　said　the　old　dowager；　her　grandmother；　〃so　you　must　let

me　adorn　you　like　your　other　sisters；〃　and　she　placed　a　wreath　of

white　lilies　in　her　hair；　and　every　flower　leaf　was　half　a　pearl。　Then

the　old　lady　ordered　eight　great　oysters　to　attach　themselves　to　the

tail　of　the　princess　to　show　her　high　rank。

　　　　〃But　they　hurt　me　so；〃　said　the　little　mermaid。

　　　　〃Pride　must　suffer　pain；〃　replied　the　old　lady。　Oh；　how　gladly　she

would　have　shaken　off　all　this　grandeur；　and　laid　aside　the　heavy

wreath！　The　red　flowers　in　her　own　garden　would　have　suited　her　much

better；　but　she　could　not　help　herself：　so　she　said；　〃Farewell；〃　and

rose　as　lightly　as　a　bubble　to　the　surface　of　the　water。　The　sun　had

just　set　as　she　raised　her　head　above　the　waves；　but　the　clouds　were

tinted　with　crimson　and　gold；　and　through　the　glimmering　twilight

beamed　the　evening　star　in　all　its　beauty。　The　sea　was　calm；　and　the

air　mild　and　fresh。　A　large　ship；　with　three　masts；　lay　becalmed　on

the　water；　with　only　one　sail　set；　for　not　a　breeze　stiffed；　and　the

sailors　sat　idle　on　deck　or　amongst　the　rigging。　There　was　music　and

song　on　board；　and；　as　darkness　came　on；　a　hundred　colored　lanterns

were　lighted；　as　if　the　flags　of　all　nations　waved　in　the　air。　The

little　mermaid　swam　close　to　the　cabin　windows；　and　now　and　then；　as

the　waves　lifted　her　up；　she　could　look　in　through　clear　glass

window…panes；　and　see　a　number　of　well…dressed　people　within。　Among

them　was　a　young　prince；　the　most　beautiful　of　all；　with　large　black

eyes；　he　was　sixteen　years　of　age；　and　his　birthday　was　being　kept

with　much　rejoicing。　The　sailors　were　dancing　on　deck；　but　when　the

prince　came　out　of　the　cabin；　more　than　a　hundred　rockets　rose　in

the　air；　making　it　as　bright　as　day。　The　little　mermaid　was　so

startled　that　she　dived　under　water；　and　when　she　again　stretched

out　her　head；　it　appeared　as　if　all　the　stars　of　heaven　were　falling

around　her；　she　had　never　seen　such　fireworks　before。　Great　suns

spurted　fire　about；　splendid　fireflies　flew　into　the　blue　air；　and

everything　was　reflected　in　the　clear；　calm　sea　beneath。　The　ship

itself　was　so　brightly　illuminated　that　all　the　people；　and　even　the

smallest　rope；　could　be　distinctly　and　plainly　seen。　And　how

handsome　the　young　prince　looked；　as　he　pressed　the　hands　of　all

present　and　smiled　at　them；　while　the　music　resounded　through　the

clear　night　air。

　　　　It　was　very　late；　yet　the　little　mermaid　could　not　take　her　eyes

from　the　ship；　or　from　the　beautiful　prince。　The　colored　lanterns

had　been　extinguished；　no　more　rockets　rose　in　the　air；　and　the　cannon

had　ceased　firing；　but　the　sea　became　restless；　and　a　moaning；

grumbling　sound　could　be　heard　beneath　the　waves：　still　the　little

mermaid　remained　by　the　cabin　window；　rocking　up　and　down　on　the

water；　which　enabled　her　to　look　in。　After　a　while；　the　sails　were

quickly　unfurled；　and　the　noble　ship　continued　her　passage；　but　soon

the　waves　rose　higher；　heavy　clouds　darkened　the　sky；　and　lightning

appeared　in　the　distance。　A　dreadful　storm　was　approaching；　once

more　the　sails　were　reefed；　and　the　great　ship　pursued　her　flying

course　over　the　raging　sea。　The　waves　rose　mountains　high；　as　if

they　would　have　overtopped　the　mast；　but　the　ship　dived　like　a　swan

between　them；　and　then　rose　again　on　their　lofty；　foaming　crests。　To

the　little　mermaid　this　appeared　pleasant　sport；　not　so　to　the

sailors。　At　length　the　ship　groaned　and　creaked；　the　thick　planks　gave

way　under　the　lashing　of　the　sea　as　it　broke　over　the　deck；　the

mainmast　snapped　asunder　like　a　reed；　the　ship　lay　over　on　her　side；

and　the　water　rushed　in。　The　little　mermaid　now　perceived　that　the

crew　were　in　danger；　even　she　herself　was　obliged　to　be　careful　to

avoid　the　beams　and　planks　of　the　wreck　which　lay　scattered　on　the

water。　At　one　moment　it　was　so　pitch　dark　that　she　could　not　see　a

single　object；　but　a　flash　of　lightning　revealed　the　whole　scene；

she　could　see　every　one　who　had　been　on　board　excepting　the　prince；

when　the　ship　parted；　she　had　seen　him　sink　into　the　deep　waves；　and

she　was　glad；　for　she　thought　he　would　now　be　with　her；　and　then　she

remembered　that　human　beings　could　not　live　in　the　water；　so　that　when

he　got　down　to　her　father's　palace　he　would　be　quite　dead。　But　he　must

not　die。　So　she　swam　about　among　the　beams　and　planks　which　strewed

the　surface　of　the　sea；　forgetting　that　they　could　crush　her　to

pieces。　Then　she　dived　deeply　under　the　dark　waters；　rising　and

falling　with　the　waves；　till　at　length　she　managed　to　reach　the

young　prince；　who　was　f