The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
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an immortal soul like his; therefore she crept away silently out of her father's palace, and while everything within was gladness and song, she sat in her own little garden sorrowful and alone . then she heard the bugle sounding through_the water, and thought- " he_is certainly sailing above, he on whom my wishes depend, and in whose hands i_should like to_place the happiness of_my life . i_will venture all for him, and to win an immortal soul, while my sisters are dancing in my father's palace, i_will go to_the sea witch, of whom I_have always been so_much afraid, but she_can give_me counsel and help ."

and then the little mermaid went out from her garden, and took the road to_the foaming whirlpools, behind which the sorceress lived . she had never been that way before: neither flowers nor grass grew there; nothing but bare, gray, sandy ground stretched out to_the whirlpool, where the water, like foaming mill-wheels, whirled round everything that_it seized, and cast it into_the fathomless deep . through_the midst of_these crushing whirlpools the little mermaid was obliged to_pass, to reach the dominions of_the sea witch; and also for a long distance the only road lay right across a quantity of warm, bubbling mire, called by_the witch her turfmoor . beyond this stood her house, in_the centre of a strange forest, in_which all the trees and flowers were polypi, half animals and half plants; they looked like serpents with a hundred heads growing out_of_the ground . the branches were long slimy arms, with fingers like flexible worms, moving limb after limb from_the root to_the top . all that could_be reached in_the sea they seized upon, and held fast, so_that it never escaped from their clutches . the little mermaid was so alarmed at what she saw, that she stood still, and her heart beat with fear, and she was very nearly turning back; but she thought of_the prince, and of_the human soul for_which she longed, and her courage returned . she fastened her long flowing hair round her head, so that_the polypi might_not seize hold of it . she laid her hands together across her bosom, and then she darted forward as a fish shoots through_the water, between_the supple arms and fingers of_the ugly polypi, which were stretched out on each side of her . she saw that each held in its grasp something it had seized with its numerous little arms, as if_they were iron bands . the white skeletons of human beings who had perished at sea, and had sunk down into_the deep waters, skeletons of land animals, oars, rudders, and chests of ships were lying tightly grasped by their clinging arms; even a little mermaid, whom they had caught and strangled; and this seemed the most shocking of all to_the little princess .

she now came to a space of marshy ground in_the wood, where large, fat water-snakes were rolling in_the mire, and showing their ugly, drab- colored bodies . in_the midst of_this spot stood a house, built with_the bones of shipwrecked human beings . there sat the sea witch, allowing a toad to eat from her mouth, just as people sometimes feed a canary with a piece of sugar . she called the ugly water-snakes her little chickens, and allowed them to crawl all over her bosom .

" I_know what you_want," said the sea witch; " it_is very stupid of you, but you_shall_have your way, and it_will bring you to sorrow, my pretty princess . you_want to_get rid of your fish's tail, and to_have two supports instead of it, like human beings on earth, so that_the young prince may fall in love with_you, and_that you_may_have an immortal soul ." and then the witch laughed so loud and disgustingly, that_the toad and_the snakes fell to_the ground, and lay there wriggling about ." you_are but just in_time," said the witch; " for after sunrise to- morrow I should_not_be able to help_you till the end of another year . i_will prepare a draught for_you, with_which you_must swim to land tomorrow before sunrise, and sit down on_the shore and drink it . your tail will then disappear, and shrink up into what mankind calls legs, and you_will feel great pain, as_if a sword were passing through you . but all who see you_will say that you_are the prettiest little human being they ever saw . you_will still have the same floating gracefulness of movement, and no dancer will ever tread so lightly; but at every step you take it_will feel as if_you were treading upon sharp knives, and_that the blood must flow . if_you_will bear all this, i_will help_you ."

" yes, i_will," said the little princess in atrembling voice, as she thought of_the prince and_the immortal soul .

" but think again," said the witch; " for when once your shape has become like a human being, you_can no more be a mermaid . you_will never return through_the water to your sisters, or to your father's palace again; and if_you_do_not win the love of_the prince, so_that he_is willing to forget his father and mother for your sake, and to love you with_his whole soul, and allow the priest to join your hands that you_may_be man and wife, then you_will never have an immortal soul . the first morning after he marries another your heart will break, and you_will become foam on_the crest of_the waves ."

" i_will do_it," said the little mermaid, and she became pale as death .

" but I_must_be paid also," said the witch, " and it_is_not a trifle that I ask . you_have the sweetest voice of any who dwell here in_the depths of_the sea, and you believe that you_will_be_able to charm the prince with it also, but this voice you_must give to_me; the best thing you possess will I_have for_the price of_my draught . my own blood must_be mixed with it, that_it may_be as sharp as a two- edged sword ."

" but if_you take away my voice," said the little mermaid, " what_is left for_me ? "

" your beautiful form, your graceful walk, and your expressive eyes; surely with_these you_can enchain a man's heart . well, have_you lost your courage ? put out your little tongue that I_may cut it off as my payment; then you_shall_have the powerful draught ."

" it shall be," said the little mermaid .

then the witch placed her cauldron on_the fire, to_prepare the magic draught .

" cleanliness is a good thing," said she, scouring the vessel with snakes, which she had tied together in a large knot; then she pricked herself in_the breast, and let the black blood drop into_it . the steam that rose formed itself into such horrible shapes that no one could look at them without fear . every moment the witch threw something else into_the vessel, and when it began to boil, the sound was like the weeping of a crocodile . when at last the magic draught was ready, it looked like the clearest water ." there it_is for_you," said the witch . then she cut off the mermaid's tongue, so_that she became dumb, and would never again speak or sing ." if_the polypi should seize hold of you as_you return through_the wood," said the witch, " throw over them a few drops of_the potion, and their fingers will_be torn into a thousand pieces ." but the little mermaid had no occasion to do_this, for_the polypi sprang back in terror when_they caught sight of_the glittering draught, which shone in her hand like atwinkling star .

so she passed quickly through_the wood and_the marsh, and between_the rushing whirlpools . she saw that in her father's palace the torches in_the ballroom were extinguished, and all within asleep; but she did_not venture to_go in to_them, for now she was dumb and going to leave them forever, she felt as_if her heart would break . she stole into_the garden, took a flower from_the flower-beds of each of her sisters, kissed her hand a thousand times towards the palace, and then rose up through_the dark blue waters . the sun had_not risen when she came in sight of_the prince's palace, and approached the beautiful marble steps, but the moon shone clear and bright . then the little mermaid drank the magic draught, and it seemed as_if a two- edged sword went through her delicate body: she fell into a swoon, and lay like one dead . when_the sun arose and shone over the sea, she recovered, and felt a sharp pain; but just before her stood the handsome young prince . he fixed his coal- black eyes upon her so earnestly that she cast down her own, and then became aware that her fish's tail was gone, and_that she had as pretty a pair of white legs and tiny feet as any little maiden could_have; but she had no clothes, so she wrapped herself in her long, thick hair . the prince asked her who she was, and where she came from, and she looked at him mildly and sorrowfully with her deep blue eyes; but she_could_not speak . every step she took was as_the witch had said it would_be, she felt as_if treading upon_the points of needles or sharp knives; but she bore it willingly, and stepped as lightly by_the prince's side as a soap- bubble, so_that he and all who saw her wondered at her graceful-swaying movements . she was very_soon arrayed in costly robes of silk and muslin, and was_the most beautiful creature in_the palace; but she was dumb, and could neither speak nor sing .

beautiful female slaves, dressed in silk and gold, stepped forward and sang before_the prince and_his royal parents: one sang better than all the others, and_the prince clapped his hands and smiled at her . this_was great sorrow to_the little mermaid; she knew how_much more sweetly she herself could sing once, and she thought, "Oh if he_could only know that ! I_have_given away my voice forever, to_be with_him ."

the slaves next performed some pretty fairy- like dances, to_the sound of beautiful music . then the little mermaid raised her lovely white arms, stood on_the tips of her toes, and glided over the floor, and danced as no one yet had_been able to dance . at each moment her beauty became more revealed, and her expressive eyes appealed more directly to_the heart than_the songs of_the slaves . every_one was enchanted, especially the prince, who called her his little foundling; and she danced again quite readily, to_please him, though each_time her foot touched the floor it seemed as_if she trod on sharp knives ."

the prince said she should remain with_him always, and she received permission to sleep at his door, on a velvet cushion . he had a page's dress made for her, that she might accompany him on horseback . they rode together through_the sweet- scented woods, where the green boughs touched their shoulders, and_the little birds sang among_the fresh leaves . she climbed with_the prince to_the tops of high mountains; and although her tender feet bled so_that even her steps were marked, she only laughed, and followed him till they_could see the clouds beneath them looking like a flock of birds travelling to distant lands . while at_the prince's palace, and when all the household were asleep, she_would go and sit on_the broad marble steps; for_it eased her burning feet to bathe them in_the cold sea- water; and then she thought of all those below in_the deep .

once during the night her sisters came up arm- in- arm, singing sorrowfully, as_they floated on_the water . she beckoned to_them, and then they recognized her, and told her how she had grieved them . after_that, they came to_the same place every night; and once she saw in_the distance her old grandmother, who had_not_been to_the surface of_the sea for many years, and_the old sea king, her father, with_his crown on_his head . they stretched out their hands towards her, but they_did_not venture so near the land as her sisters did .

as_the days passed, she loved the prince more fondly, and he loved her as he_would love a little child, but it never came into his head to_make her his wife; yet, unless he married her, she_could_not receive an immortal soul; and, on_the morning after his marriage with another, she_would dissolve into_the foam of_the sea .

" do_you not love me the best of_them all ? " the eyes of_the little mermaid seemed to_say, when he_took her in_his arms, and kissed her fair forehead .

" yes, you_are dear to_me," said the prince; " for you_have the best heart, and you_are the most devoted to_me; you_are like a young maiden whom I once saw, but whom I_shall never meet again . i_was in a ship that was wrecked, and_the waves cast me ashore near a holy temple, where several young maidens performed the service . the youngest of_them found me on_the shore, and saved my life . I_saw her but twice, and she is_the only_one in_the_world whom I_could love; but you_are like her, and you_have almost driven her image out of_my mind . she belongs to_the holy temple, and my good fortune has sent

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