the little mermaid-第4节

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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　a　trembling　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　a

twinkling　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；　th