ihavegivenawaymyvoiceforever,tobewithhim."

theslavesnextperformedsomeprettyfairy-likedances,tothesoundofbeautifulmusic.thenthelittlemermaidraisedherlovelywhitearms,stoodonthetipsofhertoes,andglidedoverthefloor,anddancedasnooneyethadbeenabletodance.ateachmomentherbeautybecamemorerevealed,andherexpressiveeyesappealedmoredirectlytotheheartthanthesongsoftheslaves.everyonewasenchanted,especiallytheprince,whocalledherhislittlefoundling;andshedancedagainquitereadily,topleasehim,thougheachtimeherfoottouchedtheflooritseemedasifshetrodonsharpknives."

theprincesaidsheshouldremainwithhimalways,andshereceivedpermissiontosleepathisdoor,onavelvetcushion.hehadapage'sdressmadeforher,thatshemightaccompanyhimonhorseback.theyrodetogetherthroughthesweet-scentedwoods,wherethegreenboughstouchedtheirshoulders,andthelittlebirdssangamongthefreshleaves.sheclimbedwiththeprincetothetopsofhighmountains;andalthoughhertenderfeetbledsothatevenherstepsweremarked,sheonlylaughed,andfollowedhimtilltheycouldseethecloudsbeneaththemlookinglikeaflockofbirdstravellingtodistantlands.whileattheprince'spalace,andwhenallthehouseholdwereasleep,shewouldgoandsitonthebroadmarblesteps;foriteasedherburningfeettobathetheminthecoldsea-water;andthenshethoughtofallthosebelowinthedeep.

onceduringthenighthersisterscameuparm-in-arm,singingsorrowfully,astheyfloatedonthewater.shebeckonedtothem,andthentheyrecognizedher,andtoldherhowshehadgrievedthem.afterthat,theycametothesameplaceeverynight;andonceshesawinthedistanceheroldgrandmother,whohadnotbeentothesurfaceoftheseaformanyyears,andtheoldseaking,herfather,withhiscrownonhishead.theystretchedouttheirhandstowardsher,buttheydidnotventuresonearthelandashersistersdid.

asthedayspassed,shelovedtheprincemorefondly,andhelovedherashewouldlovealittlechild,butitnevercameintohisheadtomakeherhiswife;yet,unlesshemarriedher,shecouldnotreceiveanimmortalsoul;and,onthemorningafterhismarriagewithanother,shewoulddissolveintothefoamofthesea.

"doyounotlovemethebestofthemall?"theeyesofthelittlemermaidseemedtosay,whenhetookherinhisarms,andkissedherfairforehead.

"yes,youaredeartome,"saidtheprince;"foryouhavethebestheart,andyouarethemostdevotedtome;youarelikeayoungmaidenwhomioncesaw,butwhomishallnevermeetagain.iwasinashipthatwaswrecked,andthewavescastmeashorenearaholytemple,whereseveralyoungmaidensperformedtheservice.theyoungestofthemfoundmeontheshore,andsavedmylife.isawherbuttwice,andsheistheonlyoneintheworldwhomicouldlove;butyouarelikeher,andyouhavealmostdrivenherimageoutofmymind.shebelongstotheholytemple,andmygoodfortunehassentyoutomeinsteadofher;andwewillneverpart."

"ah,heknowsnotthatitwasiwhosavedhislife,"thoughtthelittlemermaid."icarriedhimovertheseatothewoodwherethetemplestands:isatbeneaththefoam,andwatchedtillthehumanbeingscametohelphim.isawtheprettymaidenthathelovesbetterthanhelovesme;"andthemermaidsigheddeeply,butshecouldnotshedtears."hesaysthemaidenbelongstotheholytemple,thereforeshewillneverreturntotheworld.theywillmeetnomore:whileiambyhisside,andseehimeveryday.iwilltakecareofhim,andlovehim,andgiveupmylifeforhissake."

verysoonitwassaidthattheprincemustmarry,andthatthebeautifuldaughterofaneighboringkingwouldbehiswife,forafineshipwasbeingfittedout.althoughtheprincegaveoutthathemerelyintendedtopayavisittotheking,itwasgenerallysupposedthathereallywenttoseehisdaughter.agreatcompanyweretogowithhim.thelittlemermaidsmiled,andshookherhead.sheknewtheprince'sthoughtsbetterthananyoftheothers.

"imusttravel,"hehadsaidtoher;"imustseethisbeautifulprincess;myparentsdesireit;buttheywillnotobligemetobringherhomeasmybride.icannotloveher;sheisnotlikethebeautifulmaideninthetemple,whomyouresemble.ifiwereforcedtochooseabride,iwouldratherchooseyou,mydumbfoundling,withthoseexpressiveeyes."andthenhekissedherrosymouth,playedwithherlongwavinghair,andlaidhisheadonherheart,whileshedreamedofhumanhappinessandanimmortalsoul."youarenotafraidofthesea,mydumbchild,"saidhe,astheystoodonthedeckofthenobleshipwhichwastocarrythemtothecountryoftheneighboringdthenhetoldherofstormandofcalm,ofstrangefishesinthedeepbeneaththem,andofwhatthedivershadseenthere;andshesmiledathisdescriptions,forsheknewbetterthananyonewhatwonderswereatthebottomofthesea.

inthemoonlight,whenallonboardwereasleep,exceptingthemanatthehelm,whowassteering,shesatonthedeck,gazingdownthroughtheclearwater.shethoughtshecoulddistinguishherfather'scastle,anduponitheragedgrandmother,withthesilvercrownonherhead,lookingthroughtherushingtideatthekeelofthevessel.thenhersisterscameuponthewaves,andgazedathermournfully,wringingtheirwhitehands.shebeckonedtothem,andsmiled,andwantedtotellthemhowhappyandwelloffshewas;butthecabin-boyapproached,andwhenhersistersdiveddownhethoughtitwasonlythefoamoftheseawhichhesaw.

thenextmorningtheshipsailedintotheharborofabeautifultownbelongingtothekingwhomtheprincewasgoingtovisit.thechurchbellswereringing,andfromthehightowerssoundedaflourishoftrumpets;andsoldiers,withflyingcolorsandglitteringbayonets,linedtherocksthroughwhichtheypassed.everydaywasafestival;ballsandentertainmentsfollowedoneanother.

buttheprincesshadnotyetappeared.peoplesaidthatshewasbeingbroughtupandeducatedinareligioushouse,whereshewaslearningeveryroyalvirtue.atlastshecame.thenthelittlemermaid,whowasveryanxioustoseewhethershewasreallybeautiful,wasobligedtoacknowledgethatshehadneverseenamoreperfectvisionofbeauty.herskinwasdelicatelyfair,andbeneathherlongdarkeye-lashesherlaughingblueeyesshonewithtruthandpurity.

"itwasyou,"saidtheprince,"whosavedmylifewhenilaydeadonthebeach,"andhefoldedhisblushingbrideinhisarms."oh,iamtoohappy,"saidhetothelittlemermaid;"myfondesthopesareallfulfilled.youwillrejoiceatmyhappiness;foryourdevotiontomeisgreatandsincere."

thelittlemermaidkissedhishand,andfeltasifherheartwerealreadybroken.hisweddingmorningwouldbringdeathtoher,andshewouldchangeintothefoamofthesea.allthechurchbellsrung,andtheheraldsrodeaboutthetownproclaimingthebetrothal.perfumedoilwasburningincostlysilverlampsoneveryaltar.thepriestswavedthecensers,whilethebrideandbridegroomjoinedtheirhandsandreceivedtheblessingofthebishop.thelittlemermaid,dressedinsilkandgold,heldupthebride'strain;butherearsheardnothingofthefestivemusic,andhereyessawnottheholyceremony;shethoughtofthenightofdeathwhichwascomingtoher,andofallshehadlostintheworld.onthesameeveningthebrideandbridegroomwentonboardship;cannonswereroaring,flagswaving,andinthecentreoftheshipacostlytentofpurpleandgoldhadbeenerected.itcontainedelegantcouches,forthereceptionofthebridalpairduringthenight.theship,withswellingsailsandafavorablewind,glidedawaysmoothlyandlightlyoverthecalmitgrewdarkanumberofcoloredlampswerelit,andthesailorsdancedmerrilyonthedeck.thelittlemermaidcouldnothelpthinkingofherfirstrisingoutofthesea,whenshehadseensimilarfestivitiesandjoys;andshejoinedinthedance,poisedherselfintheairasaswallowwhenhepursueshisprey,andallpresentcheeredherwithwonder.shehadneverdancedsoelegantlybefore.hertenderfeetfeltasifcutwithsharpknives,butshecarednotforit;asharperpanghadpiercedthroughherheart.sheknewthiswasthelasteveningsheshouldeverseetheprince,forwhomshehadforsakenherkindredandherhome;shehadgivenupherbeautifulvoice,andsufferedunheard-ofpaindailyforhim,whileheknewnothingofit.thiswasthelasteveningthatshewouldbreathethesameairwithhim,orgazeonthestarryskyandthedeepsea;aneternalnight,withoutathoughtoradream,awaitedher:shehadnosoulandnowshecouldneverwinone.allwasjoyandgayetyonboardshiptilllongaftermidnight;shelaughedanddancedwiththerest,whilethethoughtsofdeathwereinherprincekissedhisbeautifulbride,whilesheplayedwithhisravenhair,tilltheywentarm-in-armtorestinthesplendidtent.thenallbecamestillonboardtheship;thehelmsman,aloneawake,stoodatthehelm.thelittlemermaidleanedherwhitearmsontheedgeofthevessel,andlookedtowardstheeastforthefirstblushofmorning,forthatfirstrayofdawnthatwouldbringherdeath.shesawhersistersrisingoutoftheflood:theywereaspaleasherself;buttheirlongbeautifulhairwavednomoreinthewind,andhadbeencutoff.

"wehavegivenourhairtothewitch,"saidthey,"toobtainhelpforyou,thatyoumaynotdieto-night.shehasgivenusaknife:hereitis,seeitisverysharp.beforethesunrisesyoumustplungeitintotheheartoftheprince;whenthewarmbloodfallsuponyourfeettheywillgrowtogetheragain,andformintoafish'stail,andyouwillbeoncemoreamermaid,andreturntoustoliveoutyourthreehundredyearsbeforeyoudieandchangeintothesaltseafoam.haste,then;heoryoumustdiebeforesunrise.ouroldgrandmothermoanssoforyou,thatherwhitehairisfallingofffromsorrow,asoursfellunderthewitch'sscissors.killtheprinceandcomeback;hasten:doyounotseethefirstredstreaksinthesky?