安徒生童话-第111章

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　amongst　us　is　considered　so　beautiful；　isthought　on　earth　to　be　quite　ugly；　they　do　not　know　any　better；　andthey　think　it　necessary　to　have　two　stout　props；　which　they　call　legs；in　order　to　be　handsome。〃

Then　the　little　mermaid　sighed；　and　looked　sorrowfully　at　herfish's　tail。　〃Let　us　be　happy；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃and　dart　andspring　about　during　the　three　hundred　years　that　we　have　to　live；which　is　really　quite　long　enough；　after　that　we　can　rest　ourselvesall　the　better。　This　evening　we　are　going　to　have　a　court　ball。〃

It　is　one　of　those　splendid　sights　which　we　can　never　see　onearth。　The　walls　and　the　ceiling　of　the　large　ball…room　were　of　thick；but　transparent　crystal。　May　hundreds　of　colossal　shells；　some　of　adeep　red；　others　of　a　grass　green；　stood　on　each　side　in　rows；　withblue　fire　in　them；　which　lighted　up　the　whole　saloon；　and　shohrough　the　walls；　so　that　the　sea　was　also　illuminated。　Innumerablefishes；　great　and　small；　swam　past　the　crystal　walls；　on　some　ofthem　the　scales　glowed　with　a　purple　brilliancy；　and　on　others　theyshone　like　silver　and　gold。　Through　the　halls　flowed　a　broad　stream；and　in　it　danced　the　mermen　and　the　mermaids　to　the　music　of　their　ownsweet　singing。　No　one　on　earth　has　such　a　lovely　voice　as　theirs。The　little　mermaid　sang　more　sweetly　than　them　all。　The　whole　courtapplauded　her　with　hands　and　tails；　and　for　a　moment　her　heart　feltquite　gay；　for　she　knew　she　had　the　loveliest　voice　of　any　on　earth　orin　the　sea。　But　she　soon　thought　again　of　the　world　above　her；　for　shecould　not　forget　the　charming　prince；　nor　her　sorrow　that　she　hadnot　an　immortal　soul　like　his；　therefore　she　crept　away　silently　outof　her　father's　palace；　and　while　everything　within　was　gladness　andsong；　she　sat　in　her　own　little　garden　sorrowful　and　alone。　Then　sheheard　the　bugle　sounding　through　the　water；　and　thought…　〃He　iscertainly　sailing　above；　he　on　whom　my　wishes　depend；　and　in　whosehands　I　should　like　to　place　the　happiness　of　my　life。　I　willventure　all　for　him；　and　to　win　an　immortal　soul；　while　my　sisters　aredancing　in　my　father's　palace；　I　will　go　to　the　sea　witch；　of　whom　Ihave　always　been　so　much　afraid；　but　she　can　give　me　counsel　andhelp。〃

And　then　the　little　mermaid　went　out　from　her　garden；　and　took　theroad　to　the　foaming　whirlpools；　behind　which　the　sorceress　lived。She　had　never　been　that　way　before：　neither　flowers　nor　grass　grewthere；　nothing　but　bare；　gray；　sandy　ground　stretched　out　to　thewhirlpool；　where　the　water；　like　foaming　mill…wheels；　whirled　roundeverything　that　it　seized；　and　cast　it　into　the　fathomless　deep。Through　the　midst　of　these　crushing　whirlpools　the　little　mermaidwas　obliged　to　pass；　to　reach　the　dominions　of　the　sea　witch；　and　alsofor　a　long　distance　the　only　road　lay　right　across　a　quantity　of　warm；bubbling　mire；　called　by　the　witch　her　turfmoor。　Beyond　this　stood　herhouse；　in　the　centre　of　a　strange　forest；　in　which　all　the　trees　andflowers　were　polypi；　half　animals　and　half　plants；　they　looked　likeserpents　with　a　hundred　heads　growing　out　of　the　ground。　Thebranches　were　long　slimy　arms；　with　fingers　like　flexible　worms；moving　limb　after　limb　from　the　root　to　the　top。　All　that　could　bereached　in　the　sea　they　seized　upon；　and　held　fast；　so　that　it　neverescaped　from　their　clutches。　The　little　mermaid　was　so　alarmed　at　whatshe　saw；　that　she　stood　still；　and　her　heart　beat　with　fear；　and　shewas　very　nearly　turning　back；　but　she　thought　of　the　prince；　and　ofthe　human　soul　for　which　she　longed；　and　her　courage　returned。　Shefastened　her　long　flowing　hair　round　her　head；　so　that　the　polypimight　not　seize　hold　of　it。　She　laid　her　hands　together　across　herbosom；　and　then　she　darted　forward　as　a　fish　shoots　through　the　water；between　the　supple　arms　and　fingers　of　the　ugly　polypi；　which　werestretched　out　on　each　side　of　her。　She　saw　that　each　held　in　its　graspsomething　it　had　seized　with　its　numerous　little　arms；　as　if　they　wereiron　bands。　The　white　skeletons　of　human　beings　who　had　perished　atsea；　and　had　sunk　down　into　the　deep　waters；　skeletons　of　landanimals；　oars；　rudders；　and　chests　of　ships　were　lying　tightly　graspedby　their　clinging　arms；　even　a　little　mermaid；　whom　they　had　caughtand　strangled；　and　this　seemed　the　most　shocking　of　all　to　thelittle　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；　builtwith　the　bones　of　shipwrecked　human　beings。　There　sat　the　sea　witch；allowing　a　toad　to　eat　from　her　mouth；　just　as　people　sometimes　feed　acanary　with　a　piece　of　sugar。　She　called　the　ugly　water…snakes　herlittle　chickens；　and　allowed　them　to　crawl　all　over　her　bosom。

〃I　know　what　you　want；〃　said　the　sea　witch；　〃it　is　very　stupidof　you；　but　you　shall　have　your　way；　and　it　will　bring　you　tosorrow；　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；　sothat　the　young　prince　may　fall　in　love　with　you；　and　that　you　may　havean　immortal　soul。〃　And　then　the　witch　laughed　so　loud　anddisgustingly；　that　the　toad　and　the　snakes　fell　to　the　ground；　and　laythere　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　theend　of　another　year。　I　will　prepare　a　draught　for　you；　with　whichyou　must　swim　to　land　tomorrow　before　sunrise；　and　sit　down　on　theshore　and　drink　it。　Your　tail　will　then　disappear；　and　shrink　upinto　what　mankind　calls　legs；　and　you　will　feel　great　pain；　as　if　asword　were　passing　through　you。　But　all　who　see　you　will　say　thatyou　are　the　prettiest　little　human　being　they　ever　saw。　You　will　stillhave　the　same　floating　gracefulness　of　movement；　and　no　dancer　willever　tread　so　lightly；　but　at　every　step　you　take　it　will　feel　as　ifyou　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；　asshe　thought　of　the　prince　and　the　immortal　soul。

〃But　think　again；〃　said　the　witch；　〃for　when　once　your　shape　hasbee　like　a　human　being；　you　can　no　more　be　a　mermaid。　You　willnever　return　through　the　water　to　your　sisters；　or　to　your　father'spalace　again；　and　if　you　do　not　win　the　love　of　the　prince；　so　that　heis　willing　to　forget　his　father　and　mother　for　your　sake；　and　tolove　you　with　his　whole　soul；　and　allow　the　priest　to　join　yourhands　that　you　may　be　man　and　wife；　then　you　will　never　have　animmortal　soul。　The　first　morning　after　he　marries　another　your　heartwill　break；　and　you　will　bee　foam　on　the　crest　of　the　waves。〃

〃I　will　do　it；〃　said　the　little　mermaid；　and　she　became　pale　asdeath。

〃But　I　must　be　paid　also；〃　said　the　witch；　〃and　it　is　not　a　triflethat　I　ask。　You　have　the　sweetest　voice　of　any　who　dwell　here　in　thedepths　of　the　sea；　and　you　believe　that　you　will　be　able　to　charmthe　prince　with　it　also；　but　this　voice　you　must　give　to　me；　thebest　thing　you　possess　will　I　have　for　the　price　of　my　draught。　My　ownblood　must　be　mixed　with　it；　that　it　may　be　as　sharp　as　a　two…edgedsword。〃

〃But　if　you　take　away　my　voice；〃　said　the　little　mermaid；　〃what　isleft　for　me？〃

〃Your　beautiful　form；　your　graceful　walk；　and　your　expressiveeyes；　surely　with　these　you　can　enchain　a　man's　heart。　Well；　haveyou　lost　your　courage？　Put　out　your　little　tongue　that　I　may　cut　itoff　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　themagic　draught。

〃Cleanliness　is　a　good　thing；〃　said　she；　scouring　the　vesselwith　snakes；　which　she　had　tied　together　in　a　large　knot；　then　shepricked　herself　in　the　breast；　and　let　the　black　blood　drop　into　it。The　steam　that　rose　formed　itself　into　such　horrible　shapes　that　noone　could　look　at　them　without　fear。　Every　moment　the　witch　threwsomething　else　into　the　vessel；　and　when　it　began　to　boil；　the　soundwas　like　the　weeping　of　a　crocodile。　When　at　last　the　magic　draughtwas　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　shebecame　dumb；　and　would　never　again　speak　or　sing。　〃If　the　polypishould　seize　hold　of　you　as　you　return　through　the　wood；〃　said　thewitch；　〃throw　over　them　a　few　drops　of　the　potion；　and　their　fingerswill　be　torn　into　a　thousand　pieces。〃　But　the　little　mermaid　had　nooccasion　to　do　this；　for　the　polypi　sprang　back　in　terror　when　theycaught　sight　of　the　glittering　draught；　which　shone　in　her　hand　like　atwinkling　star。

So　she　passed　quickly　through　the　wood　and　the　marsh；　andbetween　the　rushing　whirlpools。　She　saw　that　in　her　father's　palacethe　torches　in　the　ballroom　were　extinguished；　and　all　withinasleep；　but　she　did　not　venture　to　go　in　to　them；　for　now　she　was　dumband　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　ofeach　of　her　sisters；　kissed　her　hand　a　thousand　times　towards　thepalace；　and　then　rose　up　through　the　dark　blue　waters。　The　sun　had　notrisen　when　she　came　in　sight　of　the　prince's　palace；　and　approachedthe　beautiful　marble　steps；　but　the　moon　shone　clear　and　bri