the little mermaid-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FAIRY　TALES　OF　HANS　CHRISTIAN　ANDERSEN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　LITTLE　MERMAID

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Hans　Christian　Andersen



　　　　FAR　out　in　the　ocean；　where　the　water　is　as　blue　as　the

prettiest　cornflower；　and　as　clear　as　crystal；　it　is　very；　very

deep；　so　deep；　indeed；　that　no　cable　could　fathom　it：　many　church

steeples；　piled　one　upon　another；　would　not　reach　from　the　ground

beneath　to　the　surface　of　the　water　above。　There　dwell　the　Sea　King

and　his　subjects。　We　must　not　imagine　that　there　is　nothing　at　the

bottom　of　the　sea　but　bare　yellow　sand。　No；　indeed；　the　most

singular　flowers　and　plants　grow　there；　the　leaves　and　stems　of

which　are　so　pliant；　that　the　slightest　agitation　of　the　water

causes　them　to　stir　as　if　they　had　life。　Fishes；　both　large　and　small；

glide　between　the　branches；　as　birds　fly　among　the　trees　here　upon

land。　In　the　deepest　spot　of　all；　stands　the　castle　of　the　Sea　King。

Its　walls　are　built　of　coral；　and　the　long；　gothic　windows　are　of

the　clearest　amber。　The　roof　is　formed　of　shells；　that　open　and

close　as　the　water　flows　over　them。　Their　appearance　is　very

beautiful；　for　in　each　lies　a　glittering　pearl；　which　would　be　fit　for

the　diadem　of　a　queen。

　　　　The　Sea　King　had　been　a　widower　for　many　years；　and　his　aged

mother　kept　house　for　him。　She　was　a　very　wise　woman；　and

exceedingly　proud　of　her　high　birth；　on　that　account　she　wore　twelve

oysters　on　her　tail；　while　others；　also　of　high　rank；　were　only

allowed　to　wear　six。　She　was；　however；　deserving　of　very　great　praise；

especially　for　her　care　of　the　little　sea…princesses；　her

grand…daughters。　They　were　six　beautiful　children；　but　the　youngest

was　the　prettiest　of　them　all；　her　skin　was　as　clear　and　delicate　as　a

rose…leaf；　and　her　eyes　as　blue　as　the　deepest　sea；　but；　like　all

the　others；　she　had　no　feet；　and　her　body　ended　in　a　fish's　tail。

All　day　long　they　played　in　the　great　halls　of　the　castle；　or　among

the　living　flowers　that　grew　out　of　the　walls。　The　large　amber　windows

were　open；　and　the　fish　swam　in；　just　as　the　swallows　fly　into　our

houses　when　we　open　the　windows；　excepting　that　the　fishes　swam　up

to　the　princesses；　ate　out　of　their　hands；　and　allowed　themselves　to

be　stroked。　Outside　the　castle　there　was　a　beautiful　garden；　in

which　grew　bright　red　and　dark　blue　flowers；　and　blossoms　like

flames　of　fire；　the　fruit　glittered　like　gold；　and　the　leaves　and

stems　waved　to　and　fro　continually。　The　earth　itself　was　the　finest

sand；　but　blue　as　the　flame　of　burning　sulphur。　Over　everything　lay

a　peculiar　blue　radiance；　as　if　it　were　surrounded　by　the　air　from

above；　through　which　the　blue　sky　shone；　instead　of　the　dark　depths　of

the　sea。　In　calm　weather　the　sun　could　be　seen；　looking　like　a

purple　flower；　with　the　light　streaming　from　the　calyx。　Each　of　the

young　princesses　had　a　little　plot　of　ground　in　the　garden；　where

she　might　dig　and　plant　as　she　pleased。　One　arranged　her　flower…bed

into　the　form　of　a　whale；　another　thought　it　better　to　make　hers

like　the　figure　of　a　little　mermaid；　but　that　of　the　youngest　was

round　like　the　sun；　and　contained　flowers　as　red　as　his　rays　at

sunset。　She　was　a　strange　child；　quiet　and　thoughtful；　and　while　her

sisters　would　be　delighted　with　the　wonderful　things　which　they

obtained　from　the　wrecks　of　vessels；　she　cared　for　nothing　but　her

pretty　red　flowers；　like　the　sun；　excepting　a　beautiful　marble　statue。

It　was　the　representation　of　a　handsome　boy；　carved　out　of　pure

white　stone；　which　had　fallen　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea　from　a　wreck。

She　planted　by　the　statue　a　rose…colored　weeping　willow。　It　grew

splendidly；　and　very　soon　hung　its　fresh　branches　over　the　statue；

almost　down　to　the　blue　sands。　The　shadow　had　a　violet　tint；　and　waved

to　and　fro　like　the　branches；　it　seemed　as　if　the　crown　of　the　tree

and　the　root　were　at　play；　and　trying　to　kiss　each　other。　Nothing　gave

her　so　much　pleasure　as　to　hear　about　the　world　above　the　sea。　She

made　her　old　grandmother　tell　her　all　she　knew　of　the　ships　and　of　the

towns；　the　people　and　the　animals。　To　her　it　seemed　most　wonderful　and

beautiful　to　hear　that　the　flowers　of　the　land　should　have

fragrance；　and　not　those　below　the　sea；　that　the　trees　of　the　forest

should　be　green；　and　that　the　fishes　among　the　trees　could　sing　so

sweetly；　that　it　was　quite　a　pleasure　to　hear　them。　Her　grandmother

called　the　little　birds　fishes；　or　she　would　not　have　understood

her；　for　she　had　never　seen　birds。

　　　　〃When　you　have　reached　your　fifteenth　year；〃　said　the

grand…mother；　〃you　will　have　permission　to　rise　up　out　of　the　sea；

to　sit　on　the　rocks　in　the　moonlight；　while　the　great　ships　are

sailing　by；　and　then　you　will　see　both　forests　and　towns。〃

　　　　In　the　following　year；　one　of　the　sisters　would　be　fifteen：　but　as

each　was　a　year　younger　than　the　other；　the　youngest　would　have　to

wait　five　years　before　her　turn　came　to　rise　up　from　the　bottom　of　the

ocean；　and　see　the　earth　as　we　do。　However；　each　promised　to　tell

the　others　what　she　saw　on　her　first　visit；　and　what　she　thought　the

most　beautiful；　for　their　grandmother　could　not　tell　them　enough；

there　were　so　many　things　on　which　they　wanted　information。　None　of

them　longed　so　much　for　her　turn　to　come　as　the　youngest；　she　who

had　the　longest　time　to　wait；　and　who　was　so　quiet　and　thoughtful。

Many　nights　she　stood　by　the　open　window；　looking　up　through　the

dark　blue　water；　and　watching　the　fish　as　they　splashed　about　with

their　fins　and　tails。　She　could　see　the　moon　and　stars　shining

faintly；　but　through　the　water　they　looked　larger　than　they　do　to

our　eyes。　When　something　like　a　black　cloud　passed　between　her　and

them；　she　knew　that　it　was　either　a　whale　swimming　over　her　head；　or　a

ship　full　of　human　beings；　who　never　imagined　that　a　pretty　little

mermaid　was　standing　beneath　them；　holding　out　her　white　hands　towards

the　keel　of　their　ship。

　　　　As　soon　as　the　eldest　was　fifteen；　she　was　allowed　to　rise　to

the　surface　of　the　ocean。　When　she　came　back；　she　had　hundreds　of

things　to　talk　about；　but　the　most　beautiful；　she　said；　was　to　lie

in　the　moonlight；　on　a　sandbank；　in　the　quiet　sea；　near　the　coast；　and

to　gaze　on　a　large　town　nearby；　where　the　lights　were　twinkling　like

hundreds　of　stars；　to　listen　to　the　sounds　of　the　music；　the　noise

of　carriages；　and　the　voices　of　human　beings；　and　then　to　hear　the

merry　bells　peal　out　from　the　church　steeples；　and　because　she　could

not　go　near　to　all　those　wonderful　things；　she　longed　for　them　more

than　ever。　Oh；　did　not　the　youngest　sister　listen　eagerly　to　all　these

descriptions？　and　afterwards；　when　she　stood　at　the　open　window

looking　up　through　the　dark　blue　water；　she　thought　of　the　great　city；

with　all　its　bustle　and　noise；　and　even　fancied　she　could　hear　the

sound　of　the　church　bells；　down　in　the　depths　of　the　sea。

　　　　In　another　year　the　second　sister　received　permission　to　rise　to

the　surface　of　the　water；　and　to　swim　about　where　she　pleased。　She

rose　just　as　the　sun　was　setting；　and　this；　she　said；　was　the　most

beautiful　sight　of　all。　The　whole　sky　looked　like　gold；　while　violet

and　rose…colored　clouds；　which　she　could　not　describe；　floated　over

her；　and；　still　more　rapidly　than　the　clouds；　flew　a　large　flock　of

wild　swans　towards　the　setting　sun；　looking　like　a　long　white　veil

across　the　sea。　She　also　swam　towards　the　sun；　but　it　sunk　into　the

waves；　and　the　rosy　tints　faded　from　the　clouds　and　from　the　sea。

　　　　The　third　sister's　turn　followed；　she　was　the　boldest　of　them　all；

and　she　swam　up　a　broad　river　that　emptied　itself　into　the　sea。　On　the

banks　she　saw　green　hills　covered　with　beautiful　vines；　palaces　and

castles　peeped　out　from　amid　the　proud　trees　of　the　forest；　she

heard　the　birds　singing；　and　the　rays　of　the　sun　were　so　powerful　that

she　was　obliged　often　to　dive　down　under　the　water　to　cool　her　burning

face。　In　a　narrow　creek　she　found　a　whole　troop　of　little　human

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　sight