rushing tide at the keel of the vessel. Then her sisters came up on the waves,
and gazed at her mournfully, wringing their white hands. She beckoned to
them, and smiled, and wanted to tell them how happy and well off she was;
but the cabin-boy approached, and when her sisters dived down he thought
it was only the foam of the sea which he saw.
The next morning the ship sailed into the harbor of a beautiful town
belonging to the king whom the prince was going to visit. The church bells
were ringing, and from the high towers sounded a flourish of trumpets; and
soldiers, with flying colors and glittering bayonets, lined the rocks through
which they passed. Every day was a festival; balls and entertainments
followed one another.
But the princess had not yet appeared. People said that she was being
brought up and educated in a religious house, where she was learning every
royal virtue. At last she came. Then the little mermaid, who was very
anxious to see whether she was really beautiful, was obliged to
acknowledge that she had never seen a more perfect vision of beauty. Her
skin was delicately fair, and beneath her long dark eye-lashes her laughing
blue eyes shone with truth and purity.
“It was you,” said the prince, “who saved my life when I lay dead on the
beach,” and he folded his blushing bride in his arms. “Oh, I am too happy,”
said he to the little mermaid; “my fondest hopes are all fulfilled. You will
rejoice at my happiness; for your devotion to me is great and sincere.”
The little mermaid kissed his hand, and felt as if her heart were already
broken. His wedding morning would bring death to her, and she would
change into the foam of the sea. All the church bells rung, and the heralds
rode about the town proclaiming the betrothal. Perfumed oil was burning in
costly silver lamps on every altar. The priests waved the censers, while the
bride and bridegroom joined their hands and received the blessing of the
bishop. The little mermaid, dressed in silk and gold, held up the bride’s
train; but her ears heard nothing of the festive music, and her eyes saw not
the holy ceremony; she thought of the night of death which was coming to
her, and of all she had lost in the world. On the same evening the bride and
