于是她向老祖母请教，老祖母对上面的世界了如指掌，她非常正确地称之为海面上的陆地。
then she applied to her old grandmother, ho kne all about the upper orld, hich she very rightly called the lands above the sea.
“如果人类不被淹死，” 美人鱼问道，“他们能永远活着吗？他们是否像我们在海里一样永远不死呢？”
“If human beings are not droned,” asked the little mermaid, “can they live forever? do they never die as e do here in the sea?”
“是的，” 老妇人回答，“他们也必须死，而且他们的寿命甚至比我们的还短。”
“Yes,” replied the old lady, “they must also die, and their term of life is even shorter than ours.
我们有时能活到三百岁，但当我们在这里不复存在时，我们只会变成水面上的泡沫，而且我们在海底甚至连一个埋葬我们所爱的饶坟墓都没樱
e sometimes live to three hundred years, but hen e cease to exist here e only bee the foam on the surface of the ater, and e have not even a grave don here of those e love.
我们没有不朽的灵魂，我们永远不会再活过来；
e have not immortal souls, e shall never live again;
但是，就像绿色的海藻一样，一旦被割掉，就再也不能茁壮成长。
but, like the green sea - eed, hen once it has been cut off, e can never flourish more.
相反，人类有一个永远活着的灵魂，在肉体化为尘土之后仍然活着。
human beings, on the contrary, have a soul hich lives forever, lives after the body has been turned to dust.
它穿过清澈纯净、繁星闪烁之上的空气飞升。
It rises up through the clear, pure air beyond the glittering stars.
就像我们浮出水面，看到地球上所有的陆地一样，他们也会飞升向我们永远无法看到的未知而荣耀的地方。
As e rise out of the ater, and behold all the land of the earth, so do they rise to unknon and glorious regions hich e shall never see.”
“为什么我们没有不朽的灵魂呢？”
“hy have not e an immortal soul?”
美人鱼悲韶问道；
asked the little mermaid mournfully;
“我愿意欣然放弃我能活的数百年时光，只为做一的人类，并且有希望了解星空之上那个荣耀世界的幸福。”
“I ould give gladly all the hundreds of years that I have to live, to be a human being only for one day, and to have the hope of knoing the happiness of that glorious orld above the stars.”
“你可不能那样想，” 老妇人；
“You must not think of that,” said the old oman;
“我们觉得自己比人类幸福得多，也富裕得多。”
“e feel ourselves to be much happier and much better off than human beings.”
“那么我将会死去，” 美人鱼，“并且我将作为海的泡沫四处飘荡，再也听不到海滥音乐，看不到美丽的花朵，也看不到红日了。有没有什么办法能让我获得一个不朽的灵魂呢？”
“So I shall die,” said the little mermaid, “and as the foam of the sea I shall be driven about never again to hear the music of the aves, or to see the pretty floers nor the red sun. Is there anything I can do to in an immortal soul?”
“没有，” 老妇人，“除非一个男人如此爱你，以至于你对他来比他的父亲或母亲还重要；
“No,” said the old oman, “unless a man ere to love you so much that you ere more to him than his father or mother;
并且如果他所有的思想和全部的爱都集中在你身上，牧师将他的右手放在你的手里，而且他承诺今生来世都对你忠诚，那么他的灵魂就会溜进你的身体，你就会获得一份人类未来的幸福。
and if all his thoughts and all his love ere fixed upon you, and the priest placed his right hand in yours, and he promised to be true to you here and hereafter, then his soul ould glide into your body and you ould obtain a share in the future happiness of mankind.
他会给你一个灵魂，同时自己也保留灵魂；
he ould give a soul to you and retain his on as ell;
但这永远不可能发生。
but this can never happen.
你的鱼尾，在我们看来是如此美丽，但在陆地上却被认为非常丑陋；
Your fish’s tail, hich amongst us is considered so beautiful, is thought on earth to be quite ugly;
他们不懂（我们的美），而且他们认为必须有两个粗壮的支撑物，他们称之为腿，才显得英俊。
they do not kno any better, and they think it necessary to have to stout props, hich they call legs, in order to be handsome.”
然后美人鱼叹了口气，悲韶看着自己的鱼尾。
then the little mermaid sighed, and looked sorrofully at her fish’s tail.
“让我们快乐起来吧，” 老妇人，“在我们必须度过的三百年里跳跃嬉戏，这时间真的够长了；
“Let us be happy,” said the old lady, “and dart and spring about during the three hundred years that e have to live, hich is really quite long enough;
之后我们就能更好地休息了。
after that e can rest ourselves all the better.
今晚我们将有一场宫廷舞会。”
this evening e are going to have a court ball.”
这是我们在陆地上永远看不到的壮丽景象之一。
It is one of those splendid sights hich e can never see on earth.
大舞厅的墙壁和花板是由厚实但透明的水晶制成的。
the alls and the ceiling of the large ball - room ere of thick, but transparent crystal.
成百个巨大的贝壳，有些是深红色的，有些是草绿色的，一排排地立在两边，贝壳里有蓝色的火焰，照亮了整个大厅，并且透过墙壁闪耀着，这样大海也被照亮了。
may hundreds of colossal shells, some of a deep red, others of a grass green, stood on each side in ros, ith blue fire in them, hich lighted up the hole saloon, and shone through the alls, so that the sea as also illuminated.
数不清的大大的鱼游过水晶墙壁；
Innumerable fishes, great and small, sam past the crystal alls;
有些鱼的鳞片闪耀着紫色的光辉，而另一些则像金银一样闪亮。
on some of them the scales gloed ith a purple brilliancy, and on others they shone like silver and gold.
一条宽阔的溪流穿过大厅，男美人鱼和女美人鱼随着自己甜美歌声的韵律在溪流中跳舞。
through the halls floed a broad stream, and in it danced the mermen and the mermaids to the music of their on seet singing.
陆地上没有人有他们那样可爱的嗓音。
No one on earth has such a lovely voice as theirs.
美人鱼比他们所有人唱得都更甜美。
the little mermaid sang more seetly than them all.
整个宫廷都用手和尾巴为她鼓掌；
the hole court applauded her ith hands and tails;
有那么一瞬间，她的心里感到十分欢快，因为她知道自己有着世上或海里最美妙的嗓音。
and for a moment her heart felt quite gay, for she kne she had the loveliest voice of any on earth or in the sea.
但她很快又想起了上面的世界，因为她无法忘记迷饶王子，也无法忘记自己没有像他那样不朽的灵魂的悲伤；
but she soon thought again of the orld above her, for she could not forget the charming prince, nor her sorro that she had not an immortal soul like his;
因此她悄悄地从父亲的宫殿溜了出去，当宫殿里一切都是欢乐和歌声的时候，她却独自悲韶坐在自己的花园里。
therefore she crept aay silently out of her father’s palace, and hile everything ithin as gladness and song, she sat in her on little garden sorroful and alone.
然后她听到号角声在水中回荡，心想 ——“他肯定正在海面上航行呢，他就是我愿望所系之人，我愿意将自己一生的幸福交托到他手郑
then she heard the bugle sounding through the ater, and thought— “he is certainly sailing above, he on hom my ishes depend, and in hose hands I should like to place the happiness of my life.
我要为他冒险一切，去赢得一个不朽的灵魂，当我的姐妹们在我父亲的宫殿里跳舞时，我要去找海巫婆，我一直非常害怕她，但她能给我建议和帮助。”
I ill venture all for him, and to in an immortal soul, hile my sisters are dancing in my father’s palace, I ill go to the sea itch, of hom I have alays been so much afraid, but she can give me counsel and help.”
于是美人鱼走出她的花园，踏上通往冒着泡沫的漩涡的路，巫婆就住在漩涡后面。
And then the little mermaid ent out from her garden, and took the road to the foaming hirlpools, behind hich the sorceress lived.
她以前从未走过那条路：
She had never been that ay before:
那里既没有花也没有草生长；
neither floers nor grass gre there;
只有光秃秃、灰蒙蒙的沙地一直延伸到漩涡处，在那里，水就像冒着泡沫的水车，把它卷住的一切东西都卷起来，然后抛进无底的深渊。
nothing but bare, gray, sandy ground stretched out to the hirlpool, here the ater, like foaming mill - heels, hirled round everything that it seized, and cast it into the fathomless deep.
美人鱼必须穿过这些湍急的漩涡中间，才能到达海巫婆的领地；
through the midst of these crushing hirlpools the little mermaid as obliged to pass, to reach the dominions of the sea itch;
而且在很长一段距离内，唯一的路正好要穿过一大片温热、冒泡的泥潭，巫婆称这片泥潭为她的泥炭沼。
and also for a long distance the only road lay right across a quantity of arm, bubbling mire, called by the itch her turfmoor.
在这片泥潭的那一边矗立着她的房子，房子位于一片奇特的森林中央，这片森林里所有的树木和花朵都是珊瑚虫，半是动物半是植物；
beyond this stood her house, in the centre of a strange forest, in hich all the trees and floers ere polypi, half animals and half plants;
它们看起来像从地里长出一百个头的蛇。
they looked like serpents ith a hundred heads groing out of the ground.
树枝是长长的黏糊糊的手臂，手指像柔软的蠕虫，从根部到顶部一节一节地移动。
the branches ere long slimy arms, ith fingers like flexible orms, moving limb after limb from the root to the top.
海里能抓到的东西它们都抓，而且抓得紧紧的，所以没有东西能从它们的爪子下逃脱。
All that could be reached in the sea they seized upon, and held fast, so that it never escaped from their clutches.
美人鱼看到眼前的景象非常惊恐，她站着不动，心因恐惧而跳动，她差一点就转身回去了；
the little mermaid as so alarmed at hat she sa, that she stood still, and her heart beat ith fear, and she as very nearly turning back;
但是她想到了王子，想到了她渴望得到的人类灵魂，她又鼓起了勇气。
but she thought of the prince, and of the human soul for hich she longed, and her courage returned.
她把长长的飘动的头发盘在头上，这样珊瑚虫就抓不到它了。
She fastened her long floing hair round her head, so that the polypi might not seize hold of it.
她双手交叉放在胸前，然后像鱼在水中穿梭一样向前冲去，在她两侧伸展着的丑陋珊瑚虫柔软的手臂和手指间穿梭。
She laid her hands together across her bosom, and then she darted forard as a fish shoots through the ater, beteen the supple arms and fingers of the ugly polypi, hich ere stretched out on each side of her.
她看到每个珊瑚虫都用它众多的手臂紧紧抓住它抓到的东西，就好像那些是铁箍一样。
She sa that each held in its grasp something it had seized ith its numerous little arms, as if they ere iron bands.
在海上遇难并沉入深水的人类的白色尸骨、陆地动物的尸骨、船桨、船舵和船舱都被它们紧紧抓住；
the hite skeletons of human beings ho had perished at sea, and had sunk don into the deep aters, skeletons of land animals, oars, rudders, and chests of ships ere lying tightly grasped by their clinging arms;
甚至还有一个被它们抓住并勒死的美人鱼；
even a little mermaid, hom they had caught and strangled;
这在公主看来是最令人震惊的。
and this seemed the most shocking of all to the little princess.
现在她来到树林里一片沼泽地，那里肥大的水蛇正在泥潭里翻滚，露出它们丑陋的、土褐色的身体。
She no came to a space of marshy ground in the ood, here large, fat ater - snakes ere rolling in the mire, and shoing their ugly, drab - colored bodies.
在这片沼泽地的中央有一座房子，是用失事船只上遇难者的骨头建造的。
In the midst of this spot stood a house, built ith the bones of shiprecked human beings.
海巫婆坐在那里，让一只癞蛤蟆从她嘴里吃东西，就像人们有时用一块糖喂金丝雀一样。
there sat the sea itch, alloing a toad to eat from her mouth, just as people sometimes feed a canary ith a piece of sugar.
她把那些丑陋的水蛇称作她的鸡，还让它们在她的胸前爬来爬去。
She called the ugly ater - snakes her little chickens, and alloed them to cral all over her bosom.
“我知道你想要什么，” 海巫婆；
“I kno hat you ant,” said the sea itch;
“你很愚蠢，但你会得偿所愿的，不过这会给你带来悲赡，我美丽的公主。
“it is very stupid of you, but you shall have your ay, and it ill bring you to sorro, my pretty princess.
你想摆脱你的鱼尾，像陆地上的人类一样有两条支撑物（双腿），这样年轻的王子就可能爱上你，你也可能拥有一个不朽的灵魂。”
You ant to get rid of your fish’s tail, and to have to supports instead of it, like human beings on earth, so that the young prince may fall in love ith you, and that you may have an immortal soul.”
然后巫婆大声而令人厌恶地笑了起来，癞蛤蟆和蛇都掉到地上，在那里扭动着。
And then the itch laughed so loud and disgustingly, that the toad and the snakes fell to the ground, and lay there riggling about.
“你来得正是时候，” 巫婆；
“You are but just in time,” said the itch;
“因为明日出之后，在又一年结束之前我都无法帮助你了。
for after sunrise to - morro I should not be able to help you till the end of another year.
我会为你准备一剂药，明日出之前你必须带着它游到陆地，坐在岸边喝下它。
I ill prepare a draught for you, ith hich you must sim to land tomorro before sunrise, and sit don on the shore and drink it.
你的尾巴就会消失，收缩成人类所的腿，你会感到剧痛，就好像有一把剑穿过你的身体。
Your tail ill then disappear, and shrink up into hat mankind calls legs, and you ill feel great pain, as if a sord ere passing through you.
但是所有看到你的人都会你是他们见过的最美丽的人儿。
but all ho see you ill say that you are the prettiest little human being they ever sa.
你仍然会有同样轻盈优美的姿态，没有舞者会跳得如此轻盈；
You ill still have the same floating gracefulness of movement, and no dancer ill ever tread so lightly;
但是你每走一步都会感觉好像踩在锋利的刀刃上，而且一定会流血。
but at every step you take it ill feel as if you ere treading upon sharp knives, and that the blood must flo.
如果你能忍受这一切，我就会帮助你。”
If you ill bear all this, I ill help you.”
“是的，我愿意。” 公主颤抖着声音道，因为她想到了王子和不朽的灵魂。
“Yes, I ill,” said the little princess in a trembling voice, as she thought of the prince and the immortal soul.
“但是再考虑一下吧，” 巫婆；
“but think again,” said the itch;
“因为一旦你的身形变得像人类，你就不再是美人鱼了。
for hen once your shape has bee like a human being, you can no more be a mermaid.
你再也不能穿过海水回到你的姐妹们身边，或者再次回到你父亲的宫殿；
You ill never return through the ater to your sisters, or to your father’s palace again;
而且如果你没有赢得王子的爱，以至于他不愿意为了你而忘记他的父亲和母亲，全心全意地爱你，并且让牧师将你们的手结合在一起，使你们成为夫妻，那么你将永远不会拥有不朽的灵魂。
and if you do not in the love of the prince, so that he is illing to forget his father and mother for your sake, and to love you ith his hole soul, and allo the priest to join your hands that you may be man and ife, then you ill never have an immortal soul.
在他与别人结婚后的第一个早晨，你的心就会破碎，你就会变成浪尖上的泡沫。”
the first morning after he marries another your heart ill break, and you ill bee foam on the crest of the aves.”
“我愿意这么做。” 美人鱼，她变得像死人一样苍白。
“I ill do it,” said the little mermaid, and she became pale as death.
“但我也必须得到报酬，” 巫婆，“我索要的可不是数目。
“but I must be paid also,” said the itch, “and it is not a trifle that I ask.
在这海底深处居住的所有缺中，你的声音是最甜美的，而且你相信你也能用它来迷住王子，但你必须把这个声音给我；
You have the seetest voice of any ho dell here in the depths of the sea, and you believe that you ill be able to charm the prince ith it also, but this voice you must give to me;
我要用你所拥有的最好的东西来换取我的药。
the best thing you possess ill I have for the price of my draught.
我必须把我自己的血混进去，这样它就会像双刃剑一样锋利。”
my on blood must be mixed ith it, that it may be as sharp as a to - edged sord.”
“但是如果你拿走我的声音，” 美人鱼，“我还剩下什么呢？”
“but if you take aay my voice,” said the little mermaid, “hat is left for me?”
“你美丽的外形、优雅的步态和富有表现力的眼睛；
“Your beautiful form, your graceful alk, and your expressive eyes;
当然凭借这些你就能俘获一个男饶心。
surely ith these you can enchain a man’s heart.
怎么，你失去勇气了吗？
ell, have you lost your courage?
伸出你的舌头，这样我就能把它割下来作为报酬；然后你就能得到这强效的药了。”
put out your little tongue that I may cut it off as my payment; then you shall have the poerful draught.”
“就这样吧。” 美人鱼。
“It shall be,” said the little mermaid.
然后巫婆把她的大锅放在火上，准备熬制魔药。
then the itch placed her cauldron on the fire, to prepare the magic draught.
“干净是件好事，” 她着，用蛇擦洗锅子，她把蛇系成一个大结；
“cleanliness is a good thing,” said she, scouring the vessel ith snakes, hich she had tied together in a large knot;
然后她刺向自己的胸部，让黑血滴进锅里。
then she pricked herself in the breast, and let the black blood drop into it.
升起的蒸汽形成了非常恐怖的形状，没有人看到它们不害怕的。
the steam that rose formed itself into such horrible shapes that no one could look at them ithout fear.
巫婆每时每刻都往锅里扔些别的东西，当它开始沸腾的时候，声音就像鳄鱼的哭泣声。
Every moment the itch thre something else into the vessel, and hen it began to boil, the sound as like the eeping of a crocodile.
最后，魔药准备好了，它看起来就像最清澈的水。
hen at last the magic draught as ready, it looked like the clearest ater.
“这是给你的。” 巫婆。
“there it is for you,” said the itch.
然后她割掉了美人鱼的舌头，这样美人鱼就变成哑巴了，再也不能话或者唱歌。
then she cut off the mermaid’s tongue, so that she became dumb, and ould never again speak or sing.
“当你穿过树林返回的时候，如果珊瑚虫抓住你，” 巫婆，“朝它们洒几滴药水，它们的手指就会被撕成碎片。”
“If the polypi should seize hold of you as you return through the ood,” said the itch, “thro over them a fe drops of the potion, and their fingers ill be torn into a thousand pieces.”
但是美人鱼没有机会这么做，因为当珊瑚虫看到她手里闪闪发光像闪烁星星一样的药水时，它们惊恐地缩了回去。
but the little mermaid had no occasion to do this, for the polypi sprang back in terror hen they caught sight of the glittering draught, hich shone in her hand like a tinkling star.
于是她快速穿过树林和沼泽，越过湍急的漩危
So she passed quickly through the ood and the marsh, and beteen the rushing hirlpools.
她看到在她父亲的宫殿里，舞厅里的火把都熄灭了，里面所有人都睡着了；
She sa that in her father’s palace the torches in the ballroom ere extinguished, and all ithin asleep;
但是她不敢进去找他们，因为现在她变成了哑巴，而且即将永远离开他们，她感觉自己的心好像要碎了。
but she did not venture to go in to them, for no she as dumb and going to leave them forever, she felt as if her heart ould break.
她偷偷溜进花园，从每个姐姐的花坛里摘了一朵花，朝着宫殿千百次地亲吻自己的手，然后从深蓝色的海水中升了起来。
She stole into the garden, took a floer from the floer - beds of each of her sisters, kissed her hand a thousand times toards the palace, and then rose up through the dark blue aters.
当她看到王子的宫殿并靠近美丽的大理石台阶时，太阳还没有升起，但是月亮清澈明亮地照耀着。
the sun had not risen hen she came in sight of the prince’s palace, and approached the beautiful marble steps, but the moon shone clear and bright.
然后美人鱼喝下了魔药，就好像一把双刃剑穿过了她娇弱的身体：
then the little mermaid drank the magic draught, and it seemed as if a to - edged sord ent through her delicate body:
她昏了过去，像死人一样躺着。
she fell into a soon, and lay like one dead.
当太阳升起，阳光洒在海面上时，她苏醒过来，感到一阵剧痛；
hen the sun arose and shone over the sea, she recovered, and felt a sharp pain;
而就在她面前站着年轻英俊的王子。
but just before her stood the handsome young prince.
他非常热切地将他乌黑的眼睛盯着她，她垂下了自己的眼睛，然后意识到自己的鱼尾不见了，她有了一双任何少女都会羡慕的漂亮的白腿和夏双脚；
he fixed his coal - black eyes upon her so earnestly that she cast don her on, and then became aare that her fish’s tail as gone, and that she had as pretty a pair of hite legs and tiny feet as any little maiden could have;
但她没有衣服，所以她用自己又长又厚的头发裹住身体。
but she had no clothes, so she rapped herself in her long, thick hair.
王子问她是谁，从哪里来，她用深蓝色的眼睛温柔又悲韶看着他；
the prince asked her ho she as, and here she came from, and she looked at him mildly and sorrofully ith her deep blue eyes;
但她不能话。
but she could not speak.
她每走一步都像巫婆的那样，感觉像是踩在针尖或者锋利的刀刃上；
Every step she took as as the itch had said it ould be, she felt as if treading upon the points of needles or sharp knives;
但她心甘情愿地忍受着，在王子身边走得像肥皂泡一样轻盈，所以王子和所有看到她的人都对她优雅摇曳的身姿感到惊奇。
but she bore it illingly, and stepped as lightly by the prince’s side as a soap - bubble, so that he and all ho sa her ondered at her graceful - saying movements.
很快她就穿上了昂贵的丝绸和薄纱长袍，成了宫殿里最美丽的人；
She as very soon arrayed in costly robes of silk and muslin, and as the most beautiful creature in the palace;
但她是哑巴，既不能话也不能唱歌。
but she as dumb, and could neither speak nor sing.
穿着丝绸和金饰的美丽女奴走上前，在王子和他的皇室父母面前唱歌：
beautiful female slaves, dressed in silk and gold, stepped forard and sang before the prince and his royal parents:
其中一个唱得比其他人都好，王子鼓掌并对她微笑。
one sang better than all the others, and the prince clapped his hands and smiled at her.
这让美人鱼非常悲伤；
this as great sorro to the little mermaid;
她知道自己以前唱歌要甜美得多，她想：“哦，要是他能知道就好了！我为了能和他在一起，永远地失去了我的声音。”
she kne ho much more seetly she herself could sing once, and she thought, “oh if he could only kno that! I have given aay my voice forever, to be ith him.”
女奴们接着伴着美妙的音乐跳起了仙女般的舞蹈。
the slaves next performed some pretty fairy - like dances, to the sound of beautiful music.
然后美人鱼举起她可爱的白色手臂，踮起脚尖，在地板上滑行，跳起了无人能及的舞蹈。
then the little mermaid raised her lovely hite arms, stood on the tips of her toes, and glided over the floor, and danced as no one yet had been able to dance.
每时每刻她的美丽都更加展露无遗，她那富有表现力的眼睛比女奴们的歌声更能直击人心。
At each moment her beauty became more revealed, and her expressive eyes appealed more directly to the heart than the songs of the slaves.
每个人都被迷住了，尤其是王子，他称她为他捡到的宝贝；
Every one as enchanted, especially the prince, ho called her his little foundling;
她很乐意再次跳舞来取悦他，尽管每次她的脚触碰到地板，都感觉像是踩在锋利的刀刃上。
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.
王子她应该永远和他在一起，她得到许可睡在他的房门前，睡在一个鹅绒垫子上。
the prince said she should remain ith him alays, and she received permission to sleep at his door, on a velvet cushion.
他让人给她做了一套侍童的衣服，这样她就可以陪他骑马了。
he had a page’s dress made for her, that she might acpany him on horseback.
他们一起骑马穿过香气四溢的树林，绿色的树枝轻拂着他们的肩膀，鸟在新鲜的树叶间歌唱。
they rode together through the seet - scented oods, here the green boughs touched their shoulders, and the little birds sang among the fresh leaves.
她和王子一起爬上高山之巅；
She climbed ith the prince to the tops of high mountains;
虽然她娇嫩的双脚流血了，甚至留下了她的脚印，但她只是笑笑，跟着他，直到他们能看到脚下的云朵像一群飞往远方的鸟儿。
and although her tender feet bled so that even her steps ere marked, she only laughed, and folloed him till they could see the clouds beneath them looking like a flock of birds travelling to distant lands.
在王子的宫殿里，当所有的家人都睡着的时候，她会走出去坐在宽阔的大理石台阶上；
hile at the prince’s palace, and hen all the household ere asleep, she ould go and sit on the broad marble steps;
因为把她发烫的双脚浸在冰冷的海水里能让她舒服些；
for it eased her burning feet to bathe them in the cold sea - ater;
然后她就会想起海底深处的所有人。
and then she thought of all those belo in the deep.
一夜里，她的姐姐们手挽手地浮上海面，悲韶唱着歌。
once during the night her sisters came up arm - in - arm, singing sorrofully, as they floated on the ater.
她向她们招手，然后她们认出了她，并告诉她她让她们多么伤心。
She beckoned to them, and then they recognized her, and told her ho she had grieved them.
在那之后，她们每晚都来到同一个地方；
After that, they came to the same place every night;
有一次，她远远地看到了她的老祖母，她已经很多年没有到海面上来了，还有老海王，她的父亲，头上戴着王冠。
and once she sa in the distance her old grandmother, ho had not been to the surface of the sea for many years, and the old Sea King, her father, ith his cron on his head.
他们向她伸出手，但他们不像她的姐姐们那样冒险靠近陆地。
they stretched out their hands toards her, but they did not venture so near the land as her sisters did.
随着日子一过去，她更加深情地爱着王子，而王子爱她就像爱一个孩子一样，但他从未想过要让她成为自己的妻子；
As the days passed, she loved the prince more fondly, and he loved her as he ould love a little child, but it never came into his head to make her his ife;
然而，除非他娶了她，否则她无法获得不朽的灵魂；
yet, unless he married her, she could not receive an immortal soul;
而且，在他与别人结婚后的第二早晨，她就会化为海中的泡沫。
and, on the morning after his marriage ith another, she ould dissolve into the foam of the sea.
“在所有缺中，你难道不是最爱我吗？”
“do you not love me the best of them all?”
当王子把她抱在怀里，亲吻她光洁的额头时，美人鱼的眼神似乎在这样。
the eyes of the little mermaid seemed to say, hen he took her in his arms, and kissed her fair forehead.
“是的，你对我来很珍贵，” 王子；
“Yes, you are dear to me,” said the prince;
“因为你有最善良的心，而且你对我最忠诚；
“for you have the best heart, and you are the most devoted to me;
你就像我曾经见过的一个少女，但我再也见不到她了。
you are like a young maiden hom I once sa, but hom I shall never meet again.
我在一艘失事的船上，海浪把我冲到一座圣殿附近的岸上，那里有几个少女在做礼拜。
I as in a ship that as recked, and the aves cast me ashore near a holy temple, here several young maidens performed the service.
她们中最年轻的那个在岸上发现了我，救了我的命。
the youngest of them found me on the shore, and saved my life.
我只见过她两次，她是这个世界上我唯一能爱的人；
I sa her but tice, and she is the only one in the orld hom I could love;
但你像她，你几乎把她的形象从我脑海里赶走了。
but you are like her, and you have almost driven her image out of my mind.
她属于圣殿，我的好运让你来到我身边代替了她；
She belongs to the holy temple, and my good fortune has sent you to me instead of her;
我们永远不会分开。”
and e ill never part.”
“啊，他不知道是我救了他的命，” 美人鱼想。
“Ah, he knos not that it as I ho saved his life,” thought the little mermaid.
“我带着他越过大海来到有圣殿的树林：
“I carried him over the sea to the ood here the temple stands:
我坐在泡沫下面，一直看着直到人类来救他。
I sat beneath the foam, and atched till the human beings came to help him.
我看到了那个他爱得比爱我还深的美丽少女；”
I sa the pretty maiden that he loves better than he loves me;”
美人鱼深深地叹了口气，但她流不出眼泪。
and the mermaid sighed deeply, but she could not shed tears.
“他那个少女属于圣殿，所以她永远不会回到尘世。
“he says the maiden belongs to the holy temple, therefore she ill never return to the orld.
他们不会再见面了：
they ill meet no more:
而我在他身边，每都能见到他。
hile I am by his side, and see him every day.
我会照顾他，爱他，为他献出我的生命。”
I ill take care of him, and love him, and give up my life for his sake.”
很快就传言王子必须结婚了，邻国国王美丽的女儿将成为他的妻子，因为一艘华丽的船正在装备。
Very soon it as said that the prince must marry, and that the beautiful daughter of a neighboring king ould be his ife, for a fine ship as being fitted out.
虽然王子宣称他只是打算去拜访国王，但大家普遍认为他实际上是去看他的女儿。
Although the prince gave out that he merely intended to pay a visit to the king, it as generally supposed that he really ent to see his daughter.
一大群人将与他同校
A great pany ere to go ith him.
美人鱼笑了笑，摇了摇头。
the little mermaid smiled, and shook her head.
她比任何人都更了解王子的想法。
She kne the prince’s thoughts better than any of the others.
“我必须旅行，” 他对她；
“I must travel,” he had said to her;
“我必须见到这位美丽的公主；
“I must see this beautiful princess;
我的父母希望如此；
my parents desire it;
但他们不会强迫我把她带回家做我的新娘。
but they ill not oblige me to bring her home as my bride.
我不能爱她；
I cannot love her;
她不像你所类似的圣殿里的那位美丽少女。
she is not like the beautiful maiden in the temple, hom you resemble.
如果我被迫选择一位新娘，我宁愿选择你，我不会话的宝贝，有着那双富有表现力的眼睛的你。”
If I ere forced to choose a bride, I ould rather choose you, my dumb foundling, ith those expressive eyes.”
然后他亲吻她玫瑰色的嘴唇，把玩她长长的飘动的头发，把头靠在她的心上，而她则梦想着人类的幸福和不朽的灵魂。
And then he kissed her rosy mouth, played ith her long aving hair, and laid his head on her heart, hile she dreamed of human happiness and an immortal soul.
“你不害怕大海，我不会话的孩子，” 当他们站在将要载着他们去邻国国王的国家的华丽船只的甲板上时，他道。
“You are not afraid of the sea, my dumb child,” said he, as they stood on the deck of the noble ship hich as to carry them to the country of the neighboring king.
然后他给她讲述风暴和平静，讲述他们下方深海里的奇异鱼类，以及潜水者在那里看到的东西；
And then he told her of storm and of calm, of strange fishes in the deep beneath them, and of hat the divers had seen there;
她对他的描述报以微笑，因为她比任何人都更清楚海底有哪些奇观。
and she smiled at his descriptions, for she kne better than any one hat onders ere at the bottom of the sea.
月光下，当船上所有人都睡着时，除了正在掌舵的舵手，她坐在甲板上，透过清澈的海水向下凝视。
In the moonlight, hen all on board ere asleep, excepting the man at the helm, ho as steering, she sat on the deck, gazing don through the clear ater.
她觉得她能分辨出她父亲的城堡，在城堡上她年迈的祖母头戴银冠，透过汹涌的潮水看着船的龙骨。
She thought she could distinguish her father’s castle, and upon it her aged grandmother, ith the silver cron on her head, looking through the rushing tide at the keel of the vessel.
然后她的姐妹们浮上海浪，悲韶凝视着她，绞着她们洁白的双手。
then her sisters came up on the aves, and gazed at her mournfully, ringing their hite hands.
她向她们招手，微笑着，想要告诉她们自己是多么幸福和幸运；
She beckoned to them, and smiled, and anted to tell them ho happy and ell off she as;
但是船上的侍者走近了，当她的姐妹们潜入水下时，他以为自己看到的只是海面上的泡沫。
but the cabin - boy approached, and hen her sisters dived don he thought it as only the foam of the sea hich he sa.
第二早晨，船驶进了一个美丽城镇的港口，这个城镇属于王子即将拜访的国王。
the next morning the ship sailed into the harbor of a beautiful ton belonging to the king hom the prince as going to visit.
教堂的钟声敲响，高塔上传来嘹亮的喇叭声；
the church bells ere ringing, and from the high toers sounded a flourish of trumpets;
士兵们举着飘扬的旗帜，拿着闪亮的刺刀，排列在他们经过的礁石两旁。
and soldiers, ith flying colors and glittering bayonets, lined the rocks through hich they passed.
每一都是节日；
Every day as a festival;
舞会和娱乐活动接连不断。
balls and entertainments folloed one another.
但是公主还没有露面。
but the princess had not yet appeared.
人们她正在一个宗教场所接受教养，在那里她正在学习每一种皇家美德。
people said that she as being brought up and educated in a religious house, here she as learning every royal virtue.
最后她来了。
At last she came.
美人鱼非常急切地想看看她是否真的美丽，不得不承认她从未见过如此完美的美人。
then the little mermaid, ho as very anxious to see hether she as really beautiful, as obliged to acknoledge that she had never seen a more perfect vision of beauty.
她的皮肤娇嫩白皙，长长的黑色睫毛下，她那欢笑的蓝色眼睛闪烁着真诚和纯洁。
her skin as delicately fair, and beneath her long dark eye - lashes her laughing blue eyes shone ith truth and purity.
“是你，” 王子，“当我躺在海滩上奄奄一息的时候救了我的命。” 然后他把脸红的新娘抱在怀里。
“It as you,” said the prince, “ho saved my life hen I lay dead on the beach,” and he folded his blushing bride in his arms.
“哦，我太幸福了，” 他对美人鱼；
“oh, I am too happy,” said he to the little mermaid;
“我最美好的愿望都实现了。
“my fondest hopes are all fulfilled.
你会为我的幸福而高心；
you ill rejoice at my happiness;
因为你对我的爱是伟大而真诚的。”
for your devotion to me is great and sincere.”
美人鱼吻了他的手，感觉自己的心好像已经碎了。
the little mermaid kissed his hand, and felt as if her heart ere already broken.
他的新婚早晨将给她带来死亡，她将变成海里的泡沫。
his edding morning ould bring death to her, and she ould change into the foam of the sea.
所有的教堂钟声都敲响了，传令官骑马在城里宣告订婚的消息。
All the church bells rung, and the heralds rode about the ton proclaiming the betrothal.
每个祭坛上昂贵的银灯里都燃着香油。
perfumed oil as burning in costly silver lamps on every altar.
牧师们挥舞着香炉，与此同时新娘和新郎手牵手接受主教的祝福。
the priests aved the censers, hile the bride and bridegroom joined their hands and received the blessing of the bishop.
美人鱼身着丝绸和金饰，托着新娘的裙摆；
the little mermaid, dressed in silk and gold, held up the bride’s train;
但她的耳朵听不见喜庆的音乐，她的眼睛看不到神圣的仪式；
but her ears heard nothing of the festive music, and her eyes sa not the holy ceremony;
她想着即将降临到自己身上的死亡之夜，以及她在这世上所失去的一牵
she thought of the night of death hich as ing to her, and of all she had lost in the orld.
就在同一个晚上，新娘和新郎登上了船；
on the same evening the bride and bridegroom ent on board ship;
大炮轰鸣，旗帜飘扬，船中央搭起了一座用紫色和金色装饰的昂贵帐篷。
cannons ere roaring, flags aving, and in the centre of the ship a costly tent of purple and gold had been erected.
帐篷里有精致的长椅，供新婚夫妇夜间休息。
It contained elegant couches, for the reception of the bridal pair during the night.
船帆鼓起，顺风而行，在平静的海面上轻快而平稳地滑校
the ship, ith selling sails and a favorable ind, glided aay smoothly and lightly over the calm sea.
黑时，许多彩灯被点亮，水手们在甲板上欢快地跳舞。
hen it gre dark a number of colored lamps ere lit, and the sailors danced merrily on the deck.
美人鱼不禁想起她第一次浮出海面时看到的类似的欢庆和喜悦场景；
the little mermaid could not help thinking of her first rising out of the sea, hen she had seen similar festivities and joys;
她也加入到舞蹈中，像燕子追逐猎物时那样在空中盘旋，在场的所有人都惊叹地为她欢呼。
and she joined in the dance, poised herself in the air as a sallo hen he pursues his prey, and all present cheered her ith onder.
她以前从未跳得如此优雅。
She had never danced so elegantly before.
她娇嫩的双脚感觉就像被锋利的刀子割着一样，但她不在乎；
her tender feet felt as if cut ith sharp knives, but she cared not for it;
一种更强烈的痛苦刺痛了她的心。
a sharper pang had pierced through her heart.
她知道这是她能见到王子的最后一个夜晚，为了他，她已经抛弃了自己的亲人和家园；
She kne this as the last evening she should ever see the prince, for hom she had forsaken her kindred and her home;
她放弃了自己美妙的声音，每为他忍受着难以想象的痛苦，而他却一无所知。
she had given up her beautiful voice, and suffered unheard - of pain daily for him, hile he kne nothing of it.
这是她能和他呼吸同样空气、凝视星空和深海的最后一个夜晚；
this as the last evening that she ould breathe the same air ith him, or gaze on the starry sky and the deep sea;
一个没有思想、没有梦境的永恒之夜在等着她：
an eternal night, ithout a thought or a dream, aaited her:
她没有灵魂，现在她永远也无法得到一个了。
she had no soul and no she could never in one.
船上一直充满欢乐和喜庆，直到午夜过后很久；
All as joy and gayety on board ship till long after midnight;
她和其他人一起欢笑、跳舞，而死亡的念头却在她心郑
she laughed and danced ith the rest, hile the thoughts of death ere in her heart.
王子亲吻他美丽的新娘，而她把玩着他乌黑的头发，直到他们手挽手走进华丽的帐篷休息。
the prince kissed his beautiful bride, hile she played ith his raven hair, till they ent arm - in - arm to rest in the splendid tent.
然后船上变得一片寂静；
then all became still on board the ship;
只有舵手醒着，站在舵旁。
the helmsman, alone aake, stood at the helm.
美人鱼把她洁白的手臂靠在船舷上，朝着东方望去，等待着清晨的第一缕红晕，等待着那将带来她死亡的第一道曙光。
the little mermaid leaned her hite arms on the edge of the vessel, and looked toards the east for the first blush of morning, for that first ray of dan that ould bring her death.
她看到她的姐姐们从海水中浮了出来：
She sa her sisters rising out of the flood:
她们和她一样苍白；
they ere as pale as herself;
但是她们长长的美丽秀发不再随风飘动，已经被剪掉了。
but their long beautiful hair aved no more in the ind, and had been cut off.
“我们把头发给了女巫，” 她们，“为撩到帮助来救你，这样你今晚就不会死了。
“e have given our hair to the itch,” said they, “to obtain help for you, that you may not die to - night.
她给了我们一把刀：
She has given us a knife:
看，就在这儿，它非常锋利。
here it is, see it is very sharp.
在太阳升起之前，你必须把它刺进王子的心脏；
before the sun rises you must plunge it into the heart of the prince;
当温热的血滴到你的脚上时，它们会重新长在一起，变成鱼尾，你将再次成为美人鱼，回到我们身边，在你死去变成咸的海泡沫之前过完你的三百年。
hen the arm blood falls upon your feet they ill gro together again, and form into a fish’s tail, and you ill be once more a mermaid, and return to us to live out your three hundred years before you die and change into the salt sea foam.
快点，那么；
haste, then;
在日出之前他或者你必须死。
he or you must die before sunrise.
我们的老祖母因为你悲叹不已，她的白发因悲伤而脱落，就像我们的头发在女巫的剪刀下掉落一样。
our old grandmother moans so for you, that her hite hair is falling off from sorro, as ours fell under the itch’s scissors.
杀死王子然后回来；
Kill the prince and e back;
快点：
hasten:
你没看到空中最初的红色条纹吗？
do you not see the first red streaks in the sky?
再过几分钟太阳就要升起了，而你必须得死。”
In a fe minutes the sun ill rise, and you must die.”
然后她们深深地、悲韶叹了口气，沉入了海浪之下。
And then they sighed deeply and mournfully, and sank don beneath the aves.
美人鱼拉开帐篷的深红色帘子，看到美丽的新娘头靠在王子的胸膛上。
the little mermaid dre back the crimson curtain of the tent, and beheld the fair bride ith her head resting on the prince’s breast.
她弯下腰亲吻他光洁的额头，然后看向空，玫瑰色的黎明在空中越来越明亮；
She bent don and kissed his fair bro, then looked at the sky on hich the rosy dan gre brighter and brighter;
然后她看了一眼锋利的刀，又把目光投向王子，王子在梦中低语着他新娘的名字。
then she glanced at the sharp knife, and again fixed her eyes on the prince, ho hispered the name of his bride in his dreams.
她在他的思绪里，美人鱼手中的刀颤抖起来：
She as in his thoughts, and the knife trembled in the hand of the little mermaid:
然后她把刀远远地抛进海浪里；
then she flung it far aay from her into the aves;
刀落水的地方水变红了，溅起的水滴看起来像血。
the ater turned red here it fell, and the drops that spurted up looked like blood.
她又带着留恋、半昏厥地看了王子一眼，然后从船上跳进海里，觉得自己的身体正在化为泡沫。
She cast one more lingering, half - fainting glance at the prince, and then thre herself from the ship into the sea, and thought her body as dissolving into foam.
太阳升上海面，他温暖的光线落在美人鱼冰冷的泡沫上，美人鱼并没有感觉到自己正在死去。
the sun rose above the aves, and his arm rays fell on the cold foam of the little mermaid, ho did not feel as if she ere dying.
她看到明亮的太阳，数百个透明而美丽的生灵在她周围漂浮；
She sa the bright sun, and all around her floated hundreds of transparent beautiful beings;
透过它们她能看到船上白色的船帆和空中的红色云彩；
she could see through them the hite sails of the ship, and the red clouds in the sky;
它们的话语悦耳动听，但太空灵了，凡饶耳朵听不到，就像凡饶眼睛也看不见它们一样。
their speech as melodious, but too ethereal to be heard by mortal ears, as they ere also unseen by mortal eyes.
美人鱼发觉自己有一个和它们一样的身体，并且她不断地从泡沫中越升越高。
the little mermaid perceived that she had a body like theirs, and that she continued to rise higher and higher out of the foam.
“我在哪里？”
“here am I?”
她问道，她的声音听起来很空灵，就像和她在一起的那些生灵的声音一样；
asked she, and her voice sounded ethereal, as the voice of those ho ere ith her;
世间的音乐无法模仿这种声音。
no earthly music could imitate it.
“在空中的女儿们中间。” 其中一个回答道。
“Among the daughters of the air,” ansered one of them.
“美人鱼没有不朽的灵魂，除非她赢得一个人类的爱，否则也无法获得一个。
“A mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she ins the love of a human being.
她永恒的命运取决于他饶力量。
on the poer of another hangs her eternal destiny.
但是空中的女儿们，虽然她们没有不朽的灵魂，却能通过自己的善行，为自己获得一个。
but the daughters of the air, although they do not possess an immortal soul, can, by their good deeds, procure one for themselves.
我们飞往温暖的国度，使那用瘟疫毁灭人类的闷热空气变得凉爽。
e fly to arm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind ith the pestilence.
我们带着花朵的芬芳去传播健康和活力。
e carry the perfume of the floers to spread health and restoration.
在我们竭尽全力做了三百年善事之后，我们就会得到一个不朽的灵魂并分享人类的幸福。
After e have striven for three hundred years to all the good in our poer, e receive an immortal soul and take part in the happiness of mankind.
你，可怜的美人鱼，已经全心全意地尝试像我们一样去做了；
You, poor little mermaid, have tried ith your hole heart to do as e are doing;
你受苦受难，通过自己的善行使自己提升到精灵的世界；
you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit - orld by your good deeds;
现在，通过以同样的方式奋斗三百年，你就可以获得一个不朽的灵魂。”
and no, by striving for three hundred years in the same ay, you may obtain an immortal soul.”
美人鱼抬起她那充满荣耀的眼睛望向太阳，第一次感觉到自己的眼睛里充满了泪水。
the little mermaid lifted her glorified eyes toards the sun, and felt them, for the first time, filling ith tears.
在她离开王子的那艘船上，有生机和喧闹声；
on the ship, in hich she had left the prince, there ere life and noise;
她看到他和他美丽的新娘在寻找她；
she sa him and his beautiful bride searching for her;
他们悲韶凝视着珍珠般的泡沫，仿佛知道她已经跳进了海浪里。
sorrofully they gazed at the pearly foam, as if they kne she had thron herself into the aves.
她悄悄地亲吻了新娘的额头，为王子扇风，然后和其他空中的孩子一起升上一朵在空中漂浮的玫瑰色云彩。
Unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride, and fanned the prince, and then mounted ith the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the aether.
“三百年后，我们将这样飘入国，” 她。
“After three hundred years, thus shall e float into the kingdom of heaven,” said she.
“我们甚至可能更快到达那里，” 她的一个同伴声。
“And e may even get there sooner,” hispered one of her panions.
“我们可以悄悄地进入有孩子的人家，如果我们发现一个好孩子，他是父母的欢乐、值得父母的爱，那我们的考验时间就会缩短。
“Unseen e can enter the houses of men, here there are children, and for every day on hich e find a good child, ho is the joy of his parents and deserves their love, our time of probation is shortened.
孩子不知道，当我们飞过房间时，我们会为他的良好行为而高胸微笑，因为我们可以把三百年的时间减少一年。
the child does not kno, hen e fly through the room, that e smile ith joy at his good conduct, for e can count one year less of our three hundred years.
但是当我们看到一个淘气或者邪恶的孩子时，我们会悲韶流泪，每一滴眼泪都会使我们的考验时间增加一！”
but hen e see a naughty or a icked child, e shed tears of sorro, and for every tear a day is added to our time of trial!”
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