andafterwards,whenshestoodattheopenwindowlookingupthroughthedarkbluewater,shethoughtofthegreatcity,withallitsbustleandnoise,andevenfanciedshecouldhearthesoundofthechurchbells,downinthedepthsofthesea.

inanotheryearthesecondsisterreceivedpermissiontorisetothesurfaceofthewater,andtoswimaboutwhereshepleased.sherosejustasthesunwassetting,andthis,shesaid,wasthemostbeautifulsightofall.thewholeskylookedlikegold,whilevioletandrose-coloredclouds,whichshecouldnotdescribe,floatedoverher;and,stillmorerapidlythantheclouds,flewalargeflockofwildswanstowardsthesettingsun,lookinglikealongwhiteveilacrossthesea.shealsoswamtowardsthesun;butitsunkintothewaves,andtherosytintsfadedfromthecloudsandfromthesea.

thethirdsister'sturnfollowed;shewastheboldestofthemall,andsheswamupabroadriverthatemptieditselfintothesea.onthebanksshesawgreenhillscoveredwithbeautifulvines;palacesandcastlespeepedoutfromamidtheproudtreesoftheforest;sheheardthebirdssinging,andtheraysofthesunweresopowerfulthatshewasobligedoftentodivedownunderthewatertocoolherburningface.inanarrowcreekshefoundawholetroopoflittlehumanchildren,quitenaked,andsportingaboutinthewater;shewantedtoplaywiththem,buttheyfledinagreatfright;andthenalittleblackanimalcametothewater;itwasadog,butshedidnotknowthat,forshehadneverbeforeseenone.thisanimalbarkedathersoterriblythatshebecamefrightened,andrushedbacktotheopensea.butshesaidsheshouldneverforgetthebeautifulforest,thegreenhills,andtheprettylittlechildrenwhocouldswiminthewater,althoughtheyhadnotfish'stails.

thefourthsisterwasmoretimid;sheremainedinthemidstofthesea,butshesaiditwasquiteasbeautifulthereasnearertheland.shecouldseeforsomanymilesaroundher,andtheskyabovelookedlikeabellofglass.shehadseentheships,butatsuchagreatdistancethattheylookedlikesea-gulls.thedolphinssportedinthewaves,andthegreatwhalesspoutedwaterfromtheirnostrilstillitseemedasifahundredfountainswereplayingineverydirection.

thefifthsister'sbirthdayoccurredinthewinter;sowhenherturncame,shesawwhattheothershadnotseenthefirsttimetheywentup.thesealookedquitegreen,andlargeicebergswerefloatingabout,eachlikeapearl,shesaid,butlargerandloftierthanthechurchesbuiltbymen.theywereofthemostsingularshapes,andglitteredlikediamonds.shehadseatedherselfupononeofthelargest,andletthewindplaywithherlonghair,andsheremarkedthatalltheshipssailedbyrapidly,andsteeredasfarawayastheycouldfromtheiceberg,asiftheywereafraidofit.towardsevening,asthesunwentdown,darkcloudscoveredthesky,thethunderrolledandthelightningflashed,andtheredlightglowedontheicebergsastheyrockedandtossedontheheavingsea.onalltheshipsthesailswerereefedwithfearandtrembling,whileshesatcalmlyonthefloatingiceberg,watchingthebluelightning,asitdarteditsforkedflashesintothesea.

whenfirstthesistershadpermissiontorisetothesurface,theywereeachdelightedwiththenewandbeautifulsightstheysaw;butnow,asgrown-upgirls,theycouldgowhentheypleased,andtheyhadbecomeindifferentaboutit.theywishedthemselvesbackagaininthewater,andafteramonthhadpassedtheysaiditwasmuchmorebeautifuldownbelow,andpleasantertobeathome.yetoften,intheeveninghours,thefivesisterswouldtwinetheirarmsroundeachother,andrisetothesurface,inarow.theyhadmorebeautifulvoicesthananyhumanbeingcouldhave;andbeforetheapproachofastorm,andwhentheyexpectedashipwouldbelost,theyswambeforethevessel,andsangsweetlyofthedelightstobefoundinthedepthsofthesea,andbeggingthesailorsnottofeariftheysanktothebottom.butthesailorscouldnotunderstandthesong,theytookitforthehowlingofthestorm.andthesethingswerenevertobebeautifulforthem;foriftheshipsank,themenweredrowned,andtheirdeadbodiesalonereachedthepalaceoftheseaking.

whenthesistersrose,arm-in-arm,throughthewaterinthisway,theiryoungestsisterwouldstandquitealone,lookingafterthem,readytocry,onlythatthemermaidshavenotears,andthereforetheysuffermore."oh,wereibutfifteenyearsold,"saidshe:"iknowthatishalllovetheworldupthere,andallthepeoplewholiveinit."

atlastshereachedherfifteenthyear."well,now,youaregrownup,"saidtheolddowager,hergrandmother;"soyoumustletmeadornyoulikeyourothersisters;"andsheplacedawreathofwhiteliliesinherhair,andeveryflowerleafwashalfapearl.thentheoldladyorderedeightgreatoysterstoattachthemselvestothetailoftheprincesstoshowherhighrank.

"buttheyhurtmeso,"saidthelittlemermaid.

"pridemustsufferpain,"repliedtheoldlady.oh,howgladlyshewouldhaveshakenoffallthisgrandeur,andlaidasidetheheavywreath!