"yourbeautifulform,yourgracefulwalk,andyourexpressiveeyes;surelywiththeseyoucanenchainaman'sheart.well,haveyoulostyourcourage?putoutyourlittletonguethatimaycutitoffasmypayment;thenyoushallhavethepowerfuldraught."

"itshallbe,"saidthelittlemermaid.

thenthewitchplacedhercauldrononthefire,topreparethemagicdraught.

"cleanlinessisagoodthing,"saidshe,scouringthevesselwithsnakes,whichshehadtiedtogetherinalargeknot;thensheprickedherselfinthebreast,andlettheblackblooddropintosteamthatroseformeditselfintosuchhorribleshapesthatnoonecouldlookatthemwithoutfear.everymomentthewitchthrewsomethingelseintothevessel,andwhenitbegantoboil,thesoundwasliketheweepingofacrocodile.whenatlastthemagicdraughtwasready,itlookedliketheclearestwater."thereitisforyou,"saidthewitch.thenshecutoffthemermaid'stongue,sothatshebecamedumb,andwouldneveragainspeakorsing."ifthepolypishouldseizeholdofyouasyoureturnthroughthewood,"saidthewitch,"throwoverthemafewdropsofthepotion,andtheirfingerswillbetornintoathousandpieces."butthelittlemermaidhadnooccasiontodothis,forthepolypisprangbackinterrorwhentheycaughtsightoftheglitteringdraught,whichshoneinherhandlikeatwinklingstar.

soshepassedquicklythroughthewoodandthemarsh,andbetweentherushingwhirlpools.shesawthatinherfather'spalacethetorchesintheballroomwereextinguished,andallwithinasleep;butshedidnotventuretogointothem,fornowshewasdumbandgoingtoleavethemforever,shefeltasifherheartwouldbreak.shestoleintothegarden,tookaflowerfromtheflower-bedsofeachofhersisters,kissedherhandathousandtimestowardsthepalace,andthenroseupthroughthedarkbluewaters.thesunhadnotrisenwhenshecameinsightoftheprince'spalace,andapproachedthebeautifulmarblesteps,butthemoonshoneclearandthelittlemermaiddrankthemagicdraught,anditseemedasifatwo-edgedswordwentthroughherdelicatebody:shefellintoaswoon,andlaylikeonedead.whenthesunaroseandshoneoverthesea,sherecovered,andfeltasharppain;butjustbeforeherstoodthehandsomeyoungprince.hefixedhiscoal-blackeyesuponhersoearnestlythatshecastdownherown,andthenbecameawarethatherfish'stailwasgone,andthatshehadasprettyapairofwhitelegsandtinyfeetasanylittlemaidencouldhave;butshehadnoclothes,soshewrappedherselfinherlong,thickhair.theprinceaskedherwhoshewas,andwhereshecamefrom,andshelookedathimmildlyandsorrowfullywithherdeepblueeyes;butshecouldnotspeak.everystepshetookwasasthewitchhadsaiditwouldbe,shefeltasiftreadinguponthepointsofneedlesorsharpknives;butsheboreitwillingly,andsteppedaslightlybytheprince'ssideasasoap-bubble,sothatheandallwhosawherwonderedathergraceful-swayingmovements.shewasverysoonarrayedincostlyrobesofsilkandmuslin,andwasthemostbeautifulcreatureinthepalace;butshewasdumb,andcouldneitherspeaknorsing.

beautifulfemaleslaves,dressedinsilkandgold,steppedforwardandsangbeforetheprinceandhisroyalparents:onesangbetterthanalltheothers,andtheprinceclappedhishandsandsmiledatswasgreatsorrowtothelittlemermaid;sheknewhowmuchmoresweetlysheherselfcouldsingonce,andshethought,"ohifhecouldonlyknowthat!