inafewminutesthesunwillrise,andyoumustdie."andthentheysigheddeeplyandmournfully,andsankdownbeneaththewaves.

thelittlemermaiddrewbackthecrimsoncurtainofthetent,andbeheldthefairbridewithherheadrestingontheprince'sbreast.shebentdownandkissedhisfairbrow,thenlookedattheskyonwhichtherosydawngrewbrighterandbrighter;thensheglancedatthesharpknife,andagainfixedhereyesontheprince,whowhisperedthenameofhisbrideinhisdreams.shewasinhisthoughts,andtheknifetrembledinthehandofthelittlemermaid:thensheflungitfarawayfromherintothewaves;thewaterturnedredwhereitfell,andthedropsthatspurteduplookedlikeblood.shecastonemorelingering,half-faintingglanceattheprince,andthenthrewherselffromtheshipintothesea,andthoughtherbodywasdissolvingintofoam.thesunroseabovethewaves,andhiswarmraysfellonthecoldfoamofthelittlemermaid,whodidnotfeelasifsheweredying.shesawthebrightsun,andallaroundherfloatedhundredsoftransparentbeautifulbeings;shecouldseethroughthemthewhitesailsoftheship,andtheredcloudsinthesky;theirspeechwasmelodious,buttooetherealtobeheardbymortalears,astheywerealsounseenbymortaleyes.thelittlemermaidperceivedthatshehadabodyliketheirs,andthatshecontinuedtorisehigherandhigheroutofthefoam."whereami?"askedshe,andhervoicesoundedethereal,asthevoiceofthosewhowerewithher;noearthlymusiccouldimitateit.

"amongthedaughtersoftheair,"answeredoneofthem."amermaidhasnotanimmortalsoul,norcansheobtainoneunlessshewinstheloveofahumanbeing.onthepowerofanotherhangshereternaldestiny.butthedaughtersoftheair,althoughtheydonotpossessanimmortalsoul,can,bytheirgooddeeds,procureoneforflytowarmcountries,andcoolthesultryairthatdestroysmankindwiththepestilence.wecarrytheperfumeoftheflowerstospreadhealthandrestoration.afterwehavestrivenforthreehundredyearstoallthegoodinourpower,wereceiveanimmortalsoulandtakepartinthehappinessofmankind.you,poorlittlemermaid,havetriedwithyourwholehearttodoaswearedoing;youhavesufferedandenduredandraisedyourselftothespirit-worldbyyourgooddeeds;andnow,bystrivingforthreehundredyearsinthesameway,youmayobtainanimmortalsoul."

thelittlemermaidliftedherglorifiedeyestowardsthesun,andfeltthem,forthefirsttime,fillingwithtears.ontheship,inwhichshehadlefttheprince,therewerelifeandnoise;shesawhimandhisbeautifulbridesearchingforher;sorrowfullytheygazedatthepearlyfoam,asiftheyknewshehadthrownherselfintothewaves.unseenshekissedtheforeheadofherbride,andfannedtheprince,andthenmountedwiththeotherchildrenoftheairtoarosycloudthatfloatedthroughtheaether.

"afterthreehundredyears,thusshallwefloatintothekingdomofheaven,"saidshe."andwemayevengettheresooner,"whisperedoneofhercompanions."unseenwecanenterthehousesofmen,wheretherearechildren,andforeverydayonwhichwefindagoodchild,whoisthejoyofhisparentsanddeservestheirlove,ourtimeofprobationisshortened.thechilddoesnotknow,whenweflythroughtheroom,thatwesmilewithjoyathisgoodconduct,forwecancountoneyearlessofourthreehundredyears.butwhenweseeanaughtyorawickedchild,weshedtearsofsorrow,andforeverytearadayisaddedtoourtimeoftrial!"