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•The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen; part 3.

•Truly, it was a magnificent affair, such as you never see on earth.

•The walls and ceilings of the great ballroom were of glass, thick but clear.

•Many hundreds of large mussel-shells, rose-red and grass-green, were set in rows on either side, with a blue flame burning in them that lighted up the whole hall and shone out through the walls, so that the sea outside was all lit up.

•You could see all the innumerable fish, big and little, swimming round the glass walls.

•The scales of some of them shone purple-red, on others they shone like silver and gold.

•In the middle of the hall there flowed a broad rapid stream, and on it mermen and mermaids danced to their own beautiful singing.

•Such charming voices no one on earth possesses.

•The little mermaid sang the most beautifully of them all, and they clapped their hands at her, and for a moment she felt joy at her heart, for she knew that she had the loveliest voice of anyone on earth or sea.

•But soon she began to think again about the world above her; she could not forget the handsome Prince, and her own sorrow that she did not, like him, possess an immortal soul.

•So she stole out of her father's palace, and while everything there was song and merriment she sat sadly in her little garden.

•There she heard the beating waves sounding down through the water, and she thought, sure, he is sailing up there, he whom I love more than father or mother, he to whom my thoughts cling and in whose hand I would lay the destiny of my life.

•I would risk everything to win him and an immortal soul; while my sisters are dancing in my father's palace, I will go to the old Sea Witch. •I've always been dreadfully afraid of her, but it may be she can advise me and help me.

•So the little mermaid went off out of her garden, towards the roaring maelstrom behind which the witch lived.

•She had never been that way before.

•No flowers grew there, and no sea grass: only the bare grey sandy bottom stretched out round the maelstrom, where the water whirled round like a roaring millwheel and swept everything it caught hold of down with it into the deep.

•Right through those tearing whirls she must go to enter the Sea Witch's domain, and here for a long way the only path ran over hot bubbling mire which the Witch called her peat moss.

•Behind it lay her house, in the middle of a hideous wood.

•All the trees and bushes of it were polypi, half animal and half plant, which looked like hundred-headed snakes growing out of the ground.

•All their branches were long slimy arms with fingers like pliant worms, and joint after joint they kept in motion from the root till the outermost tip.

•Everything in the sea that they could grasp they twined themselves about, and never let it go again.

•The little mermaid was in terrible fear as she stopped outside the wood.

•Her heart beat with terror, and she almost turned back, but then she thought of the Prince and of the human soul, and so she took courage.

•She bound her long flowing hair close about her head, so that the polypi should not catch her by it; she joined her two hands together on her breast, and darted along as a fish darts through the water, in among the terrible polypi, which stretched out their pliant arms and fingers after her.

•She saw that everyone of these held something it had caught, and hundreds of little arms held it like strong bands of iron.

•Men who had been lost at sea and had sunk deep down there, looked out, white skeletons, from among the arms of the polypi.

•Rudders of ships and chests they held fast; skeletons of land beasts, and even a little mermaid, which they had caught and killed.

•That, to her, was almost the most frightful thing of all.

•Now she came to a great slimy clearing in the wood, where large fat water-snakes wallowed, showing their ugly whitey-yellow coils.

•In the centre of the clearing was a house built of the white bones of men: there the Sea Witch sat, making a toad feed out of her mouth, as we make a little canary bird eat sugar.

•The hideous fat water-snakes she called her little chicks, and let them coil about over her great spongy bosom.

•"I know well enough what you want," said the Sea Witch, "and a silly thing, too; all the same, you shall have your way, for it'll bring you to a bad end, my pretty Princess.

•You want to be rid of your fish tail and have two props to walk on instead, like humans, so that the young Prince may fall in love with you, and you may get him and an immortal soul.

•With that the Witch laughed so loud and so hideously that the toad and the snakes tumbled down on to the ground and wallowed about there.

•"You've come just in the nick of time," said the Witch; "to-morrow after sunrise I couldn't help you till another year came round.

•I shall make a drink for you, and with it you must swim to the land before the sun rises, put yourself on the beach there, and drink it up; then your tail will part and open into what men call pretty legs.

•But it'll hurt, it'll be like a sharp sword going through you.

•Everybody that sees you will say you are the prettiest human child they ever saw. •You'll keep your swimming gait, and no dancer will be able to float along like you.

•But every step you take will be as if you were treading on a sharp knife, so that you would think your blood must gush out. •If you can bear all that, I will do what you wish."

•"Yes," said the little mermaid, with a faltering voice; and she thought of the Prince and of winning an immortal soul.

•"But remember," said the Witch, "when you've once taken a human shape, you can never become a mermaid again, you can never go down through the water to your sisters or to your father's palace; and if you don't win the love of the Prince, so that for you he forgets father and mother, and clings to you with all his thoughts, and makes the priest lay your hands in one another's, so that you become man and wife, then you won't get your immortal soul.

•On the first morning after he is married to anyone else, your heart will break and you will become foam on the water."

•"It is my wish," said the little mermaid, pale as a corpse.

•"But I must be paid, too," said the witch, "and it's not a small matter that I require.

•You have the loveliest voice of anyone down here at the bottom of the sea, and with it no doubt you think you'll be able to charm him; but that voice you must give me.

•I must have the best thing you possess as the price of my precious drink. •I shall have to give you my own blood in it, that the drink may be as sharp as a two-edged sword.

•"But if you take away my voice," said the little mermaid, "what have I left?"

•"Your beautiful form," said the witch, "and your floating gait, and your speaking eyes: with them you can easily delude a human heart.

•What, have you lost courage? •Put out your little tongue, and I'll cut it off for the price, and you shall have the potent drink."

•"So be it," said the little mermaid, and the witch put her cauldron on the fire to boil the magic drink. •"Cleanliness is a good thing," said she, and scoured out the cauldron with some snakes which she tied in a knot.

•Then she scratched herself in the breast and let the black blood drip into the pot.

•The steam took the most dreadful shapes, enough to fill one with fear and horror.

•Every moment the witch cast something afresh into the cauldron, and when it was really boiling, the sound was like that of a crocodile weeping.

•At last the drink was ready, and it looked like the clearest of water.

•"There you are," said the witch, and cut off the tongue of the little mermaid.

•Now she was dumb, she could neither sing nor speak.

•"If the polypi should catch you when you are going back through my wood," said the Witch, "just throw one drop of that drink on them, and their arms and fingers will break into a thousand bits."

•But there was no need for the little mermaid to do that; the polypi shrank back in fear before her when they saw the shining drink which glittered in her hand as if it had been a twinkling star.

•So she passed quickly through the wood, and the marsh, and the roaring maelstrom.

•She could see her father's palace.

•The torches were quenched in the great ballroom.

•No doubt everyone in there was asleep, but she dared not go to them now that she was dumb and was going to leave them for ever.

•It seemed as if her heart must burst asunder with sorrow.

•She stole into the garden and took one flower from each of her sister's flower-beds, and blew on her fingers a thousand kisses towards the palace, and rose up through the dark blue sea.

•The sun was not yet up when she saw the Prince's palace, and clambered up the stately marble steps.

•The moon was shining beautifully bright.

•The little mermaid swallowed the sharp burning drink, and it was as though a two-edged sword was piercing her delicate body: she swooned with the pain, and lay as one dead.

•When the sun shone out over the sea, she awoke and felt a torturing pang, but right in front of her stood the beautiful young Prince.

•He fixed his coal-black eyes on her, so that she cast her own eyes down, and saw that her fish's tail was gone and that she now had the prettiest small white legs that any young girl could have.

•But she was quite naked, so she wrapped herself in her masses of long hair.

•The Prince asked who she was and how she had come there, and she gazed at him sweetly and yet sadly with her dark blue eyes, for she could not speak.

•Then he took her by the hand and led her into the palace. •Every step she took was, as the witch had warned her, as if she was treading on pointed swords and sharp knives, yet she bore it gladly.

•Led by the Prince's hand, she walked light as a bubble, and he and everyone else marvelled at her graceful floating gait.

•Costly robes of silk and muslin were put upon her, and she was the fairest of all in the palace; but she was dumb and could neither speak nor sing.

•Beautiful slave girls clad in silks and gold came forward and sang to the Prince and his royal parents.

•One sang more sweetly than all the rest, and the Prince applauded her and smiled on her.

•Then the little mermaid was sad, for she knew that she herself had sung far more sweetly; and she thought: Oh! •if he could but know that to be near him I have given my voice away for ever!

•Then the slave girls danced graceful floating dances to the noblest of music, and now the little mermaid raised her pretty white arms and rose on tip-toe and floated over the floor, and danced as none had ever yet danced.

•At every movement her beauty grew yet more on the sight, and her eyes spoke more deeply to the heart than the song of the slave girls.

•Everyone was enraptured by it, and more than all, the Prince, who called her his little foundling; and she danced again and again, though every time her foot touched the ground it was as though she was treading on sharp knives.

•The Prince said that now she should always be near him, and she was allowed to sleep outside his door on a cushion of silk.

•He had a boy's dress made for her, so that she might ride with him on horseback.

•hey rode through the sweet-smelling woods, where the green boughs brushed her shoulders, and the little birds sang in the cover of the young leaves.

•With the Prince she clambered up the high mountains, and though her delicate feet were cut so that everyone could see, she only laughed, and followed him till they could see the clouds beneath them like a flock of birds flying towards the distant lands.

•At home at the Prince's palace, when at night all the others were asleep, she would go out to the broad marble stairs, and it cooled her burning feet to stand in the cold sea water, and then she thought about those who were down in the deeps below.

•Die kleine Meerjungfrau von Hans Christian Andersen; Teil 3.

•Wahrlich, es war eine so prachtvolle Feier, wie du sie auf Erden niemals siehst.

•Die Wände und Decken des großen Ballsaals waren aus Glas, dick, aber klar.

•Hunderte von großen Muschelschalen, rosarot und grasgrün, waren auf beiden Seiten in Reihen angeordnet, in denen eine blaue Flamme brannte, die den ganzen Saal erhellte und durch die Mauern nach außen strahlte, so dass das gesamte Meer draußen erleuchtet war.

•Man konnte all die unzähligen Fische sehen, große und kleine, die um die Glaswände herumschwammen. .

•Die Schuppen einiger von ihnen leuchteten purpurrot, bei anderen leuchteten sie wie Silber und Gold.

•In der Mitte der Halle floss ein breiter, reißender Strom, und auf ihm tanzten Meermänner und Meerjungfrauen zu ihrem eigenen wunderschönen Gesang.

•Solch entzückende Stimmen besitzt niemand auf Erden.

•Am schönsten von allen sang die kleine Meerjungfrau und alle klatschten in die Hände, und für einen Moment fühlte sie Freude in ihrem Herzen, denn sie wusste, dass sie die schönste Stimme von allen auf Erden oder im Meer hatte.

•Aber bald fing sie wieder an, über die Welt dort oben über ihr nachzudenken; sie konnte weder den schönen Prinz, noch ihr eigenes Leid, dass sie keine unsterbliche Seele wie er besaß, vergessen.

•Deshalb stahl sie sich aus dem Palast ihres Vaters, und während sich alle Gesang und Fröhlichkeit hingaben, saß sie traurig in ihrem kleinen Garten.

•Dort unten hörte sie das Geräusch der sich brechenden Wellen durch das Wasser, und sie dachte: er segelt sicher dort oben, der, den ich mehr als Vater oder Mutter liebe, den, an den meine Gedanken klammern und in dessen Hand ich das Schicksal meines Lebens legen würde.

•Ich würde alles riskieren, um ihn und eine unsterbliche Seele zu gewinnen; während meine Schwestern in meines Vaters Palast tanzen, werde ich zu der alten Meerhexe gehen. •Ich habe mich immer schrecklich vor ihr gefürchtet, aber vielleicht kann sie mir raten und helfen.

•So verließ die kleine Meerjungfrau ihren Garten, in Richtung des tosenden Mahlstromes, hinter dem die Hexe lebte.

•Sie war noch nie zuvor da gewesen.

•Keine Blumen wuchsen dort und kein Seegras; nur der kahle Sandboden erstreckte sich um den Mahlstrom herum, wo das Wasser wie ein tosendes Mühlrad umherwirbelte und alles, was es festhielt, mit ihm in die Tiefe fegte.

•Sie musste genau durch diese reißende Wirbel gehen, um das Reich der Hexe zu betreten, und hier verlief weithin der einzige Pfad über einen heißen, blubbernden Morast, den die Hexe ihr Torfmoos nannte.

•Dahinter lag ihr Haus, mitten in einem scheußlichen Wald.

•Alle Bäume und Sträucher davon waren Polypen, halb Tier und halb Pflanze, die aussahen wie hundertköpfige Schlangen, die aus dem Boden wuchsen.

•Alle ihre Zweige waren schleimige Arme mit Fingern wie geschmeidige Würmer und Gelenk für Gelenk blieben sie, von der Wurzel bis zur äußersten Spitze, in Bewegung.

•Sie umschlangen alles, was sie im Meer ergreifen konnten, und ließen es nie wieder los.

•Die kleine Meerjungfrau hatte schreckliche Angst, als sie außerhalb des Waldes anhielt.

•Ihr Herz klopfte vor Entsetzen und sie kehrte fast um, aber dann dachte sie an den Prinzen und an die menschliche Seele, und sie fasste Mut.

•Sie band ihre langen, fließenden Haare eng um ihren Kopf, so dass die Polypen sie damit nicht fingen; sie schloss ihr Hände auf ihrer Brust zusammen und, wie ein Fisch durch das Wasser, so sauste sie inmitten der schrecklichen Polypen, die ihre geschmeidigen Arme und Finger nach ihr ausstreckten, vorwärts.

•Sie sah, dass jeder etwas hielt, was er gefangen hatte, und Hunderte von kleinen Armen hielten es wie starke Eisenbänder.

•Männer, die auf See verloren gegangen und tief nach unten hin versunken waren, schauten aus den Armen der Polypen heraus, weiße Skelette.

•Sie hielten Schiffsruder und Kisten fest, Skelette von Landtieren, und sogar eine kleine Meerjungfrau, die sie gefangen und getötet hatten.

•Das war für sie fast das Schrecklichste von allem.

•Nun kam sie zu einer großen schleimigen Lichtung im Wald, wo sich große, feiste Wasserschlangen suhlten und ihre hässlichen weiß-gelblichen Windungen zeigten.

•In der Mitte der Lichtung war ein Haus, das aus den weißen Knochen von Menschen bestand; dort saß die Meerhexe und brachte eine Kröte dazu, ihr aus dem Mund zu fressen, gerade so, wie wir ein Kanarienvöglein dazu bringen, Zucker zu fressen.

•Die abscheulichen, fetten Wasserschlangen, die sie ihre Küken nannte, ließ sie sich über ihren großen, schwammigen Busen winden.

•"Ich weiß sehr wohl, was du willst", sagte die Meerhexe, " und etwas Dummes dazu; einerlei, du sollst bekommen, was du willst, da es dir ein böses Ende bringt, meine hübsche Prinzessin.

•Du möchtest deinen Fischschwanz loswerden und anstelle dessen zwei Stützen zum Gehen, wie die Menschen, so, dass der junge Prinz sich in dich verlieben kann, und du ihn und eine unsterbliche Seele bekommen kannst.

•Das sagend, lachte die Hexe so laut und abscheulich, dass die Kröte und die Schlangen auf den Boden stürzten und sich dort herumwälzten.

•"Du bist gerade im letzten Moment gekommen", sagte die Hexe, "morgen nach Sonnenaufgang könnte ich dir nicht mehr helfen bis das nächste Jahr anbricht.

•Ich werde dir einen Trank bereiten, und du musst, bevor die Sonne aufgeht, mit ihm zum Land schwimmen, dich dort an den Strand begeben und ihn austrinken; dann wird dein Schwanz sich teilen und zu etwas werden, was die Menschen hübsche Beine nennen.

•Aber es wird weh tun, es wird wie ein scharfes Schwert sein, das durch dich hindurch geht.

•Jeder, der dich sieht, wird sagen, dass du das schönste Menschenkind bist, das sie je sahen.. •Du wirst deinen schwimmenden Gang beibehalten, und keine Tänzerin wird sich wie du schwebend fortbewegen können.

•Aber jeder Schritt, den du machen wirst, wird so sein, als wenn du auf ein scharfes Messer treten würdest, so dass du denken würdest, dein Blut müsste herausschießen. •Wenn du all das ertragen kannst, werde ich tun, was du wünschst."

•"Ja," sagte die kleine Meerjungfrau mit stockender Stimme; und sie dachte an den Prinzen und daran, eine unsterbliche Seele zu gewinnen.

•"Aber denke daran," sagte die Hexe, "sobald du menschliche Gestalt angenommen hast, kannst du nie wieder zu einer Meerjungfrau werden, du kannst nie mehr durch das Wasser zu deinen Schwestern oder zum Palast deines Vaters gehen; und wenn du die Liebe des Prinzen nicht gewinnst, sodass er für dich Vater und Mutter vergisst, und mit all seinen Gedanken an dir hängt, und den Priester veranlasst, eure Hände ineinander zu legen, sodass ihr Mann und Frau werdet, dann wirst du deine unsterbliche Seele nicht erhalten.

•Am ersten Morgen nachdem er jemand anderen heiratet, wird dir das Herz brechen und du wirst Schaum auf dem Wasser werden."

•"Es ist mein Wunsch", sagte die kleine Meerjungfrau, bleich wie ein Leichnam.

•"Aber ich muss auch bezahlt werden", sagte die Hexe, "und es ist keine belanglose Angelegenheit, die ich verlange.

•Du hast die schönste Stimme all jener am Grund des Meeres dort drunten, du denkst ohne Zweifel, du wirst ihn damit entzücken können; aber du musst mir diese Stimme geben.

•Ich muss die beste Sache, die du besitzt, als Preis für meinen kostbaren Trunk haben. •Ich werde dir mein eigenes Blut darin geben müssen, damit das Getränk so scharf sein möge wie ein zweischneidiges Schwert.

•"Aber wenn du mir die Stimme wegnimmst", sagte die kleine Meerjungfrau, "was bleibt mir noch übrig?"

•"Deine wunderbare Gestalt", sagte die Hexe, "und dein gleitender Gang, und deine ausdrucksvollen Augen: mit diesen kannst du leicht ein menschliches Herz verzaubern.

•Was, hat dich der Mut verlassen? •Streck deine kleine Zunge aus, und ich werde sie dir zu dem Preis abschneiden, und du wirst den wirkungsvollen Trank bekommen."

•"So soll es sein", sagte die kleine Meerjungfrau, und die Hexe stellte ihren Kessel auf das Feuer, um den magischen Trunk zu kochen. •"Sauberkeit ist eine gute Sache", sagte sie und scheuerte den Kessel mit ein paar Schlangen aus, die sie zu einem Knoten band.

•Dann kratzte sie sich am Busen und ließ einen schwarzen Blutstropfen in das Gefäß tropfen.

•Der Dampf nahm die schrecklichsten Formen an, genug um jeden zu ängstigen und zu entsetzen.

•Jeden Augenblick goss die Hexe etwas Neues in den Kessel, und wenn es richtig brodelte, war das Geräusch wie das eines weinenden Krokodils.

•Schließlich war der Drink fertig, und er sah wie das klarste Wasser aus.

•" Na bitte", sagte die Hexe und schnitt die Zunge der kleinen Meerjungfrau ab.

•Jetzt war sie stumm, sie konnte weder singen noch sprechen.

•"Wenn dich die Kraken erwischen sollten, wenn du durch meinen Wald zurückgehst", sagte die Hexe, "schütte einfach einen Tropfen dieses Tranks auf sie, und ihre Arme und Finger werden in tausend Stücke zerbrechen."

•Aber die kleine Meerjungfrau brauchte das nicht zu tun; die Kraken wichen aus Angst vor ihr zurück, als sie das leuchtende Getränk sahen, das in ihrer Hand glitzerte, als wäre es ein funkelnder Stern gewesen.

•So durchquerte sie schnell den Wald und den Sumpf und den tosenden Mahlstrom.

•Sie konnte den Palast ihres Vaters sehen.

•Die Fackeln im großen Ballsaal waren gelöscht worden.

•Zweifellos schlief jeder dort, aber jetzt, da sie stumm und dabei war, sie auf immer zu verlassen, wagte sie nicht, zu ihnen zu gehen

•Es schien, als ob ihr Herz vor Trauer entzweibrechen müsste.

•Sie stahl sich in den Garten und nahm eine Blume aus jedem der Blumenbeete ihrer Schwestern, blies tausend Küsse von ihren Fingern zum Palast und tauchte auf, durch das dunkelblaue Meer.

•Die Sonne war noch nicht aufgegangen, als sie den Palast des Prinzen sah, und die prächtigen Marmorstufen erklomm.

•Der Mond leuchtete in wunderbarem Glanz.

•Die kleine Meerjungfrau schluckte das scharfe, glühende Getränk, und es war, als ob ein zweischneidiges Schwert ihren zarten Körper durchstach; sie fiel vor Schmerzen in Ohnmacht und lag da wie eine Tote.

•Als die Sonne über dem Meer schien, erwachte sie und fühlte ein quälendes Stechen, aber direkt vor ihr stand der schöne junge Prinz.

•Er fixierte sie mit seinen kohlschwarzen Augen, sodass sie ihre eigenen Augen niederschlug, und sah, dass ihr Fischschwanz verschwunden war und dass sie nun die schönsten, kleinen, weißen Beine hatte, die ein junges Mädchen nur haben konnte.

•Aber sie war völlig nackt, also hüllte sie sich in die Fülle ihrer langen Haare.

•Der Prinz fragte, wer sie sei und wie sie dorthin gekommen sei, und sie starrte ihn süß und dennoch traurig mit ihren dunkelblauen Augen an, weil sie nicht sprechen konnte.

•Dann nahm er sie an die Hand und führte sie in den Palast. •Jeder Schritt, den sie ging, war, wie sie die Hexe gewarnt hatte, als ob sie auf spitzen Schwertern und scharfen Messern gehen würde, doch sie ertrug es gerne.

•Geführt von des Prinzen Hand, ging sie leicht wie eine Luftblase, und er und alle anderen bestaunten ihren anmutigen, schwebenden Gang.

•Ihr wurden kostbare Gewänder aus Seide und Musselin angelegt, und sie war die Schönste von allen im Palast, aber sie war stumm und konnte weder sprechen noch singen.

•Wunderschöne, in Seide und Gold gekleidete Sklavenmädchen traten vor und sangen für den Prinzen und seine königlichen Eltern.

•Eine sang süßer als die anderen, und der Prinz applaudierte ihr und lächelte sie an.

•Dann war die kleine Meerjungfrau traurig, denn sie wusste, dass sie selbst viel süßer gesungen hatte; und sie dachte: Oh! •wenn er nur wissen könnte, dass ich meine Stimme für immer weggegeben habe, um ihm nahe zu sein!

•Dann tanzten die Sklavenmädchen graziöse fliessende Tänze zu edelster Musik, und nun hob die kleine Meerjungfrau ihre hübschen weißen Arme und erhob sich auf Zehenspitzen und schwebte über den Boden, und tanzte, wie noch keine bislang getanzt hatte.

•Mit jeder Bewegung wurde ihre Schönheit noch sichtbarer, und ihre Augen drangen tiefer ins Herz, als das Lied der Sklavenmädchen.

•Alle waren verzückt davon, und vor allem der Prinz, der sie sein kleines Findelkind nannte; und sie tanzte aber und abermals, obwohl jedes Mal, wenn ihr Fuß den Boden berührte, es so war, als ob sie auf spitzen Messer trat.

•Der Prinz sagte, dass sie immer in seiner Nähe bleiben sollte, und es wurde ihr erlaubt auf einem Seidenkissen vor seiner Tür zu schlafen.

•Er ließ Kleider für einen Jungen für sie machen, damit sie mit ihm zu Pferde reiten könnte.

•Sie ritten durch die wohlriechenden Wälder, wo die grünen Zweige ihre Schultern streiften, und die kleinen Vögel sangen im Schutz der jungen Blätter.

•Sie kletterte mit dem Prinzen in den hohen Bergen herum, und obwohl ihre zarten Füße so zerschnitten waren, dass es jeder sehen konnte, lachte sie nur, und folgte ihm bis sie die Wolken unter ihnen, wie eine Schar Vögel, die auf dem Weg in ferne Länder waren, sehen konnten.

•Zuhause, im Palast des Prinzen, ging sie nachts, wenn alle anderen schliefen, regelmäßig nach draußen zu der breiten Marmortreppe, und im kalten Meerwasser zu stehen kühlte ihre brennenden Füße, und dann dachte sie an jene, die dort unten in der Tiefe waren.

unit 1

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen; part 3.
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unit 2

Truly, it was a magnificent affair, such as you never see on earth.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 3

The walls and ceilings of the great ballroom were of glass, thick but clear.
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unit 4

Many hundreds of large mussel-shells, rose-red and grass-green, were set in rows on either side, with a blue flame burning in them that lighted up the whole hall and shone out through the walls, so that the sea outside was all lit up.
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unit 5

You could see all the innumerable fish, big and little, swimming round the glass walls.
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unit 6

The scales of some of them shone purple-red, on others they shone like silver and gold.
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unit 7

In the middle of the hall there flowed a broad rapid stream, and on it mermen and mermaids danced to their own beautiful singing.
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unit 8

Such charming voices no one on earth possesses.
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unit 9

The little mermaid sang the most beautifully of them all, and they clapped their hands at her, and for a moment she felt joy at her heart, for she knew that she had the loveliest voice of anyone on earth or sea.
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unit 10

But soon she began to think again about the world above her; she could not forget the handsome Prince, and her own sorrow that she did not, like him, possess an immortal soul.
2 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 11

So she stole out of her father's palace, and while everything there was song and merriment she sat sadly in her little garden.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 12

There she heard the beating waves sounding down through the water, and she thought, sure, he is sailing up there, he whom I love more than father or mother, he to whom my thoughts cling and in whose hand I would lay the destiny of my life.
2 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 13

I would risk everything to win him and an immortal soul; while my sisters are dancing in my father's palace, I will go to the old Sea Witch.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 14

I've always been dreadfully afraid of her, but it may be she can advise me and help me.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 15

So the little mermaid went off out of her garden, towards the roaring maelstrom behind which the witch lived.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 16

She had never been that way before.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 17

No flowers grew there, and no sea grass: only the bare grey sandy bottom stretched out round the maelstrom, where the water whirled round like a roaring millwheel and swept everything it caught hold of down with it into the deep.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 1 week ago

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unit 18

Right through those tearing whirls she must go to enter the Sea Witch's domain, and here for a long way the only path ran over hot bubbling mire which the Witch called her peat moss.
2 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 19

Behind it lay her house, in the middle of a hideous wood.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 20

All the trees and bushes of it were polypi, half animal and half plant, which looked like hundred-headed snakes growing out of the ground.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 21

All their branches were long slimy arms with fingers like pliant worms, and joint after joint they kept in motion from the root till the outermost tip.
2 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 1 week ago

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unit 22

Everything in the sea that they could grasp they twined themselves about, and never let it go again.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 23

The little mermaid was in terrible fear as she stopped outside the wood.
2 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 24

Her heart beat with terror, and she almost turned back, but then she thought of the Prince and of the human soul, and so she took courage.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 25

She bound her long flowing hair close about her head, so that the polypi should not catch her by it; she joined her two hands together on her breast, and darted along as a fish darts through the water, in among the terrible polypi, which stretched out their pliant arms and fingers after her.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 1 week ago

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unit 26

She saw that everyone of these held something it had caught, and hundreds of little arms held it like strong bands of iron.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 1 week ago

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unit 27

Men who had been lost at sea and had sunk deep down there, looked out, white skeletons, from among the arms of the polypi.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 28

Rudders of ships and chests they held fast; skeletons of land beasts, and even a little mermaid, which they had caught and killed.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 29

That, to her, was almost the most frightful thing of all.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 30

Now she came to a great slimy clearing in the wood, where large fat water-snakes wallowed, showing their ugly whitey-yellow coils.
2 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 31

In the centre of the clearing was a house built of the white bones of men: there the Sea Witch sat, making a toad feed out of her mouth, as we make a little canary bird eat sugar.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 32

The hideous fat water-snakes she called her little chicks, and let them coil about over her great spongy bosom.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 33

"I know well enough what you want," said the Sea Witch, "and a silly thing, too; all the same, you shall have your way, for it'll bring you to a bad end, my pretty Princess.
2 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 34

You want to be rid of your fish tail and have two props to walk on instead, like humans, so that the young Prince may fall in love with you, and you may get him and an immortal soul.
2 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 35

With that the Witch laughed so loud and so hideously that the toad and the snakes tumbled down on to the ground and wallowed about there.
2 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 36

"You've come just in the nick of time," said the Witch; "to-morrow after sunrise I couldn't help you till another year came round.
2 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 37

I shall make a drink for you, and with it you must swim to the land before the sun rises, put yourself on the beach there, and drink it up; then your tail will part and open into what men call pretty legs.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 38

But it'll hurt, it'll be like a sharp sword going through you.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 39

Everybody that sees you will say you are the prettiest human child they ever saw.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 40

You'll keep your swimming gait, and no dancer will be able to float along like you.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 41

But every step you take will be as if you were treading on a sharp knife, so that you would think your blood must gush out.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 42

If you can bear all that, I will do what you wish."
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 43

"Yes," said the little mermaid, with a faltering voice; and she thought of the Prince and of winning an immortal soul.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 44

"But remember," said the Witch, "when you've once taken a human shape, you can never become a mermaid again, you can never go down through the water to your sisters or to your father's palace; and if you don't win the love of the Prince, so that for you he forgets father and mother, and clings to you with all his thoughts, and makes the priest lay your hands in one another's, so that you become man and wife, then you won't get your immortal soul.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 45

On the first morning after he is married to anyone else, your heart will break and you will become foam on the water."
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 46

"It is my wish," said the little mermaid, pale as a corpse.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 47

"But I must be paid, too," said the witch, "and it's not a small matter that I require.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 48

You have the loveliest voice of anyone down here at the bottom of the sea, and with it no doubt you think you'll be able to charm him; but that voice you must give me.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 49

I must have the best thing you possess as the price of my precious drink.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 50

I shall have to give you my own blood in it, that the drink may be as sharp as a two-edged sword.
1 Translations, 0 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 51

"But if you take away my voice," said the little mermaid, "what have I left?"
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 52

"Your beautiful form," said the witch, "and your floating gait, and your speaking eyes: with them you can easily delude a human heart.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 53

What, have you lost courage?
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 54

Put out your little tongue, and I'll cut it off for the price, and you shall have the potent drink."
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 55

"So be it," said the little mermaid, and the witch put her cauldron on the fire to boil the magic drink.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 56

"Cleanliness is a good thing," said she, and scoured out the cauldron with some snakes which she tied in a knot.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 57

Then she scratched herself in the breast and let the black blood drip into the pot.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 58

The steam took the most dreadful shapes, enough to fill one with fear and horror.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 59

Every moment the witch cast something afresh into the cauldron, and when it was really boiling, the sound was like that of a crocodile weeping.
1 Translations, 0 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 60

At last the drink was ready, and it looked like the clearest of water.
1 Translations, 0 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 1 week ago

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unit 61

"There you are," said the witch, and cut off the tongue of the little mermaid.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 62

Now she was dumb, she could neither sing nor speak.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 63

"If the polypi should catch you when you are going back through my wood," said the Witch, "just throw one drop of that drink on them, and their arms and fingers will break into a thousand bits."
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 64

But there was no need for the little mermaid to do that; the polypi shrank back in fear before her when they saw the shining drink which glittered in her hand as if it had been a twinkling star.
2 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 65

So she passed quickly through the wood, and the marsh, and the roaring maelstrom.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 66

She could see her father's palace.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 67

The torches were quenched in the great ballroom.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 68

No doubt everyone in there was asleep, but she dared not go to them now that she was dumb and was going to leave them for ever.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 69

It seemed as if her heart must burst asunder with sorrow.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 70

She stole into the garden and took one flower from each of her sister's flower-beds, and blew on her fingers a thousand kisses towards the palace, and rose up through the dark blue sea.
1 Translations, 0 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 71

The sun was not yet up when she saw the Prince's palace, and clambered up the stately marble steps.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 72

The moon was shining beautifully bright.
2 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 73

The little mermaid swallowed the sharp burning drink, and it was as though a two-edged sword was piercing her delicate body: she swooned with the pain, and lay as one dead.
1 Translations, 0 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 74

When the sun shone out over the sea, she awoke and felt a torturing pang, but right in front of her stood the beautiful young Prince.
1 Translations, 0 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 75

He fixed his coal-black eyes on her, so that she cast her own eyes down, and saw that her fish's tail was gone and that she now had the prettiest small white legs that any young girl could have.
2 Translations, 4 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 76

But she was quite naked, so she wrapped herself in her masses of long hair.
1 Translations, 0 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 77

The Prince asked who she was and how she had come there, and she gazed at him sweetly and yet sadly with her dark blue eyes, for she could not speak.
2 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 78

Then he took her by the hand and led her into the palace.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 79

Every step she took was, as the witch had warned her, as if she was treading on pointed swords and sharp knives, yet she bore it gladly.
2 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 80

Led by the Prince's hand, she walked light as a bubble, and he and everyone else marvelled at her graceful floating gait.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 81

Costly robes of silk and muslin were put upon her, and she was the fairest of all in the palace; but she was dumb and could neither speak nor sing.
2 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 82

Beautiful slave girls clad in silks and gold came forward and sang to the Prince and his royal parents.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 83

One sang more sweetly than all the rest, and the Prince applauded her and smiled on her.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 84

Then the little mermaid was sad, for she knew that she herself had sung far more sweetly; and she thought: Oh!
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 2 weeks ago

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unit 85

if he could but know that to be near him I have given my voice away for ever!
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 86

Then the slave girls danced graceful floating dances to the noblest of music, and now the little mermaid raised her pretty white arms and rose on tip-toe and floated over the floor, and danced as none had ever yet danced.
2 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 1 week ago

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unit 87

At every movement her beauty grew yet more on the sight, and her eyes spoke more deeply to the heart than the song of the slave girls.
2 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 88

Everyone was enraptured by it, and more than all, the Prince, who called her his little foundling; and she danced again and again, though every time her foot touched the ground it was as though she was treading on sharp knives.
1 Translations, 0 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months, 1 week ago

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unit 89

The Prince said that now she should always be near him, and she was allowed to sleep outside his door on a cushion of silk.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 90

He had a boy's dress made for her, so that she might ride with him on horseback.
1 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 91

hey rode through the sweet-smelling woods, where the green boughs brushed her shoulders, and the little birds sang in the cover of the young leaves.
1 Translations, 3 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 92

With the Prince she clambered up the high mountains, and though her delicate feet were cut so that everyone could see, she only laughed, and followed him till they could see the clouds beneath them like a flock of birds flying towards the distant lands.
2 Translations, 2 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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unit 93

At home at the Prince's palace, when at night all the others were asleep, she would go out to the broad marble stairs, and it cooled her burning feet to stand in the cold sea water, and then she thought about those who were down in the deeps below.
1 Translations, 1 Upvotes, Last Activity 3 months ago

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Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 92 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 91 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 89 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 87 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 82 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 81 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 79 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 78 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 72 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 71 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 69 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 68 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 67 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 66 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 65 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 64 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 63 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 62 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 61 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 58 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 57 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 53 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 52 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 49 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 48 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 45 3 months ago

":-) Vorschlag: ... du wirst zu Schaum ..."

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 44 3 months ago

":-) Wow!"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 43 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 27 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 12 3 months ago

"@Wendy: Noch eine Kleinigkeit - ... an dem mein..."

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 9 3 months ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 93 3 months ago

":-)"

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 12 3 months, 1 week ago

":-)"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 12 3 months, 1 week ago

":)"

Merlin57 6983 commented on unit 12 3 months, 1 week ago

"Danke Bernard :-))"

Merlin57 6983 translated unit 12 3 months, 1 week ago

"Dort unten hörte sie das Geräusch der sich brec..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 9 3 months, 1 week ago

":)"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 12 3 months, 1 week ago

"Vorschlag Wendy: Dort unten hörte sie das Gerä..."

Merlin57 6983 translated unit 12 3 months, 1 week ago

"Von dort hörte sie die schlagenden Wellen durch..."

Merlin57 6983 translated unit 9 3 months, 1 week ago

"Am schönsten von allen sang die kleine Meerjung..."

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 26 3 months, 1 week ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 25 3 months, 1 week ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 21 3 months, 1 week ago

":-)"

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 93 3 months, 1 week ago

"Bernard Vorschlag: ...es kühlte ihre brennenden..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 90 3 months, 1 week ago

"Bernard...obwohl... Einzahl hier.. Also: Kleidu..."

lollo1a 10716 explained a translation in unit 88 3 months, 1 week ago

"alten Begriff im Deutschen gewählt, für "again ..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 88 3 months, 1 week ago

"Alle waren verzückt davon, und vor allem der Pr..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 69 3 months, 1 week ago

"Marlene. burst asunder ist eher: zerbersten. lt..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 60 3 months, 1 week ago

"Marlene "Drink" finde ich hier in dem alten Mär..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 86 3 months, 1 week ago

":-)) Oh vielen Dank, Bernard"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 86 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":) Glückwünsche zur 9000, lollo:))"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 64 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":)"

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 86 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ja, gerne ... danke Ingrid"

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 86 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Dann tanzten die Sklavenmädchen graziöse fliess..."

Scharing7 8953 commented on unit 86 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Lollo: ich würde das 'es' im letzten Teil wegla..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 64 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Merlin57 6983 commented on unit 92 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Merlin57 6983 commented on unit 64 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Oh, danke Lollo - über diesen Satzteil habe ich..."

Merlin57 6983 translated unit 64 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Aber die kleine Meerjungfrau brauchte das nicht..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 64 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Und dann hat Bernard mit „ Kraken“ übersetzt, i..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 64 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Wendy...aus Angst vor ihr zurück... Angabe des ..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 67 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 86 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Dann tanzten die Sklavenmädchen graziöse fliess..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 87 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 92 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Danke Wendy:)"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 92 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie kletterte mit dem Prinzen in den hohen Berg..."

Merlin57 6983 translated unit 64 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Aber die kleine Meerjungfrau brauchte das nicht..."

Merlin57 6983 commented on unit 92 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Tippfehler Bernard: 'sie sie die Wolken'"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 93 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Zuhause, im Palast des Prinzen, ging sie nachts..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 92 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie kletterte mit dem Prinzen in den hohen Berg..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 83 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":)"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 84 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":)"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 87 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ja, lollo, danke:) (das kommt davon wenn man ..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 87 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Mit jeder Bewegung wurde ihre Schönheit noch si..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 91 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie ritten durch die wohlriechenden Wälder, wo ..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 67 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Der große Ballsaal wird doch nur für Feierlichk..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 27 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Männer, die auf See verloren gegangen und tief ..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 26 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie sah, dass jeder etwas hielt, was er gefange..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 25 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie band ihre langen, fließenden Haare eng um i..."

Maria-Helene 15380 commented on unit 21 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"O je, danke."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 21 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Alle ihre Zweige waren schleimige Arme mit Fing..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 82 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"oh, jetzt verstanden... sorry"

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 67 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Und dann... es war dunkel...später geht erst di..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 87 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"als es.... konnte?? Oder ohne „ es“??"

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 82 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Warum dann das erste Komma? So könnte man denke..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 67 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Deine Zeitform wird mit „ had been“ gebildet, a..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 82 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ich denke nicht; sind doch Adjektivgruppen, die..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 81 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Danke lollo:)"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 81 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ihr wurden kostbare Gewänder aus Seide und Muss..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 84 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Dann war die kleine Meerjungfrau traurig, denn ..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 83 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Eine sang süßer als die anderen, und der Prinz ..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 77 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":)"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 75 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":)"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 67 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Da im nächsten Satz davon die Rede ist, dass al..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 79 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 82 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"hinter gekleidete... auch ein Komma?"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 79 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Danke lollo:)"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 79 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Jeder Schritt, den sie ging, war, wie sie die H..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 81 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"oder sogar... wurden ihr angelegt??... die Schö..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 90 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Er ließ Kleider für einen Jungen für sie machen..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 72 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Danke lollo:)"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 72 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Der Mond leuchtete in wunderbarem Glanz."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 80 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Geführt von des Prinzen Hand, ging sie leicht w..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 89 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Der Prinz sagte, dass sie immer in seiner Nähe ..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 79 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Bernard... gehen wÜRde..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 87 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Mit jeder Bewegung wurde ihre Schönheit noch si..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 67 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Bernard... wurden gelöscht?? Passiv??"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 85 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"wenn er nur wissen könnte, dass ich meine Stimm..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 82 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Wunderschöne, in Seide und Gold gekleidete Skla..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 72 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ok, auch schön :-)"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 81 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie wurde in kostbare Gewänder aus Seide und Mu..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 75 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ja, gerne, Bernard... klingt edler :-)"

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 75 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Er fixierte sie mit seinen kohlschwarzen Augen,..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 79 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Jeder Schritt, den sie ging, war, wie sie die H..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 77 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Stimmt... danke Bernard :-)"

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 77 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Der Prinz fragte, wer sie sei und wie sie dorth..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 78 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":)"

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 78 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Marlene ...Oder hier besser: er nahm ihre Hand...."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 77 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"nur Kleinigkeit ... weil SIE nicht sprechen ko..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 75 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":) vielleicht auch : ihr Fischschwanz verschwu..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 77 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Der Prinz fragte, wer sie sei und wie sie dorth..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 72 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Vielleicht: leuchtete in wunderbarem Glanz?"

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 76 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Aber sie war völlig nackt, also hüllte sie sich..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 75 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Er fixierte sie mit seinen kohlschwarzen Augen,..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 74 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Als die Sonne über dem Meer schien, erwachte si..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 73 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Die kleine Meerjungfrau schluckte das scharfe, ..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 72 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Bernard.. schien wunderbar hell. ?? Besser?"

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 70 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie stahl sich in den Garten und nahm eine Blum..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 59 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Jeden Augenblick goss die Hexe etwas Neues in d..."

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 10 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 42 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 38 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 37 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 36 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 35 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 34 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 33 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 32 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 31 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-) sehr schön"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 30 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 29 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 28 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 24 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 22 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Komma ist richtig. Ende des Realitivsatzes."

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 21 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"@Marlene: Tippfehler ... GeLenk für Gelenk ..."

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 20 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 18 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"@bf2010: Singular ... durch dieseN reißendeN W..."

Merlin57 6983 commented on unit 10 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Vielen Dank Omega - ich habe diesen Satz viele ..."

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 16 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 15 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Merlin57 6983 translated unit 10 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Aber bald fing sie wieder an, über die Welt dor..."

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 14 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 13 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 11 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 10 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"@Wendy: Kleinigkeiten Aber bald fing sie wiede..."

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 8 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 7 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 6 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 5 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Omega-I 8200 commented on unit 4 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

Merlin57 6983 translated unit 10 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Aber bald fing sie wieder an, über die Welt übe..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 78 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Dann nahm er sie an die Hand und führte sie in ..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 69 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Es schien, als ob ihr Herz vor Trauer entzweibr..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 61 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"" Na bitte", sagte die Hexe und schnitt die Zun..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 60 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Schließlich war der Drink fertig, und er sah wi..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 65 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"So durchquerte sie schnell den Wald und den Sum..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 66 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie konnte den Palast ihres Vaters sehen."

Maria-Helene 15380 commented on unit 33 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Danke, Bernard."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 33 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Ich weiß sehr wohl, was du willst", sagte die ..."

Maria-Helene 15380 commented on unit 34 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"So besser, Bernard."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 34 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Du möchtest deinen Fischschwanz loswerden und a..."

Maria-Helene 15380 commented on unit 35 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"With that heißt aber auch damit, oder ??"

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 35 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Das sagend, lachte die Hexe so laut und abscheu..."

Maria-Helene 15380 commented on unit 36 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Danke, Bernard."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 36 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Du bist gerade im letzten Moment gekommen", sa..."

bf2010 12337 explained a translation in unit 63 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Polypi" hier mit "Krake" übersetzt, ein volkst..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 56 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Sauberkeit ist eine gute Sache", sagte sie und..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 55 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""So soll es sein", sagte die kleine Meerjungfra..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 54 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Streck deine kleine Zunge aus, und ich werde si..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 51 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Aber wenn du mir die Stimme wegnimmst", sagte ..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 50 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ich werde dir mein eigenes Blut darin geben müs..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 47 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Aber ich muss auch bezahlt werden", sagte die ..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 46 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Es ist mein Wunsch", sagte die kleine Meerjung..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 41 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 40 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Du wirst deinen schwimmenden Gang beibehalten, ..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 39 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Jeder, der dich sieht, wird sagen, dass du das ..."

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 22 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Komma zuviel vor „ und“"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 72 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Der Mond schien wundervoll strahlend."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 71 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Die Sonne war noch nicht aufgegangen, als sie d..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 68 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Zweifellos schlief jeder dort, aber jetzt, da s..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 67 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Die Fackeln im großen Ballsaal waren gelöscht w..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 63 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Wenn dich die Kraken erwischen sollten, wenn d..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 62 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Jetzt war sie stumm, sie konnte weder singen no..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 58 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Der Dampf nahm die schrecklichsten Formen an, g..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 57 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Dann kratzte sie sich am Busen und ließ einen s..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 53 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Was, hat dich der Mut verlassen?"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 52 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Deine wunderbare Gestalt", sagte die Hexe, "un..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 49 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ich muss die beste Sache, die du besitzt, als P..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 48 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Du hast die schönste Stimme all jener am Grund ..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 41 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Aber jeder Schritt, den du machen wirst, wird s..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 38 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Aber es wird weh tun, es wird wie ein scharfes ..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 37 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ich werde dir einen Trank bereiten, und du muss..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 36 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"... bis das nächste Jahr anbricht ??"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 35 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Vorschlag für "with that" Das sagend, lachte ..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 34 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Vorschlag: ... du ihn und eine unsterbliche Se..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 33 3 months, 2 weeks ago

".... sehr wohl.... die MEERhexe (in vorherigen ..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 36 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"" Du bist gerade im letzten Moment gekommen", s..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 35 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Damit lachte die Hexe so laut und abscheulich, ..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 34 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Du möchtest deinen Fischschwanz loswerden und a..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 33 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"" Ich weiß zur Genüge, was du willst," sagte di..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 8 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Danke, geht auch, aber ich finde meine Version ..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 18 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie musste genau durch diese reißende Wirbel ge..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 18 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Danke Marlene; es sind aber "whirls", Mehrzahl;..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 30 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Danke Marlene:)"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 30 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Nun kam sie zu einer großen schleimigen Lichtun..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 32 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Die abscheulichen, fetten Wasserschlangen, die ..."

Maria-Helene 15380 commented on unit 30 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"..großen, schleimigen Lichtung.. hässlich.."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 29 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Das war für sie fast das Schrecklichste von allem."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 24 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ihr Herz klopfte vor Entsetzen und sie kehrte f..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 21 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Alle ihre Zweige waren schleimige Arme mit Fing..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 20 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Alle Bäume und Sträucher davon waren Polypen, h..."

Maria-Helene 15380 commented on unit 18 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"durch diesen reißenden Wirbel.."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 17 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Keine Blumen wuchsen dort und kein Seegras; nur..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 16 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie war noch nie zuvor da gewesen."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 15 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"So verließ die kleine Meerjungfrau ihren Garten..."

Maria-Helene 15380 commented on unit 8 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Solche entzückenden Stimmen..."

Maria-Helene 15380 commented on unit 8 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"solchE"

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 5 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Man konnte all die unzähligen Fische sehen, gro..."

Maria-Helene 15380 translated unit 4 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Hunderte von großen Muschelschalen, rosarot und..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 45 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Am ersten Morgen nachdem er jemand anderen heir..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 44 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Aber denke daran," sagte die Hexe, "sobald du ..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 43 3 months, 2 weeks ago

""Ja," sagte die kleine Meerjungfrau mit stocken..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 42 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Wenn du all das ertragen kannst, werde ich tun,..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 31 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"In der Mitte der Lichtung war ein Haus, das aus..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 30 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Nun kam sie zu einer großen schleimigen Lichtun..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 28 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie hielten Schiffsruder und Kisten fest, Skele..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 23 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":)"

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 14 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":-)"

lollo1a 10716 commented on unit 23 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Gerne, danke :-)"

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 23 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Die kleine Meerjungfrau hatte schreckliche Angs..."

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 19 3 months, 2 weeks ago

":)"

bf2010 12337 commented on unit 23 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"... hatte schreckliche Angst ?"

bf2010 12337 translated unit 22 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie umschlangen alles, was sie im Meer ergreife..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 23 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Die kleine Meerjungfrau war in schrecklicher An..."

lollo1a 10716 translated unit 19 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Dahinter lag ihr Haus, mitten in einem scheußli..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 18 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Sie musste genau durch diese reißenden Wirbel g..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 14 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ich habe mich immer schrecklich vor ihr gefürch..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 13 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Ich würde alles riskieren, um ihn und eine unst..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 11 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Deshalb stahl sie sich aus dem Palast ihres Vat..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 8 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Solch entzückende Stimmen besitzt niemand auf E..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 7 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"In der Mitte der Halle floss ein breiter, reiße..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 6 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Die Schuppen einiger von ihnen leuchteten purpu..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 3 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Die Wände und Decken des großen Ballsaals waren..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 2 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Wahrlich, es war eine so prachtvolle Feier, wie..."

bf2010 12337 translated unit 1 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"Die kleine Meerjungfrau von Hans Christian Ande..."

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen; part 3.

Truly, it was a magnificent affair, such as you never see on earth.

The walls and ceilings of the great ballroom were of glass, thick but clear.

Many hundreds of large mussel-shells, rose-red and grass-green, were set in rows on either side, with a blue flame burning in them that lighted up the whole hall and shone out through the walls, so that the sea outside was all lit up.

You could see all the innumerable fish, big and little, swimming round the glass walls.

The scales of some of them shone purple-red, on others they shone like silver and gold.

In the middle of the hall there flowed a broad rapid stream, and on it mermen and mermaids danced to their own beautiful singing.

Such charming voices no one on earth possesses.

The little mermaid sang the most beautifully of them all, and they clapped their hands at her, and for a moment she felt joy at her heart, for she knew that she had the loveliest voice of anyone on earth or sea.

But soon she began to think again about the world above her; she could not forget the handsome Prince, and her own sorrow that she did not, like him, possess an immortal soul.

So she stole out of her father's palace, and while everything there was song and merriment she sat sadly in her little garden.

There she heard the beating waves sounding down through the water, and she thought, sure, he is sailing up there, he whom I love more than father or mother, he to whom my thoughts cling and in whose hand I would lay the destiny of my life.

I would risk everything to win him and an immortal soul; while my sisters are dancing in my father's palace, I will go to the old Sea Witch. I've always been dreadfully afraid of her, but it may be she can advise me and help me.

So the little mermaid went off out of her garden, towards the roaring maelstrom behind which the witch lived.

She had never been that way before.

No flowers grew there, and no sea grass: only the bare grey sandy bottom stretched out round the maelstrom, where the water whirled round like a roaring millwheel and swept everything it caught hold of down with it into the deep.

Right through those tearing whirls she must go to enter the Sea Witch's domain, and here for a long way the only path ran over hot bubbling mire which the Witch called her peat moss.

Behind it lay her house, in the middle of a hideous wood.

All the trees and bushes of it were polypi, half animal and half plant, which looked like hundred-headed snakes growing out of the ground.

All their branches were long slimy arms with fingers like pliant worms, and joint after joint they kept in motion from the root till the outermost tip.

Everything in the sea that they could grasp they twined themselves about, and never let it go again.

The little mermaid was in terrible fear as she stopped outside the wood.

Her heart beat with terror, and she almost turned back, but then she thought of the Prince and of the human soul, and so she took courage.

She bound her long flowing hair close about her head, so that the polypi should not catch her by it; she joined her two hands together on her breast, and darted along as a fish darts through the water, in among the terrible polypi, which stretched out their pliant arms and fingers after her.

She saw that everyone of these held something it had caught, and hundreds of little arms held it like strong bands of iron.

Men who had been lost at sea and had sunk deep down there, looked out, white skeletons, from among the arms of the polypi.

Rudders of ships and chests they held fast; skeletons of land beasts, and even a little mermaid, which they had caught and killed.

That, to her, was almost the most frightful thing of all.

Now she came to a great slimy clearing in the wood, where large fat water-snakes wallowed, showing their ugly whitey-yellow coils.

In the centre of the clearing was a house built of the white bones of men: there the Sea Witch sat, making a toad feed out of her mouth, as we make a little canary bird eat sugar.

The hideous fat water-snakes she called her little chicks, and let them coil about over her great spongy bosom.

"I know well enough what you want," said the Sea Witch, "and a silly thing, too; all the same, you shall have your way, for it'll bring you to a bad end, my pretty Princess.

You want to be rid of your fish tail and have two props to walk on instead, like humans, so that the young Prince may fall in love with you, and you may get him and an immortal soul.

With that the Witch laughed so loud and so hideously that the toad and the snakes tumbled down on to the ground and wallowed about there.

"You've come just in the nick of time," said the Witch; "to-morrow after sunrise I couldn't help you till another year came round.

I shall make a drink for you, and with it you must swim to the land before the sun rises, put yourself on the beach there, and drink it up; then your tail will part and open into what men call pretty legs.

But it'll hurt, it'll be like a sharp sword going through you.

Everybody that sees you will say you are the prettiest human child they ever saw. You'll keep your swimming gait, and no dancer will be able to float along like you.

But every step you take will be as if you were treading on a sharp knife, so that you would think your blood must gush out. If you can bear all that, I will do what you wish."

"Yes," said the little mermaid, with a faltering voice; and she thought of the Prince and of winning an immortal soul.

"But remember," said the Witch, "when you've once taken a human shape, you can never become a mermaid again, you can never go down through the water to your sisters or to your father's palace; and if you don't win the love of the Prince, so that for you he forgets father and mother, and clings to you with all his thoughts, and makes the priest lay your hands in one another's, so that you become man and wife, then you won't get your immortal soul.

On the first morning after he is married to anyone else, your heart will break and you will become foam on the water."

"It is my wish," said the little mermaid, pale as a corpse.

"But I must be paid, too," said the witch, "and it's not a small matter that I require.

You have the loveliest voice of anyone down here at the bottom of the sea, and with it no doubt you think you'll be able to charm him; but that voice you must give me.

I must have the best thing you possess as the price of my precious drink. I shall have to give you my own blood in it, that the drink may be as sharp as a two-edged sword.

"But if you take away my voice," said the little mermaid, "what have I left?"

"Your beautiful form," said the witch, "and your floating gait, and your speaking eyes: with them you can easily delude a human heart.

What, have you lost courage? Put out your little tongue, and I'll cut it off for the price, and you shall have the potent drink."

"So be it," said the little mermaid, and the witch put her cauldron on the fire to boil the magic drink. "Cleanliness is a good thing," said she, and scoured out the cauldron with some snakes which she tied in a knot.

Then she scratched herself in the breast and let the black blood drip into the pot.

The steam took the most dreadful shapes, enough to fill one with fear and horror.

Every moment the witch cast something afresh into the cauldron, and when it was really boiling, the sound was like that of a crocodile weeping.

At last the drink was ready, and it looked like the clearest of water.

"There you are," said the witch, and cut off the tongue of the little mermaid.

Now she was dumb, she could neither sing nor speak.

"If the polypi should catch you when you are going back through my wood," said the Witch, "just throw one drop of that drink on them, and their arms and fingers will break into a thousand bits."

But there was no need for the little mermaid to do that; the polypi shrank back in fear before her when they saw the shining drink which glittered in her hand as if it had been a twinkling star.

So she passed quickly through the wood, and the marsh, and the roaring maelstrom.

She could see her father's palace.

The torches were quenched in the great ballroom.

No doubt everyone in there was asleep, but she dared not go to them now that she was dumb and was going to leave them for ever.

It seemed as if her heart must burst asunder with sorrow.

She stole into the garden and took one flower from each of her sister's flower-beds, and blew on her fingers a thousand kisses towards the palace, and rose up through the dark blue sea.

The sun was not yet up when she saw the Prince's palace, and clambered up the stately marble steps.

The moon was shining beautifully bright.

The little mermaid swallowed the sharp burning drink, and it was as though a two-edged sword was piercing her delicate body: she swooned with the pain, and lay as one dead.

When the sun shone out over the sea, she awoke and felt a torturing pang, but right in front of her stood the beautiful young Prince.

He fixed his coal-black eyes on her, so that she cast her own eyes down, and saw that her fish's tail was gone and that she now had the prettiest small white legs that any young girl could have.

But she was quite naked, so she wrapped herself in her masses of long hair.

The Prince asked who she was and how she had come there, and she gazed at him sweetly and yet sadly with her dark blue eyes, for she could not speak.

Then he took her by the hand and led her into the palace. Every step she took was, as the witch had warned her, as if she was treading on pointed swords and sharp knives, yet she bore it gladly.

Led by the Prince's hand, she walked light as a bubble, and he and everyone else marvelled at her graceful floating gait.

Costly robes of silk and muslin were put upon her, and she was the fairest of all in the palace; but she was dumb and could neither speak nor sing.

Beautiful slave girls clad in silks and gold came forward and sang to the Prince and his royal parents.

One sang more sweetly than all the rest, and the Prince applauded her and smiled on her.

Then the little mermaid was sad, for she knew that she herself had sung far more sweetly; and she thought: Oh! if he could but know that to be near him I have given my voice away for ever!

Then the slave girls danced graceful floating dances to the noblest of music, and now the little mermaid raised her pretty white arms and rose on tip-toe and floated over the floor, and danced as none had ever yet danced.

At every movement her beauty grew yet more on the sight, and her eyes spoke more deeply to the heart than the song of the slave girls.

Everyone was enraptured by it, and more than all, the Prince, who called her his little foundling; and she danced again and again, though every time her foot touched the ground it was as though she was treading on sharp knives.

The Prince said that now she should always be near him, and she was allowed to sleep outside his door on a cushion of silk.

He had a boy's dress made for her, so that she might ride with him on horseback.

hey rode through the sweet-smelling woods, where the green boughs brushed her shoulders, and the little birds sang in the cover of the young leaves.

With the Prince she clambered up the high mountains, and though her delicate feet were cut so that everyone could see, she only laughed, and followed him till they could see the clouds beneath them like a flock of birds flying towards the distant lands.

At home at the Prince's palace, when at night all the others were asleep, she would go out to the broad marble stairs, and it cooled her burning feet to stand in the cold sea water, and then she thought about those who were down in the deeps below.