[39/51] [partial] opennlp-sandbox git commit: merge from bgalitsky's own git repo

[bg...@apache.org]

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+\ufeff The little mermaid Far out in the ocean , where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower , and as clear as crystal , it is very , very deep ; so deep , indeed , that no cable could fathom it : many church steeples , piled one upon another , would not reach from the ground beneath to the surface of the water above . There dwell the Sea King and his subjects . We must not imagine that there is nothing at the bottom of the sea but bare yellow sand . No , indeed ; the most singular flowers and plants grow there ; the leaves and stems of which are so pliant , that the slightest agitation of the water causes them to stir as if they had life . Fishes , both large and small , glide between the branches , as birds fly among the trees here upon land . In the deepest spot of all , stands the castle of the Sea King . Its walls are built of coral , and the long , gothic windows are of the clearest amber . The roof is formed of shells , that open and close as the water flows over them
  . Their appearance is very beautiful , for in each lies a glittering pearl , which would be fit for the diadem of a queen . The Sea King had been a widower for many years , and his aged mother kept house for him . She was a very wise woman , and exceedingly proud of her high birth ; on that account she wore twelve oysters on her tail ; while others , also of high rank , were only allowed to wear six . She was , however , deserving of very great praise , especially for her care of the little sea-princesses , her grand-daughters . They were six beautiful children ; but the youngest was the prettiest of them all ; her skin was as clear and delicate as a rose-leaf , and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea ; but , like all the others , she had no feet , and her body ended in a fish 's tail . All day long they played in the great halls of the castle , or among the living flowers that grew out of the walls . The large amber windows were open , and the fish swam in , just as the swallows f
 ly into our houses when we open the windows , excepting that the fishes swam up to the princesses , ate out of their hands , and allowed themselves to be stroked . Outside the castle there was a beautiful garden , in which grew bright red and dark blue flowers , and blossoms like flames of fire ; the fruit glittered like gold , and the leaves and stems waved to and fro continually . The earth itself was the finest sand , but blue as the flame of burning sulphur . Over everything lay a peculiar blue radiance , as if it were surrounded by the air from above , through which the blue sky shone , instead of the dark depths of the sea . In calm weather the sun could be seen , looking like a purple flower , with the light streaming from the calyx . Each of the young princesses had a little plot of ground in the garden , where she might dig and plant as she pleased . One arranged her flower-bed into the form of a whale ; another thought it better to make hers like the figure of a little mer
 maid ; but that of the youngest was round like the sun , and contained flowers as red as his rays at sunset . She was a strange child , quiet and thoughtful ; and while her sisters would be delighted with the wonderful things which they obtained from the wrecks of vessels , she cared for nothing but her pretty red flowers , like the sun , excepting a beautiful marble statue . It was the representation of a handsome boy , carved out of pure white stone , which had fallen to the bottom of the sea from a wreck . She planted by the statue a rose-colored weeping willow . It grew splendidly , and very soon hung its fresh branches over the statue , almost down to the blue sands . The shadow had a violet tint , and waved to and fro like the branches ; it seemed as if the crown of the tree and the root were at play , and trying to kiss each other . Nothing gave her so much pleasure as to hear about the world above the sea . She made her old grandmother tell her all she knew of the ships and 
 of the towns , the people and the animals . To her it seemed most wonderful and beautiful to hear that the flowers of the land should have fragrance , and not those below the sea ; that the trees of the forest should be green ; and that the fishes among the trees could sing so sweetly , that it was quite a pleasure to hear them . Her grandmother called the little birds fishes , or she would not have understood her ; for she had never seen birds . \u201c When you have reached your fifteenth year , \u201d said the grand-mother , \u201c you will have permission to rise up out of the sea , to sit on the rocks in the moonlight , while the great ships are sailing by ; and then you will see both forests and towns . \u201d In the following year , one of the sisters would be fifteen : but as each was a year younger than the other , the youngest would have to wait five years before her turn came to rise up from the bottom of the ocean , and see the earth as we do . However , each promised to tell the oth
 ers what she saw on her first visit , and what she thought the most beautiful ; for their grandmother could not tell them enough ; there were so many things on which they wanted information . None of them longed so much for her turn to come as the youngest , she who had the longest time to wait , and who was so quiet and thoughtful . Many nights she stood by the open window , looking up through the dark blue water , and watching the fish as they splashed about with their fins and tails . She could see the moon and stars shining faintly ; but through the water they looked larger than they do to our eyes . When something like a black cloud passed between her and them , she knew that it was either a whale swimming over her head , or a ship full of human beings , who never imagined that a pretty little mermaid was standing beneath them , holding out her white hands towards the keel of their ship . As soon as the eldest was fifteen , she was allowed to rise to the surface of the ocean . 
 When she came back , she had hundreds of things to talk about ; but the most beautiful , she said , was to lie in the moonlight , on a sandbank , in the quiet sea , near the coast , and to gaze on a large town nearby , where the lights were twinkling like hundreds of stars ; to listen to the sounds of the music , the noise of carriages , and the voices of human beings , and then to hear the merry bells peal out from the church steeples ; and because she could not go near to all those wonderful things , she longed for them more than ever . Oh , did not the youngest sister listen eagerly to all these descriptions ? and afterwards , when she stood at the open window looking up through the dark blue water , she thought of the great city , with all its bustle and noise , and even fancied she could hear the sound of the church bells , down in the depths of the sea . In another year the second sister received permission to rise to the surface of the water , and to swim about where she plea
 sed . She rose just as the sun was setting , and this , she said , was the most beautiful sight of all . The whole sky looked like gold , while violet and rose-colored clouds , which she could not describe , floated over her ; and , still more rapidly than the clouds , flew a large flock of wild swans towards the setting sun , looking like a long white veil across the sea . She also swam towards the sun ; but it sunk into the waves , and the rosy tints faded from the clouds and from the sea . The third sister 's turn followed ; she was the boldest of them all , and she swam up a broad river that emptied itself into the sea . On the banks she saw green hills covered with beautiful vines ; palaces and castles peeped out from amid the proud trees of the forest ; she heard the birds singing , and the rays of the sun were so powerful that she was obliged often to dive down under the water to cool her burning face . In a narrow creek she found a whole troop of little human children , quit
 e naked , and sporting about in the water ; she wanted to play with them , but they fled in a great fright ; and then a little black animal came to the water ; it was a dog , but she did not know that , for she had never before seen one . This animal barked at her so terribly that she became frightened , and rushed back to the open sea . But she said she should never forget the beautiful forest , the green hills , and the pretty little children who could swim in the water , although they had not fish 's tails . The fourth sister was more timid ; she remained in the midst of the sea , but she said it was quite as beautiful there as nearer the land . She could see for so many miles around her , and the sky above looked like a bell of glass . She had seen the ships , but at such a great distance that they looked like sea-gulls . The dolphins sported in the waves , and the great whales spouted water from their nostrils till it seemed as if a hundred fountains were playing in every direc
 tion . The fifth sister 's birthday occurred in the winter ; so when her turn came , she saw what the others had not seen the first time they went up . The sea looked quite green , and large icebergs were floating about , each like a pearl , she said , but larger and loftier than the churches built by men . They were of the most singular shapes , and glittered like diamonds . She had seated herself upon one of the largest , and let the wind play with her long hair , and she remarked that all the ships sailed by rapidly , and steered as far away as they could from the iceberg , as if they were afraid of it . Towards evening , as the sun went down , dark clouds covered the sky , the thunder rolled and the lightning flashed , and the red light glowed on the icebergs as they rocked and tossed on the heaving sea . On all the ships the sails were reefed with fear and trembling , while she sat calmly on the floating iceberg , watching the blue lightning , as it darted its forked flashes in
 to the sea . When first the sisters had permission to rise to the surface , they were each delighted with the new and beautiful sights they saw ; but now , as grown-up girls , they could go when they pleased , and they had become indifferent about it . They wished themselves back again in the water , and after a month had passed they said it was much more beautiful down below , and pleasanter to be at home . Yet often , in the evening hours , the five sisters would twine their arms round each other , and rise to the surface , in a row . They had more beautiful voices than any human being could have ; and before the approach of a storm , and when they expected a ship would be lost , they swam before the vessel , and sang sweetly of the delights to be found in the depths of the sea , and begging the sailors not to fear if they sank to the bottom . But the sailors could not understand the song , they took it for the howling of the storm . And these things were never to be beautiful for
  them ; for if the ship sank , the men were drowned , and their dead bodies alone reached the palace of the Sea King . When the sisters rose , arm-in-arm , through the water in this way , their youngest sister would stand quite alone , looking after them , ready to cry , only that the mermaids have no tears , and therefore they suffer more . \u201c Oh , were I but fifteen years old , \u201d said she : \u201c I know that I shall love the world up there , and all the people who live in it . \u201d At last she reached her fifteenth year . \u201c Well , now , you are grown up , \u201d said the old dowager , her grandmother ; \u201c so you must let me adorn you like your other sisters ; \u201d and she placed a wreath of white lilies in her hair , and every flower leaf was half a pearl . Then the old lady ordered eight great oysters to attach themselves to the tail of the princess to show her high rank . \u201c But they hurt me so , \u201d said the little mermaid . \u201c Pride must suffer pain , \u201d replied the old lady
  . Oh , how gladly she would have shaken off all this grandeur , and laid aside the heavy wreath ! The red flowers in her own garden would have suited her much better , but she could not help herself : so she said , \u201c Farewell , \u201d and rose as lightly as a bubble to the surface of the water . The sun had just set as she raised her head above the waves ; but the clouds were tinted with crimson and gold , and through the glimmering twilight beamed the evening star in all its beauty . The sea was calm , and the air mild and fresh . A large ship , with three masts , lay becalmed on the water , with only one sail set ; for not a breeze stiffed , and the sailors sat idle on deck or amongst the rigging . There was music and song on board ; and , as darkness came on , a hundred colored lanterns were lighted , as if the flags of all nations waved in the air . The little mermaid swam close to the cabin windows ; and now and then , as the waves lifted her up , she could look in through clea
 r glass window-panes , and see a number of well-dressed people within . Among them was a young prince , the most beautiful of all , with large black eyes ; he was sixteen years of age , and his birthday was being kept with much rejoicing . The sailors were dancing on deck , but when the prince came out of the cabin , more than a hundred rockets rose in the air , making it as bright as day . The little mermaid was so startled that she dived under water ; and when she again stretched out her head , it appeared as if all the stars of heaven were falling around her , she had never seen such fireworks before . Great suns spurted fire about , splendid fireflies flew into the blue air , and everything was reflected in the clear , calm sea beneath . The ship itself was so brightly illuminated that all the people , and even the smallest rope , could be distinctly and plainly seen . And how handsome the young prince looked , as he pressed the hands of all present and smiled at them , while th
 e music resounded through the clear night air . It was very late ; yet the little mermaid could not take her eyes from the ship , or from the beautiful prince . The colored lanterns had been extinguished , no more rockets rose in the air , and the cannon had ceased firing ; but the sea became restless , and a moaning , grumbling sound could be heard beneath the waves : still the little mermaid remained by the cabin window , rocking up and down on the water , which enabled her to look in . After a while , the sails were quickly unfurled , and the noble ship continued her passage ; but soon the waves rose higher , heavy clouds darkened the sky , and lightning appeared in the distance . A dreadful storm was approaching ; once more the sails were reefed , and the great ship pursued her flying course over the raging sea . The waves rose mountains high , as if they would have overtopped the mast ; but the ship dived like a swan between them , and then rose again on their lofty , foaming c
 rests . To the little mermaid this appeared pleasant sport ; not so to the sailors . At length the ship groaned and creaked ; the thick planks gave way under the lashing of the sea as it broke over the deck ; the mainmast snapped asunder like a reed ; the ship lay over on her side ; and the water rushed in . The little mermaid now perceived that the crew were in danger ; even she herself was obliged to be careful to avoid the beams and planks of the wreck which lay scattered on the water . At one moment it was so pitch dark that she could not see a single object , but a flash of lightning revealed the whole scene ; she could see every one who had been on board excepting the prince ; when the ship parted , she had seen him sink into the deep waves , and she was glad , for she thought he would now be with her ; and then she remembered that human beings could not live in the water , so that when he got down to her father 's palace he would be quite dead . But he must not die . So she s
 wam about among the beams and planks which strewed the surface of the sea , forgetting that they could crush her to pieces . Then she dived deeply under the dark waters , rising and falling with the waves , till at length she managed to reach the young prince , who was fast losing the power of swimming in that stormy sea . His limbs were failing him , his beautiful eyes were closed , and he would have died had not the little mermaid come to his assistance . She held his head above the water , and let the waves drift them where they would . In the morning the storm had ceased ; but of the ship not a single fragment could be seen . The sun rose up red and glowing from the water , and its beams brought back the hue of health to the prince 's cheeks ; but his eyes remained closed . The mermaid kissed his high , smooth forehead , and stroked back his wet hair ; he seemed to her like the marble statue in her little garden , and she kissed him again , and wished that he might live . Presen
 tly they came in sight of land ; she saw lofty blue mountains , on which the white snow rested as if a flock of swans were lying upon them . Near the coast were beautiful green forests , and close by stood a large building , whether a church or a convent she could not tell . Orange and citron trees grew in the garden , and before the door stood lofty palms . The sea here formed a little bay , in which the water was quite still , but very deep ; so she swam with the handsome prince to the beach , which was covered with fine , white sand , and there she laid him in the warm sunshine , taking care to raise his head higher than his body . Then bells sounded in the large white building , and a number of young girls came into the garden . The little mermaid swam out farther from the shore and placed herself between some high rocks that rose out of the water ; then she covered her head and neck with the foam of the sea so that her little face might not be seen , and watched to see what wou
 ld become of the poor prince . She did not wait long before she saw a young girl approach the spot where he lay . She seemed frightened at first , but only for a moment ; then she fetched a number of people , and the mermaid saw that the prince came to life again , and smiled upon those who stood round him . But to her he sent no smile ; he knew not that she had saved him . This made her very unhappy , and when he was led away into the great building , she dived down sorrowfully into the water , and returned to her father 's castle . She had always been silent and thoughtful , and now she was more so than ever . Her sisters asked her what she had seen during her first visit to the surface of the water ; but she would tell them nothing . Many an evening and morning did she rise to the place where she had left the prince . She saw the fruits in the garden ripen till they were gathered , the snow on the tops of the mountains melt away ; but she never saw the prince , and therefore she 
 returned home , always more sorrowful than before . It was her only comfort to sit in her own little garden , and fling her arm round the beautiful marble statue which was like the prince ; but she gave up tending her flowers , and they grew in wild confusion over the paths , twining their long leaves and stems round the branches of the trees , so that the whole place became dark and gloomy . At length she could bear it no longer , and told one of her sisters all about it . Then the others heard the secret , and very soon it became known to two mermaids whose intimate friend happened to know who the prince was . She had also seen the festival on board ship , and she told them where the prince came from , and where his palace stood . \u201c Come , little sister , \u201d said the other princesses ; then they entwined their arms and rose up in a long row to the surface of the water , close by the spot where they knew the prince 's palace stood . It was built of bright yellow shining stone , 
 with long flights of marble steps , one of which reached quite down to the sea . Splendid gilded cupolas rose over the roof , and between the pillars that surrounded the whole building stood life-like statues of marble . Through the clear crystal of the lofty windows could be seen noble rooms , with costly silk curtains and hangings of tapestry ; while the walls were covered with beautiful paintings which were a pleasure to look at . In the centre of the largest saloon a fountain threw its sparkling jets high up into the glass cupola of the ceiling , through which the sun shone down upon the water and upon the beautiful plants growing round the basin of the fountain . Now that she knew where he lived , she spent many an evening and many a night on the water near the palace . She would swim much nearer the shore than any of the others ventured to do ; indeed once she went quite up the narrow channel under the marble balcony , which threw a broad shadow on the water . Here she would s
 it and watch the young prince , who thought himself quite alone in the bright moonlight . She saw him many times of an evening sailing in a pleasant boat , with music playing and flags waving . She peeped out from among the green rushes , and if the wind caught her long silvery-white veil , those who saw it believed it to be a swan , spreading out its wings . On many a night , too , when the fishermen , with their torches , were out at sea , she heard them relate so many good things about the doings of the young prince , that she was glad she had saved his life when he had been tossed about half-dead on the waves . And she remembered that his head had rested on her bosom , and how heartily she had kissed him ; but he knew nothing of all this , and could not even dream of her . She grew more and more fond of human beings , and wished more and more to be able to wander about with those whose world seemed to be so much larger than her own . They could fly over the sea in ships , and mo
 unt the high hills which were far above the clouds ; and the lands they possessed , their woods and their fields , stretched far away beyond the reach of her sight . There was so much that she wished to know , and her sisters were unable to answer all her questions . Then she applied to her old grandmother , who knew all about the upper world , which she very rightly called the lands above the sea . \u201c If human beings are not drowned , \u201d asked the little mermaid , \u201c can they live forever ? do they never die as we do here in the sea ? \u201d \u201c Yes , \u201d replied the old lady , \u201c they must also die , and their term of life is even shorter than ours . We sometimes live to three hundred years , but when we cease to exist here we only become the foam on the surface of the water , and we have not even a grave down here of those we love . We have not immortal souls , we shall never live again ; but , like the green sea-weed , when once it has been cut off , we can never flourish more 
 . Human beings , on the contrary , have a soul which lives forever , lives after the body has been turned to dust . It rises up through the clear , pure air beyond the glittering stars . As we rise out of the water , and behold all the land of the earth , so do they rise to unknown and glorious regions which we shall never see . \u201d \u201c Why have not we an immortal soul ? \u201d asked the little mermaid mournfully ; \u201c I would give gladly all the hundreds of years that I have to live , to be a human being only for one day , and to have the hope of knowing the happiness of that glorious world above the stars . \u201d \u201c You must not think of that , \u201d said the old woman ; \u201c we feel ourselves to be much happier and much better off than human beings . \u201d \u201c So I shall die , \u201d said the little mermaid , \u201c and as the foam of the sea I shall be driven about never again to hear the music of the waves , or to see the pretty flowers nor the red sun . Is there anything I can do to win an i
 mmortal soul ? \u201d \u201c No , \u201d said the old woman , \u201c unless a man were to love you so much that you were more to him than his father or mother ; and if all his thoughts and all his love were fixed upon you , and the priest placed his right hand in yours , and he promised to be true to you here and hereafter , then his soul would glide into your body and you would obtain a share in the future happiness of mankind . He would give a soul to you and retain his own as well ; but this can never happen . Your fish 's tail , which amongst us is considered so beautiful , is thought on earth to be quite ugly ; they do not know any better , and they think it necessary to have two stout props , which they call legs , in order to be handsome . \u201d Then the little mermaid sighed , and looked sorrowfully at her fish 's tail . \u201c Let us be happy , \u201d said the old lady , \u201c and dart and spring about during the three hundred years that we have to live , which is really quite long enough ; afte
 r that we can rest ourselves all the better . This evening we are going to have a court ball . \u201d It is one of those splendid sights which we can never see on earth . The walls and the ceiling of the large ball-room were of thick , but transparent crystal . May hundreds of colossal shells , some of a deep red , others of a grass green , stood on each side in rows , with blue fire in them , which lighted up the whole saloon , and shone through the walls , so that the sea was also illuminated . Innumerable fishes , great and small , swam past the crystal walls ; on some of them the scales glowed with a purple brilliancy , and on others they shone like silver and gold . Through the halls flowed a broad stream , and in it danced the mermen and the mermaids to the music of their own sweet singing . No one on earth has such a lovely voice as theirs . The little mermaid sang more sweetly than them all . The whole court applauded her with hands and tails ; and for a moment her heart felt q
 uite gay , for she knew she had the loveliest voice of any on earth or in the sea . But she soon thought again of the world above her , for she could not forget the charming prince , nor her sorrow that she had not an immortal soul like his ; therefore she crept away silently out of her father 's palace , and while everything within was gladness and song , she sat in her own little garden sorrowful and alone . Then she heard the bugle sounding through the water , and thought \u2013 \u201c He is certainly sailing above , he on whom my wishes depend , and in whose hands I should like to place the happiness of my life . I will venture all for him , and to win an immortal soul , while my sisters are dancing in my father 's palace , I will go to the sea witch , of whom I have always been so much afraid , but she can give me counsel and help . \u201d And then the little mermaid went out from her garden , and took the road to the foaming whirlpools , behind which the sorceress lived . She had never
  been that way before : neither flowers nor grass grew there ; nothing but bare , gray , sandy ground stretched out to the whirlpool , where the water , like foaming mill-wheels , whirled round everything that it seized , and cast it into the fathomless deep . Through the midst of these crushing whirlpools the little mermaid was obliged to pass , to reach the dominions of the sea witch ; and also for a long distance the only road lay right across a quantity of warm , bubbling mire , called by the witch her turfmoor . Beyond this stood her house , in the centre of a strange forest , in which all the trees and flowers were polypi , half animals and half plants ; they looked like serpents with a hundred heads growing out of the ground . The branches were long slimy arms , with fingers like flexible worms , moving limb after limb from the root to the top . All that could be reached in the sea they seized upon , and held fast , so that it never escaped from their clutches . The little me
 rmaid was so alarmed at what she saw , that she stood still , and her heart beat with fear , and she was very nearly turning back ; but she thought of the prince , and of the human soul for which she longed , and her courage returned . She fastened her long flowing hair round her head , so that the polypi might not seize hold of it . She laid her hands together across her bosom , and then she darted forward as a fish shoots through the water , between the supple arms and fingers of the ugly polypi , which were stretched out on each side of her . She saw that each held in its grasp something it had seized with its numerous little arms , as if they were iron bands . The white skeletons of human beings who had perished at sea , and had sunk down into the deep waters , skeletons of land animals , oars , rudders , and chests of ships were lying tightly grasped by their clinging arms ; even a little mermaid , whom they had caught and strangled ; and this seemed the most shocking of all to
  the little princess . She now came to a space of marshy ground in the wood , where large , fat water-snakes were rolling in the mire , and showing their ugly , drab-colored bodies . In the midst of this spot stood a house , built with the bones of shipwrecked human beings . There sat the sea witch , allowing a toad to eat from her mouth , just as people sometimes feed a canary with a piece of sugar . She called the ugly water-snakes her little chickens , and allowed them to crawl all over her bosom . \u201c I know what you want , \u201d said the sea witch ; \u201c it is very stupid of you , but you shall have your way , and it will bring you to sorrow , my pretty princess . You want to get rid of your fish 's tail , and to have two supports instead of it , like human beings on earth , so that the young prince may fall in love with you , and that you may have an immortal soul . \u201d And then the witch laughed so loud and disgustingly , that the toad and the snakes fell to the ground , and lay
  there wriggling about . \u201c You are but just in time , \u201d said the witch ; \u201c for after sunrise to-morrow I should not be able to help you till the end of another year . I will prepare a draught for you , with which you must swim to land tomorrow before sunrise , and sit down on the shore and drink it . Your tail will then disappear , and shrink up into what mankind calls legs , and you will feel great pain , as if a sword were passing through you . But all who see you will say that you are the prettiest little human being they ever saw . You will still have the same floating gracefulness of movement , and no dancer will ever tread so lightly ; but at every step you take it will feel as if you were treading upon sharp knives , and that the blood must flow . If you will bear all this , I will help you . \u201d \u201c Yes , I will , \u201d said the little princess in a trembling voice , as she thought of the prince and the immortal soul . \u201c But think again , \u201d said the witch ; \u201c for w
 hen once your shape has become like a human being , you can no more be a mermaid . You will never return through the water to your sisters , or to your father 's palace again ; and if you do not win the love of the prince , so that he is willing to forget his father and mother for your sake , and to love you with his whole soul , and allow the priest to join your hands that you may be man and wife , then you will never have an immortal soul . The first morning after he marries another your heart will break , and you will become foam on the crest of the waves . \u201d \u201c I will do it , \u201d said the little mermaid , and she became pale as death . \u201c But I must be paid also , \u201d said the witch , \u201c and it is not a trifle that I ask . You have the sweetest voice of any who dwell here in the depths of the sea , and you believe that you will be able to charm the prince with it also , but this voice you must give to me ; the best thing you possess will I have for the price of my draught .
  My own blood must be mixed with it , that it may be as sharp as a two-edged sword . \u201d \u201c But if you take away my voice , \u201d said the little mermaid , \u201c what is left for me ? \u201d \u201c Your beautiful form , your graceful walk , and your expressive eyes ; surely with these you can enchain a man 's heart . Well , have you lost your courage ? Put out your little tongue that I may cut it off as my payment ; then you shall have the powerful draught . \u201d \u201c It shall be , \u201d said the little mermaid . Then the witch placed her cauldron on the fire , to prepare the magic draught . \u201c Cleanliness is a good thing , \u201d said she , scouring the vessel with snakes , which she had tied together in a large knot ; then she pricked herself in the breast , and let the black blood drop into it . The steam that rose formed itself into such horrible shapes that no one could look at them without fear . Every moment the witch threw something else into the vessel , and when it began to boil , the so
 und was like the weeping of a crocodile . When at last the magic draught was ready , it looked like the clearest water . \u201c There it is for you , \u201d said the witch . Then she cut off the mermaid 's tongue , so that she became dumb , and would never again speak or sing . \u201c If the polypi should seize hold of you as you return through the wood , \u201d said the witch , \u201c throw over them a few drops of the potion , and their fingers will be torn into a thousand pieces . \u201d But the little mermaid had no occasion to do this , for the polypi sprang back in terror when they caught sight of the glittering draught , which shone in her hand like a twinkling star . So she passed quickly through the wood and the marsh , and between the rushing whirlpools . She saw that in her father 's palace the torches in the ballroom were extinguished , and all within asleep ; but she did not venture to go in to them , for now she was dumb and going to leave them forever , she felt as if her heart would b
 reak . She stole into the garden , took a flower from the flower-beds of each of her sisters , kissed her hand a thousand times towards the palace , and then rose up through the dark blue waters . The sun had not risen when she came in sight of the prince 's palace , and approached the beautiful marble steps , but the moon shone clear and bright . Then the little mermaid drank the magic draught , and it seemed as if a two-edged sword went through her delicate body : she fell into a swoon , and lay like one dead . When the sun arose and shone over the sea , she recovered , and felt a sharp pain ; but just before her stood the handsome young prince . He fixed his coal-black eyes upon her so earnestly that she cast down her own , and then became aware that her fish 's tail was gone , and that she had as pretty a pair of white legs and tiny feet as any little maiden could have ; but she had no clothes , so she wrapped herself in her long , thick hair . The prince asked her who she was ,
  and where she came from , and she looked at him mildly and sorrowfully with her deep blue eyes ; but she could not speak . Every step she took was as the witch had said it would be , she felt as if treading upon the points of needles or sharp knives ; but she bore it willingly , and stepped as lightly by the prince 's side as a soap-bubble , so that he and all who saw her wondered at her graceful-swaying movements . She was very soon arrayed in costly robes of silk and muslin , and was the most beautiful creature in the palace ; but she was dumb , and could neither speak nor sing . Beautiful female slaves , dressed in silk and gold , stepped forward and sang before the prince and his royal parents : one sang better than all the others , and the prince clapped his hands and smiled at her . This was great sorrow to the little mermaid ; she knew how much more sweetly she herself could sing once , and she thought , \u201c Oh if he could only know that ! I have given away my voice forever 
 , to be with him . \u201d The slaves next performed some pretty fairy-like dances , to the sound of beautiful music . Then the little mermaid raised her lovely white arms , stood on the tips of her toes , and glided over the floor , and danced as no one yet had been able to dance . At each moment her beauty became more revealed , and her expressive eyes appealed more directly to the heart than the songs of the slaves . Every one was enchanted , especially the prince , who called her his little foundling ; and she danced again quite readily , to please him , though each time her foot touched the floor it seemed as if she trod on sharp knives . The prince said she should remain with him always , and she received permission to sleep at his door , on a velvet cushion . He had a page 's dress made for her , that she might accompany him on horseback . They rode together through the sweet-scented woods , where the green boughs touched their shoulders , and the little birds sang among the fres
 h leaves . She climbed with the prince to the tops of high mountains ; and although her tender feet bled so that even her steps were marked , she only laughed , and followed him till they could see the clouds beneath them looking like a flock of birds travelling to distant lands . While at the prince 's palace , and when all the household were asleep , she would go and sit on the broad marble steps ; for it eased her burning feet to bathe them in the cold sea-water ; and then she thought of all those below in the deep . Once during the night her sisters came up arm-in-arm , singing sorrowfully , as they floated on the water . She beckoned to them , and then they recognized her , and told her how she had grieved them . After that , they came to the same place every night ; and once she saw in the distance her old grandmother , who had not been to the surface of the sea for many years , and the old Sea King , her father , with his crown on his head . They stretched out their hands tow
 ards her , but they did not venture so near the land as her sisters did . As the days passed , she loved the prince more fondly , and he loved her as he would love a little child , but it never came into his head to make her his wife ; yet , unless he married her , she could not receive an immortal soul ; and , on the morning after his marriage with another , she would dissolve into the foam of the sea . \u201c Do you not love me the best of them all ? \u201d the eyes of the little mermaid seemed to say , when he took her in his arms , and kissed her fair forehead . \u201c Yes , you are dear to me , \u201d said the prince ; \u201c for you have the best heart , and you are the most devoted to me ; you are like a young maiden whom I once saw , but whom I shall never meet again . I was in a ship that was wrecked , and the waves cast me ashore near a holy temple , where several young maidens performed the service . The youngest of them found me on the shore , and saved my life . I saw her but twice , 
 and she is the only one in the world whom I could love ; but you are like her , and you have almost driven her image out of my mind . She belongs to the holy temple , and my good fortune has sent you to me instead of her ; and we will never part . \u201d \u201c Ah , he knows not that it was I who saved his life , \u201d thought the little mermaid . \u201c I carried him over the sea to the wood where the temple stands : I sat beneath the foam , and watched till the human beings came to help him . I saw the pretty maiden that he loves better than he loves me ; \u201d and the mermaid sighed deeply , but she could not shed tears . \u201c He says the maiden belongs to the holy temple , therefore she will never return to the world . They will meet no more : while I am by his side , and see him every day . I will take care of him , and love him , and give up my life for his sake . \u201d Very soon it was said that the prince must marry , and that the beautiful daughter of a neighboring king would be his wife ,
  for a fine ship was being fitted out . Although the prince gave out that he merely intended to pay a visit to the king , it was generally supposed that he really went to see his daughter . A great company were to go with him . The little mermaid smiled , and shook her head . She knew the prince 's thoughts better than any of the others . \u201c I must travel , \u201d he had said to her ; \u201c I must see this beautiful princess ; my parents desire it ; but they will not oblige me to bring her home as my bride . I cannot love her ; she is not like the beautiful maiden in the temple , whom you resemble . If I were forced to choose a bride , I would rather choose you , my dumb foundling , with those expressive eyes . \u201d And then he kissed her rosy mouth , played with her long waving hair , and laid his head on her heart , while she dreamed of human happiness and an immortal soul . \u201c You are not afraid of the sea , my dumb child , \u201d said he , as they stood on the deck of the noble ship wh
 ich was to carry them to the country of the neighboring king . And then he told her of storm and of calm , of strange fishes in the deep beneath them , and of what the divers had seen there ; and she smiled at his descriptions , for she knew better than any one what wonders were at the bottom of the sea . In the moonlight , when all on board were asleep , excepting the man at the helm , who was steering , she sat on the deck , gazing down through the clear water . She thought she could distinguish her father 's castle , and upon it her aged grandmother , with the silver crown on her head , looking through the rushing tide at the keel of the vessel . Then her sisters came up on the waves , and gazed at her mournfully , wringing their white hands . She beckoned to them , and smiled , and wanted to tell them how happy and well off she was ; but the cabin-boy approached , and when her sisters dived down he thought it was only the foam of the sea which he saw . The next morning the ship 
 sailed into the harbor of a beautiful town belonging to the king whom the prince was going to visit . The church bells were ringing , and from the high towers sounded a flourish of trumpets ; and soldiers , with flying colors and glittering bayonets , lined the rocks through which they passed . Every day was a festival ; balls and entertainments followed one another . But the princess had not yet appeared . People said that she was being brought up and educated in a religious house , where she was learning every royal virtue . At last she came . Then the little mermaid , who was very anxious to see whether she was really beautiful , was obliged to acknowledge that she had never seen a more perfect vision of beauty . Her skin was delicately fair , and beneath her long dark eye-lashes her laughing blue eyes shone with truth and purity . \u201c It was you , \u201d said the prince , \u201c who saved my life when I lay dead on the beach , \u201d and he folded his blushing bride in his arms . \u201c Oh 
 , I am too happy , \u201d said he to the little mermaid ; \u201c my fondest hopes are all fulfilled . You will rejoice at my happiness ; for your devotion to me is great and sincere . \u201d The little mermaid kissed his hand , and felt as if her heart were already broken . His wedding morning would bring death to her , and she would change into the foam of the sea . All the church bells rung , and the heralds rode about the town proclaiming the betrothal . Perfumed oil was burning in costly silver lamps on every altar . The priests waved the censers , while the bride and bridegroom joined their hands and received the blessing of the bishop . The little mermaid , dressed in silk and gold , held up the bride 's train ; but her ears heard nothing of the festive music , and her eyes saw not the holy ceremony ; she thought of the night of death which was coming to her , and of all she had lost in the world . On the same evening the bride and bridegroom went on board ship ; cannons were roaring ,
  flags waving , and in the centre of the ship a costly tent of purple and gold had been erected . It contained elegant couches , for the reception of the bridal pair during the night . The ship , with swelling sails and a favorable wind , glided away smoothly and lightly over the calm sea . When it grew dark a number of colored lamps were lit , and the sailors danced merrily on the deck . The little mermaid could not help thinking of her first rising out of the sea , when she had seen similar festivities and joys ; and she joined in the dance , poised herself in the air as a swallow when he pursues his prey , and all present cheered her with wonder . She had never danced so elegantly before . Her tender feet felt as if cut with sharp knives , but she cared not for it ; a sharper pang had pierced through her heart . She knew this was the last evening she should ever see the prince , for whom she had forsaken her kindred and her home ; she had given up her beautiful voice , and suffer
 ed unheard-of pain daily for him , while he knew nothing of it . This was the last evening that she would breathe the same air with him , or gaze on the starry sky and the deep sea ; an eternal night , without a thought or a dream , awaited her : she had no soul and now she could never win one . All was joy and gayety on board ship till long after midnight ; she laughed and danced with the rest , while the thoughts of death were in her heart . The prince kissed his beautiful bride , while she played with his raven hair , till they went arm-in-arm to rest in the splendid tent . Then all became still on board the ship ; the helmsman , alone awake , stood at the helm . The little mermaid leaned her white arms on the edge of the vessel , and looked towards the east for the first blush of morning , for that first ray of dawn that would bring her death . She saw her sisters rising out of the flood : they were as pale as herself ; but their long beautiful hair waved no more in the wind , a
 nd had been cut off . \u201c We have given our hair to the witch , \u201d said they , \u201c to obtain help for you , that you may not die to-night . She has given us a knife : here it is , see it is very sharp . Before the sun rises you must plunge it into the heart of the prince ; when the warm blood falls upon your feet they will grow together again , and form into a fish 's tail , and you will be once more a mermaid , and return to us to live out your three hundred years before you die and change into the salt sea foam . Haste , then ; he or you must die before sunrise . Our old grandmother moans so for you , that her white hair is falling off from sorrow , as ours fell under the witch 's scissors . Kill the prince and come back ; hasten : do you not see the first red streaks in the sky ? In a few minutes the sun will rise , and you must die . \u201d And then they sighed deeply and mournfully , and sank down beneath the waves . The little mermaid drew back the crimson curtain of the tent , 
 and beheld the fair bride with her head resting on the prince 's breast . She bent down and kissed his fair brow , then looked at the sky on which the rosy dawn grew brighter and brighter ; then she glanced at the sharp knife , and again fixed her eyes on the prince , who whispered the name of his bride in his dreams . She was in his thoughts , and the knife trembled in the hand of the little mermaid : then she flung it far away from her into the waves ; the water turned red where it fell , and the drops that spurted up looked like blood . She cast one more lingering , half-fainting glance at the prince , and then threw herself from the ship into the sea , and thought her body was dissolving into foam . The sun rose above the waves , and his warm rays fell on the cold foam of the little mermaid , who did not feel as if she were dying . She saw the bright sun , and all around her floated hundreds of transparent beautiful beings ; she could see through them the white sails of the ship
  , and the red clouds in the sky ; their speech was melodious , but too ethereal to be heard by mortal ears , as they were also unseen by mortal eyes . The little mermaid perceived that she had a body like theirs , and that she continued to rise higher and higher out of the foam . \u201c Where am I ? \u201d asked she , and her voice sounded ethereal , as the voice of those who were with her ; no earthly music could imitate it . \u201c Among the daughters of the air , \u201d answered one of them . \u201c A mermaid has not an immortal soul , nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being . On the power of another hangs her eternal destiny . But the daughters of the air , although they do not possess an immortal soul , can , by their good deeds , procure one for themselves . We fly to warm countries , and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence . We carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration . After we have striven for three hundred years
  to all the good in our power , we receive an immortal soul and take part in the happiness of mankind . You , poor little mermaid , have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing ; you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit-world by your good deeds ; and now , by striving for three hundred years in the same way , you may obtain an immortal soul . \u201d The little mermaid lifted her glorified eyes towards the sun , and felt them , for the first time , filling with tears . On the ship , in which she had left the prince , there were life and noise ; she saw him and his beautiful bride searching for her ; sorrowfully they gazed at the pearly foam , as if they knew she had thrown herself into the waves . Unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride , and fanned the prince , and then mounted with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the aether . \u201c After three hundred years , thus shall we float into the kingdom of heaven , \u201d said
  she . \u201c And we may even get there sooner , \u201d whispered one of her companions . \u201c Unseen we can enter the houses of men , where there are children , and for every day on which we find a good child , who is the joy of his parents and deserves their love , our time of probation is shortened . The child does not know , when we fly through the room , that we smile with joy at his good conduct , for we can count one year less of our three hundred years . But when we see a naughty or a wicked child , we shed tears of sorrow , and for every tear a day is added to our time of trial ! \u201d 
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+\ufeff The ugly duckling It was lovely summer weather in the country , and the golden corn , the green oats , and the haystacks piled up in the meadows looked beautiful . The stork walking about on his long red legs chattered in the Egyptian language which he had learnt from his mother . The corn-fields and meadows were surrounded by large forests , in the midst of which were deep pools . It was , indeed , delightful to walk about in the country . In a sunny spot stood a pleasant old farm-house close by a deep river , and from the house down to the water side grew great burdock leaves , so high , that under the tallest of them a little child could stand upright . The spot was as wild as the centre of a thick wood . In this snug retreat sat a duck on her nest , watching for her young brood to hatch ; she was beginning to get tired of her task , for the little ones were a long time coming out of their shells , and she seldom had any visitors . The other ducks liked much better to swim ab
 out in the river than to climb the slippery banks , and sit under a burdock leaf , to have a gossip with her . At length one shell cracked , and then another , and from each egg came a living creature that lifted its head and cried , \u201c Peep , peep . \u201d \u201c Quack , quack , \u201d said the mother , and then they all quacked as well as they could , and looked about them on every side at the large green leaves . Their mother allowed them to look as much as they liked , because green is good for the eyes . \u201c How large the world is , \u201d said the young ducks , when they found how much more room they now had than while they were inside the egg-shell . \u201c Do you imagine this is the whole world ? \u201d asked the mother ; \u201c Wait till you have seen the garden ; it stretches far beyond that to the parson 's field , but I have never ventured to such a distance . Are you all out ? \u201d she continued , rising ; \u201c No , I declare , the largest egg lies there still . I wonder how long this is to 
 last , I am quite tired of it ; \u201d and she seated herself again on the nest . \u201c Well , how are you getting on ? \u201d asked an old duck , who paid her a visit . \u201c One egg is not hatched yet , \u201d said the duck , \u201c it will not break . But just look at all the others , are they not the prettiest little ducklings you ever saw ? They are the image of their father , who is so unkind , he never comes to see . \u201d \u201c Let me see the egg that will not break , \u201d said the duck ; \u201c I have no doubt it is a turkey 's egg . I was persuaded to hatch some once , and after all my care and trouble with the young ones , they were afraid of the water . I quacked and clucked , but all to no purpose . I could not get them to venture in . Let me look at the egg . Yes , that is a turkey 's egg ; take my advice , leave it where it is and teach the other children to swim . \u201d \u201c I think I will sit on it a little while longer , \u201d said the duck ; \u201c as I have sat so long already , a few days will
  be nothing . \u201d \u201c Please yourself , \u201d said the old duck , and she went away . At last the large egg broke , and a young one crept forth crying , \u201c Peep , peep . \u201d It was very large and ugly . The duck stared at it and exclaimed , \u201c It is very large and not at all like the others . I wonder if it really is a turkey . We shall soon find it out , however when we go to the water . It must go in , if I have to push it myself . \u201d On the next day the weather was delightful , and the sun shone brightly on the green burdock leaves , so the mother duck took her young brood down to the water , and jumped in with a splash . \u201c Quack , quack , \u201d cried she , and one after another the little ducklings jumped in . The water closed over their heads , but they came up again in an instant , and swam about quite prettily with their legs paddling under them as easily as possible , and the ugly duckling was also in the water swimming with them . \u201c Oh , \u201d said the mother , \u201c that is
  not a turkey ; how well he uses his legs , and how upright he holds himself ! He is my own child , and he is not so very ugly after all if you look at him properly . Quack , quack ! come with me now , I will take you into grand society , and introduce you to the farmyard , but you must keep close to me or you may be trodden upon ; and , above all , beware of the cat . \u201d When they reached the farmyard , there was a great disturbance , two families were fighting for an eel 's head , which , after all , was carried off by the cat . \u201c See , children , that is the way of the world , \u201d said the mother duck , whetting her beak , for she would have liked the eel 's head herself . \u201c Come , now , use your legs , and let me see how well you can behave . You must bow your heads prettily to that old duck yonder ; she is the highest born of them all , and has Spanish blood , therefore , she is well off . Do n't you see she has a red flag tied to her leg , which is something very grand , 
 and a great honor for a duck ; it shows that every one is anxious not to lose her , as she can be recognized both by man and beast . Come , now , do n't turn your toes , a well-bred duckling spreads his feet wide apart , just like his father and mother , in this way ; now bend your neck , and say \u2018 quack . \u2019 \u201d The ducklings did as they were bid , but the other duck stared , and said , \u201c Look , here comes another brood , as if there were not enough of us already ! and what a queer looking object one of them is ; we do n't want him here , \u201d and then one flew out and bit him in the neck . \u201c Let him alone , \u201d said the mother ; \u201c he is not doing any harm . \u201d \u201c Yes , but he is so big and ugly , \u201d said the spiteful duck \u201c and therefore he must be turned out . \u201d \u201c The others are very pretty children , \u201d said the old duck , with the rag on her leg , \u201c all but that one ; I wish his mother could improve him a little . \u201d \u201c That is impossible , your grace , 
  replied the mother ; \u201c he is not pretty ; but he has a very good disposition , and swims as well or even better than the others . I think he will grow up pretty , and perhaps be smaller ; he has remained too long in the egg , and therefore his figure is not properly formed ; \u201d and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers , saying , \u201c It is a drake , and therefore not of so much consequence . I think he will grow up strong , and able to take care of himself . \u201d \u201c The other ducklings are graceful enough , \u201d said the old duck . \u201c Now make yourself at home , and if you can find an eel 's head , you can bring it to me . \u201d And so they made themselves comfortable . But the poor duckling , who had crept out of his shell last of all , and looked so ugly , was bitten and pushed and made fun of , not only by the ducks , but by all the poultry . \u201c He is too big , \u201d they all said , and the turkey cock , who had been born into the world with spurs , and fancied hi
 mself really an emperor , puffed himself out like a vessel in full sail , and flew at the duckling , and became quite red in the head with passion , so that the poor little thing did not know where to go , and was quite miserable because he was so ugly and laughed at by the whole farmyard . So it went on from day to day till it got worse and worse . The poor duckling was driven about by every one ; even his brothers and sisters were unkind to him , and would say , \u201c Ah , you ugly creature , I wish the cat would get you , \u201d and his mother said she wished he had never been born . The ducks pecked him , the chickens beat him , and the girl who fed the poultry kicked him with her feet . So at last he ran away , frightening the little birds in the hedge as he flew over the palings . \u201c They are afraid of me because I am ugly , \u201d he said . So he closed his eyes , and flew still farther , until he came out on a large moor , inhabited by wild ducks . Here he remained the whole night 
 , feeling very tired and sorrowful . In the morning , when the wild ducks rose in the air , they stared at their new comrade . \u201c What sort of a duck are you ? \u201d they all said , coming round him . He bowed to them , and was as polite as he could be , but he did not reply to their question . \u201c You are exceedingly ugly , \u201d said the wild ducks , \u201c but that will not matter if you do not want to marry one of our family . \u201d Poor thing ! he had no thoughts of marriage ; all he wanted was permission to lie among the rushes , and drink some of the water on the moor . After he had been on the moor two days , there came two wild geese , or rather goslings , for they had not been out of the egg long , and were very saucy . \u201c Listen , friend , \u201d said one of them to the duckling , \u201c you are so ugly , that we like you very well . Will you go with us , and become a bird of passage ? Not far from here is another moor , in which there are some pretty wild geese , all unmarried . It i
 s a chance for you to get a wife ; you may be lucky , ugly as you are . \u201d \u201c Pop , pop , \u201d sounded in the air , and the two wild geese fell dead among the rushes , and the water was tinged with blood . \u201c Pop , pop , \u201d echoed far and wide in the distance , and whole flocks of wild geese rose up from the rushes . The sound continued from every direction , for the sportsmen surrounded the moor , and some were even seated on branches of trees , overlooking the rushes . The blue smoke from the guns rose like clouds over the dark trees , and as it floated away across the water , a number of sporting dogs bounded in among the rushes , which bent beneath them wherever they went . How they terrified the poor duckling ! He turned away his head to hide it under his wing , and at the same moment a large terrible dog passed quite near him . His jaws were open , his tongue hung from his mouth , and his eyes glared fearfully . He thrust his nose close to the duckling , showing his sharp t
 eeth , and then , \u201c splash , splash , \u201d he went into the water without touching him . \u201c Oh , \u201d sighed the duckling , \u201c how thankful I am for being so ugly ; even a dog will not bite me . \u201d And so he lay quite still , while the shot rattled through the rushes , and gun after gun was fired over him . It was late in the day before all became quiet , but even then the poor young thing did not dare to move . He waited quietly for several hours , and then , after looking carefully around him , hastened away from the moor as fast as he could . He ran over field and meadow till a storm arose , and he could hardly struggle against it . Towards evening , he reached a poor little cottage that seemed ready to fall , and only remained standing because it could not decide on which side to fall first . The storm continued so violent , that the duckling could go no farther ; he sat down by the cottage , and then he noticed that the door was not quite closed in consequence of one of the 
 hinges having given way . There was therefore a narrow opening near the bottom large enough for him to slip through , which he did very quietly , and got a shelter for the night . A woman , a tom cat , and a hen lived in this cottage . The tom cat , whom the mistress called , \u201c My little son , \u201d was a great favorite ; he could raise his back , and purr , and could even throw out sparks from his fur if it were stroked the wrong way . The hen had very short legs , so she was called \u201c Chickie short legs . \u201d She laid good eggs , and her mistress loved her as if she had been her own child . In the morning , the strange visitor was discovered , and the tom cat began to purr , and the hen to cluck . \u201c What is that noise about ? \u201d said the old woman , looking round the room , but her sight was not very good ; therefore , when she saw the duckling she thought it must be a fat duck , that had strayed from home . \u201c Oh what a prize ! \u201d she exclaimed , \u201c I hope it is not a drak
 e , for then I shall have some duck 's eggs . I must wait and see . \u201d So the duckling was allowed to remain on trial for three weeks , but there were no eggs . Now the tom cat was the master of the house , and the hen was mistress , and they always said , \u201c We and the world , \u201d for they believed themselves to be half the world , and the better half too . The duckling thought that others might hold a different opinion on the subject , but the hen would not listen to such doubts . \u201c Can you lay eggs ? \u201d she asked . \u201c No. \u201d \u201c Then have the goodness to hold your tongue . \u201d \u201c Can you raise your back , or purr , or throw out sparks ? \u201d said the tom cat . \u201c No. \u201d \u201c Then you have no right to express an opinion when sensible people are speaking . \u201d So the duckling sat in a corner , feeling very low spirited , till the sunshine and the fresh air came into the room through the open door , and then he began to feel such a great longing for a swim on the water , tha
 t he could not help telling the hen . \u201c What an absurd idea , \u201d said the hen . \u201c You have nothing else to do , therefore you have foolish fancies . If you could purr or lay eggs , they would pass away . \u201d \u201c But it is so delightful to swim about on the water , \u201d said the duckling , \u201c and so refreshing to feel it close over your head , while you dive down to the bottom . \u201d \u201c Delightful , indeed ! \u201d said the hen , \u201c why you must be crazy ! Ask the cat , he is the cleverest animal I know , ask him how he would like to swim about on the water , or to dive under it , for I will not speak of my own opinion ; ask our mistress , the old woman \u2013 there is no one in the world more clever than she is . Do you think she would like to swim , or to let the water close over her head ? \u201d \u201c You do n't understand me , \u201d said the duckling . \u201c We do n't understand you ? Who can understand you , I wonder ? Do you consider yourself more clever than the cat , or the old woman
  ? I will say nothing of myself . Do n't imagine such nonsense , child , and thank your good fortune that you have been received here . Are you not in a warm room , and in society from which you may learn something . But you are a chatterer , and your company is not very agreeable . Believe me , I speak only for your own good . I may tell you unpleasant truths , but that is a proof of my friendship . I advise you , therefore , to lay eggs , and learn to purr as quickly as possible . \u201d \u201c I believe I must go out into the world again , \u201d said the duckling . \u201c Yes , do , \u201d said the hen . So the duckling left the cottage , and soon found water on which it could swim and dive , but was avoided by all other animals , because of its ugly appearance . Autumn came , and the leaves in the forest turned to orange and gold . Then , as winter approached , the wind caught them as they fell and whirled them in the cold air . The clouds , heavy with hail and snow-flakes , hung low in the s
 ky , and the raven stood on the ferns crying , \u201c Croak , croak . \u201d It made one shiver with cold to look at him . All this was very sad for the poor little duckling . One evening , just as the sun set amid radiant clouds , there came a large flock of beautiful birds out of the bushes . The duckling had never seen any like them before . They were swans , and they curved their graceful necks , while their soft plumage shown with dazzling whiteness . They uttered a singular cry , as they spread their glorious wings and flew away from those cold regions to warmer countries across the sea . As they mounted higher and higher in the air , the ugly little duckling felt quite a strange sensation as he watched them . He whirled himself in the water like a wheel , stretched out his neck towards them , and uttered a cry so strange that it frightened himself . Could he ever forget those beautiful , happy birds ; and when at last they were out of his sight , he dived under the water , and rose
  again almost beside himself with excitement . He knew not the names of these birds , nor where they had flown , but he felt towards them as he had never felt for any other bird in the world . He was not envious of these beautiful creatures , but wished to be as lovely as they . Poor ugly creature , how gladly he would have lived even with the ducks had they only given him encouragement . The winter grew colder and colder ; he was obliged to swim about on the water to keep it from freezing , but every night the space on which he swam became smaller and smaller . At length it froze so hard that the ice in the water crackled as he moved , and the duckling had to paddle with his legs as well as he could , to keep the space from closing up . He became exhausted at last , and lay still and helpless , frozen fast in the ice . Early in the morning , a peasant , who was passing by , saw what had happened . He broke the ice in pieces with his wooden shoe , and carried the duckling home to hi
 s wife . The warmth revived the poor little creature . But when the children wanted to play with him , the duckling thought they would do him some harm ; so he started up in terror , fluttered into the milk-pan , and splashed the milk about the room . Then the woman clapped her hands , which frightened him still more . He flew first into the butter-cask , then into the meal-tub , and out again . What a condition he was in ! The woman screamed , and struck at him with the tongs ; the children laughed and screamed , and tumbled over each other , in their efforts to catch him ; but luckily he escaped . The door stood open ; the poor creature could just manage to slip out among the bushes , and lie down quite exhausted in the newly fallen snow . It would be very sad , were I to relate all the misery and privations which the poor little duckling endured during the hard winter ; but when it had passed , he found himself lying one morning in a moor , amongst the rushes . He felt the warm s
 un shining , and heard the lark singing , and saw that all around was beautiful spring . Then the young bird felt that his wings were strong , as he flapped them against his sides , and rose high into the air . They bore him onwards , until he found himself in a large garden , before he well knew how it had happened . The apple-trees were in full blossom , and the fragrant elders bent their long green branches down to the stream which wound round a smooth lawn . Everything looked beautiful , in the freshness of early spring . From a thicket close by came three beautiful white swans , rustling their feathers , and swimming lightly over the smooth water . The duckling remembered the lovely birds , and felt more strangely unhappy than ever . \u201c I will fly to those royal birds , \u201d he exclaimed , \u201c and they will kill me , because I am so ugly , and dare to approach them ; but it does not matter : better be killed by them than pecked by the ducks , beaten by the hens , pushed about b
 y the maiden who feeds the poultry , or starved with hunger in the winter . \u201d Then he flew to the water , and swam towards the beautiful swans . The moment they espied the stranger , they rushed to meet him with outstretched wings . \u201c Kill me , \u201d said the poor bird ; and he bent his head down to the surface of the water , and awaited death . But what did he see in the clear stream below ? His own image ; no longer a dark , gray bird , ugly and disagreeable to look at , but a graceful and beautiful swan . To be born in a duck 's nest , in a farmyard , is of no consequence to a bird , if it is hatched from a swan 's egg . He now felt glad at having suffered sorrow and trouble , because it enabled him to enjoy so much better all the pleasure and happiness around him ; for the great swans swam round the new-comer , and stroked his neck with their beaks , as a welcome . Into the garden presently came some little children , and threw bread and cake into the water . \u201c See , \u201d cri
 ed the youngest , \u201c there is a new one ; \u201d and the rest were delighted , and ran to their father and mother , dancing and clapping their hands , and shouting joyously , \u201c There is another swan come ; a new one has arrived . \u201d Then they threw more bread and cake into the water , and said , \u201c The new one is the most beautiful of all ; he is so young and pretty . \u201d And the old swans bowed their heads before him . Then he felt quite ashamed , and hid his head under his wing ; for he did not know what to do , he was so happy , and yet not at all proud . He had been persecuted and despised for his ugliness , and now he heard them say he was the most beautiful of all the birds . Even the elder-tree bent down its bows into the water before him , and the sun shone warm and bright . Then he rustled his feathers , curved his slender neck , and cried joyfully , from the depths of his heart , \u201c I never dreamed of such happiness as this , while I was an ugly duckling . \u201d 
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