English
Earlythenextmorningtheprincesetouttolookforsomethingtoeat,whichhesoonfoundataforester’shut,whereformanyfollowingdayshewassuppliedwithallthatabraveprincecouldconsidernecessary.
Andhavingplentytokeephimaliveforthepresent,hewouldnotthinkofwantsnotyetinexistence.
WheneverCareintruded,thisprincealwaysbowedhimoutinthemostprincelymanner.
Whenhereturnedfromhisbreakfasttohiswatch-cave,hesawtheprincessalreadyfloatingaboutinthelake,attendedbythekingandqueen—whomheknewbytheircrowns—andagreatcompanyinlovelylittleboats,withcanopiesofallthecoloursoftherainbow,andflagsandstreamersofagreatmanymore.
Itwasaverybrightday,andtheprince,burnedupwiththeheat,begantolongforthecoldwaterandthecoolprincess.
Buthehadtoenduretilltwilight;fortheboatshadprovisionsonboard,anditwasnottillthesunwentdownthatthefestivepartybegantovanish.
Boatafterboatdrewawaytotheshore,followingthatofthekingandqueen,tillonlyone,apparentlytheprincess’sownboat,remained.
Butshedidnotwanttogohomeevenyet,andtheprincethoughthesawherordertheboattotheshorewithouther.
Atalleventsitrowedaway;andnow,ofalltheradiantcompany,onlyonewhitespeckremained.Thentheprincebegantosing.
Andthisiswhathesung:
”Ladyfair,
Swan-white,
Liftthineeyes,
Banishnight
Bythemight
Ofthineeyes.
“Snowyarms,
Oarsofsnow,
Oarherhither,
Plashinglow.
Softandslow,
Oarherhither.
“Streambehindher
O’erthelake,
Radiantwhiteness!
Inherwake
Following,following,forhersake,
Radiantwhiteness!
“Clingabouther,
Watersblue;
Partnotfromher,
Butrenew
Coldandtrue
Kissesroundher.
“Lapmeround,
Waterssad
Thathavelefther
Makemeglad,
Foryehad
Kissedherereyelefther.”
princesslookingleft
Beforehehadfinishedhissong,theprincesswasjustundertheplacewherehesat,andlookinguptofindhim.Herearshadledhertruly.
“Wouldyoulikeafall,princess?”saidtheprince,lookingdown.
“Ah,thereyouare!Yes,ifyouplease,prince,”saidtheprincess,lookingup.
“HowdoyouknowIamaprince,princess?”saidtheprince.
“Becauseyouareaveryniceyoungman,prince,”saidtheprincess.
“Comeupthen,princess.”
“Fetchme,prince.”
Theprincetookoffhisscarf,thenhisswordbeltthenhistunic,andtiedthemalltogether,andletthemdown.Butthelinewasfartooshort.
Heunwoundhisturban,andaddedittotherest,whenitwasallbutlongenough;andhispursecompletedit.
Theprincessjustmanagedtolayholdoftheknotofmoney,andwasbesidehiminamoment.
Thisrockwasmuchhigherthantheother,andthesplashandthediveweretremendous.
Theprincesswasinecstasiesofdelight,andtheirswimwasdelicious.
Nightafternighttheymet,andswamaboutinthedarkclearlake,wheresuchwastheprince’sgladness,that(whethertheprincess’swayoflookingatthingsinfectedhim,orhewasactuallygettinglight-headed)heoftenfanciedthathewasswimmingintheskyinsteadofthelake.
Butwhenhetalkedaboutbeinginheaven,theprincesslaughedathimdreadfully.
Whenthemooncame,shebroughtthemfreshpleasure.
Everythinglookedstrangeandnewinherlight,withanold,withered,yetunfadingnewness.
Whenthemoonwasnearlyfull,oneoftheirgreatdelightswastodivedeepinthewater,andthen,turninground,lookupthroughitatthegreatblotoflightcloseabovethem,shimmeringandtremblingandwavering,spreadingandcontracting,seemingtomeltaway,andagaingrowsolid.
Thentheywouldshootupthroughtheblot,andlo!
therewasthemoon,faroff,clearandsteadyandcold,andverylovely,atthebottomofadeeperandbluerlakethantheirs,astheprincesssaid.
Theprincesoonfoundoutthatwhileinthewatertheprincesswasverylikeotherpeople.
Andbesidesthis,shewasnotsoforwardinherquestionsorpertinherrepliesatseaasonshore.
Neitherdidshelaughsomuch;andwhenshedidlaugh,itwasmoregently.
Sheseemedaltogethermoremodestandmaidenlyinthewaterthanoutofit.
Butwhentheprince,whohadreallyfalleninlovewhenhefellinthelake,begantotalktoheraboutlove,shealwaysturnedherheadtowardshimandlaughed.
Afterawhileshebegantolookpuzzled,asifsheweretryingtounderstandwhathemeant,butcouldnot—revealinganotionthathemeantsomething.
Butassoonaseversheleftthelake,shewassoaltered,thattheprincesaidtohimself,“IfImarryher,Iseenohelpforit:wemustturnmermanandmermaid,andgoouttoseaatonce,”
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