English
Theprincewenttodressfortheoccasion,forhewasresolvedtodielikeaprince.
Whentheprincessheardthatamanhadofferedtodieforher,shewassotransportedthatshejumpedoffthebed,feebleasshewas,anddancedabouttheroomforjoy.
Shedidnotcarewhothemanwas;thatwasnothingtoher.
Theholewantedstopping;andifonlyamanwoulddo,why,takeone.
Inanhourortwomoreeverythingwasready.
Hermaiddressedherinhaste,andtheycarriedhertothesideofthelake.
Whenshesawitsheshrieked,andcoveredherfacewithherhands.
Theyboreheracrosstothestone,wheretheyhadalreadyplacedalittleboatforher.
Thewaterwasnotdeepenoughtofloatin,buttheyhopeditwouldbe,beforelong.
Theylaidheroncushions,placedintheboatwinesandfruitsandothernicethings,andstretchedacanopyoverall.
Inafewminutestheprinceappeared.Theprincessrecognisedhimatonce,butdidnotthinkitworthwhiletoacknowledgehim.
“HereIam,”saidtheprince.“Putmein.”
“Theytoldmeitwasashoeblack,”saidtheprincess.
“SoIam,”saidtheprince.“Iblackedyourlittlebootsthreetimesaday,becausetheywereallIcouldgetofyou.Putmein.”
Thecourtiersdidnotresenthisbluntness,exceptbysayingtoeachotherthathewastakingitoutinimpudence.
Buthowwashetobeputin?Thegoldenplatecontainednoinstructionsonthispoint.
Theprincelookedatthehole,andsawbutoneway.
Heputbothhislegsintoit,sittingonthestone,and,stoopingforward,coveredthecornerthatremainedopenwithhistwohands.
Inthisuncomfortablepositionheresolvedtoabidehisfate,andturningtothepeople,said:
“Nowyoucango.”
Thekinghadalreadygonehometodinner.
“Nowyoucango,”repeatedtheprincessafterhim,likeaparrot.
Thepeopleobeyedherandwent.
Presentlyalittlewaveflowedoverthestone,andwettedoneoftheprince’sknees.Buthedidnotminditmuch.Hebegantosing,andthesonghesangwasthis:
“Asaworldthathasnowell,
Darklybrightinforestdell;
Asaworldwithoutthegleam
Ofthedownward-goingstream;
Asaworldwithouttheglance
Oftheocean’sfairexpanse;
Asaworldwhereneverrain
Glitteredonthesunnyplain;—
Such,myheart,thyworldwouldbe,
Ifnolovedidflowinthee.
“Asaworldwithoutthesound
Oftherivuletsunderground;
Orthebubblingofthespring
Outofdarknesswandering;
Orthemightyrushandflowing
Oftheriver’sdownwardgoing;
Orthemusic-showersthatdrop
Ontheoutspreadbeech’stop;
Ortheocean’smightyvoice,
Whenhisliftedwavesrejoice;—Such,
mysoul,thyworldwouldbe,
Ifnolovedidsinginthee.
“Lady,keepthyworld’sdelight,
Keepthewatersinthysight
Lovehathmademestrongtogo,
Forthysake,torealmsbelow,
Wherethewater’sshineandhum
Throughthedarknessnevercome.
Let,Ipray,onethoughtofme
Spring,alittlewell,inthee;
Lestthylovelesssoulbefound
Likeadryandthirstyground.”
“Singagain,prince.Itmakesitlesstedious,”saidtheprincess.
Buttheprincewastoomuchovercometosinganymore,andalongpausefollowed.
“Thisisverykindofyou,prince,”saidtheprincessatlast,quitecoolly,asshelayintheboatwithhereyesshut.
princesslookingleft
“IamsorryIcan’treturnthecompliment,”thoughttheprince,“butyouareworthdyingfor,afterall.”
Againawavelet,andanother,andanotherflowedoverthestone,andwettedboththeprince’sknees;buthedidnotspeakormove.
Two—three—fourhourspassedinthisway,theprincessapparentlyasleep,andtheprinceverypatient.
Buthewasmuchdisappointedinhisposition,forhehadnoneoftheconsolationhehadhopedfor.
Atlasthecouldbearitnolonger.
“Princess!”saidhe.
Butatthemomentupstartedtheprincess,crying:
“I’mafloat!I’mafloat!”
Andthelittleboatbumpedagainstthestone.
“Princess!”repeatedtheprince,encouragedbyseeingherwideawakeandlookingeagerlyatthewater.
“Well?”saidshe,withoutlookinground.
“Yourpapapromisedthatyoushouldlookatme,andyouhaven’tlookedatmeonce.”
“Didhe?ThenIsupposeImust.ButIamsosleepy!”
“Sleep,then,darling,anddon’tmindme,”saidthepoorprince.
“Really,youareverygood,”repliedtheprincess.“IthinkIwillgotosleepagain.”
“Justgivemeaglassofwineandabiscuitfirst,”saidtheprince,veryhumbly.
“Withallmyheart,”saidtheprincess,andyawnedasshesaidit.
Shegotthewineandthebiscuit,however,andleaningoverthesideoftheboattowardshim,wascompelledtolookathim.
“Why,prince,”shesaid,“youdon’tlookwell!Areyousureyoudon’tmindit?”
“Notabit,”answeredhe,feelingveryfaintindeed.“OnlyIshalldiebeforeitisofanyusetoyou,unlessIhavesomethingtoeat,”
“There,then,”saidshe,holdingoutthewinetohim.
“Ah!youmustfeedme.Idarenotmovemyhands.Thewaterwouldrunawaydirectly.”
“Goodgracious!”saidtheprincess;andshebeganatoncetofeedhimwithbitsofbiscuitandsipsofwine.
Asshefedhim,hecontrivedtokissthetipsofherfingersnowandthen.Shedidnotseemtomindit,onewayortheother.Buttheprincefeltbetter.
“Now,foryourownsake,princess,”saidhe,“Icannotletyougotosleep.Youmustsitandlookatme,elseIshallnotbeabletokeepup.”
“Well,Iwilldoanythingtoobligeyou,”answeredshe,withcondescension;and,sittingdown,shedidlookathim,andkeptlookingathimwithwonderfulsteadiness,consideringallthings.
Thesunwentdown,andthemoonrose,and,gushaftergush,thewaterswererisinguptheprince’sbody.Theywereuptohiswaistnow.
“Whycan’twegoandhaveaswim?”saidtheprincess.“Thereseemstobewaterenoughjustabouthere.”
“Ishallneverswimmore,”saidtheprince.
“Oh,Iforgot,”saidtheprincess,andwassilent.
Sothewatergrewandgrew,androseupandupontheprince.Andtheprincesssatandlookedathim.Shefedhimnowandthen.Thenightworeon.Thewatersroseandrose.
Themoonroselikewisehigherandhigher,andshonefullonthefaceofthedyingprince.Thewaterwasuptohisneck.
“Willyoukissme,princess?”saidhe,feebly.Thenonchalancewasallgonenow.
“Yes,Iwill,”answeredtheprincess,andkissedhimwithalong,sweet,coldkiss.
“Now,”saidhe,withasighofcontent,“Idiehappy.”
Hedidnotspeakagain.Theprincessgavehimsomewineforthelasttime:hewaspasteating.
Thenshesatdownagain,andlookedathim.Thewaterroseandrose.Ittouchedhischin.Ittouchedhislowerlip.Ittouchedbetweenhislips.Heshutthemhardtokeepitout.Theprincessbegantofeelstrange.Ittouchedhisupperlip.Hebreathedthroughhisnostrils.Theprincesslookedwild.Itcoveredhisnostrils.
Hereyeslookedscared,andshonestrangeinthemoonlight.
Hisheadfellback;thewaterclosedoverit,andthebubblesofhislastbreathbubbledupthroughthewater.
Theprincessgaveashriek,andsprangintothelake.
Shelaidholdfirstofoneleg,andthenoftheother,andpulledandtugged,butshecouldnotmoveeither.
Shestoppedtotakebreath,andthatmadeherthinkthathecouldnotgetanybreath.Shewasfrantic.
Shegotholdofhim,andheldhisheadabovethewater,whichwaspossiblenowhishandswerenolongeronthehole.
Butitwasofnouse,forhewaspastbreathing.
Loveandwaterbroughtbackallherstrength.
Shegotunderthewater,andpulledandpulledwithherwholemight,tillatlastshegotonelegout.Theothereasilyfollowed.
Howshegothimintotheboatshenevercouldtell;butwhenshedid,shefaintedaway.
Comingtoherself,sheseizedtheoars,keptherselfsteadyasbestshecould,androwedandrowed,thoughshehadneverrowedbefore.
Roundrocks,andovershallows,andthroughmudsherowed,tillshegottothelanding-stairsofthepalace.
Bythistimeherpeoplewereontheshore,fortheyhadheardhershriek.
Shemadethemcarrytheprincetoherownroom,andlayhiminherbed,andlightafire,andsendforthedoctors.
“Butthelake,yourhighness!”saidthechamberlain,who,rousedbythenoise,camein,inhisnightcap.
“Goanddrownyourselfinit!”shesaid.
Thiswasthelastrudenessofwhichtheprincesswaseverguilty;andonemustallowthatshehadgoodcausetofeelprovokedwiththelordchamberlain.
Haditbeenthekinghimself,hewouldhavefarednobetter.
Butbothheandthequeenwerefastasleep.
Andthechamberlainwentbacktohisbed.Somehow,thedoctorsnevercame.
Sotheprincessandheroldnursewereleftwiththeprince.
Buttheoldnursewasawisewoman,andknewwhattodo.
Theytriedeverythingforalongtimewithoutsuccess.Theprincesswasnearlydistractedbetweenhopeandfear,butshetriedonandon,onethingafteranother,andeverythingoverandoveragain.
Atlast,whentheyhadallbutgivenitup,justasthesunrose,theprinceopenedhiseyes.
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