The water-nymph

Far in the sea water dark blue-dark blue as petals of the most beautiful cornflowers, and transparent-transparent as the purest glass, only it is very deep so it is deep, that no anchor rope will suffice. Many belltowers it is necessary to put one on another then only the top will look out on a surface. There at the bottom there live the underwater people.

Only do not think, that a bottom naked, one only white sand. No, unprecedented trees and flowers with such flexible stalks and leaves there grow, that they move, as if live, from the slightest movement of water. And between branches fishes, big and small, just as birds in air at us above scurry about. In the deepest place there is a palace of the sea tsar - its walls from corals, high lancet windows from the purest amber, and a roof entirely bowls; they that open, are closed, depending on that, inflow or outflow, and it is very beautiful, after all in everyone shining pearls lay and any would be a great ornament in a crown of the queen.

The tsar sea has very long time ago become a widow/widower, and with an economy at it the old woman mother, the woman clever filled, only is sick proud of the blood: on a tail it carried the whole twelve oysters whereas it was necessary to other grandees only six. In the rest she deserved all praise, especially because worshipped the small grand daughters - princesses. Them was six, all very pretty, but it is the loveliest most younger, with a skin pure and gentle, as a rose-petal, with eyes dark blue and deep, as the sea. Only it as, however, and at the others, feet were not, and instead of them had a tail, as at fishes.

All day long played princesses in a palace, in spacious chambers where from walls natural flowers grew. The big amber windows revealed, and fishes just as at us swallows fly in the house when windows stand wide open inside swam in, only fishes swam up directly to small princesses, took from their hands meal and allowed to iron itself.

Before a palace there was a big garden, bright-red and dark blue trees grew in it, their fruits sparkled gold, flowers - hot fire, and stalks and leaves incessantly waved. The Earth was entirely small sand, only bluish, as a sulfuric flame. All there below gave to any especial blue, - just right was to think, as if stand not at the bottom sea, and in air height, and the sky at you not only over a head, but also underfoot, In calm from a bottom was visible the sun, it seemed a purple flower from which bowl light flows.

Each princess had in a garden a place, here they could dig and put everything. One suited to herself a flower bed in the form of a whale, another has taken in head, that its bed was looked by the mermaid, and the most younger has made to herself a bed, round as the sun, and flowers on it put same scarlet as it. The strange child there was this water-nymph, silent, thoughtful. Other sisters decorated themselves different differences which found by the sunk ships, and she only and loved, that flowers bright red, as the sun, there, above, moreover a beautiful marble statue. It was the fine boy who cut from a pure white stone and has gone down on a bottom sea after ship-wreck. Near a statue the water-nymph has planted a pink weeping willow, it has magnificently expanded and lowered the branches over a statue to a blue sandy bottom where the violet shade turned out, зыблющаяся in a harmony колыханию branches, and from it it seemed, as if the top and roots make up to each other.

Most of all the water-nymph liked to listen to stories about the world of people there, above. The old grandmother had to tell to it everything, that she knew about the ships and cities, about people and animals. Especially wonderful and surprising that flowers on the earth smell, - not that that here, on a sea-bottom, - woods there green seemed to the water-nymph, and fishes among branches sing so loudly and beautifully, that will simply listen with delight. Fishes the grandmother named birds, differently grand daughters would not understand it: they after all сроду not видывали birds.

- When to you it will be executed fifteen years, - the grandmother spoke, - to you will permit to emerge on a surface, to sit in a moonlight on rocks and to look at the huge ships floating by, on city woods!

This year to the senior princess it was just executed fifteen years, but sisters were погодки, and left so, that only in five years the most younger can rise from a bottom sea and see, how is to us here, above. But everyone promised to tell the rest, that she has seen and that most of all was pleasant to it in the first day, - stories of the grandmother it was a little, it would be desirable to know more.

Any of sisters did not pull so on a surface, as the most younger, silent, thoughtful water-nymph who had to wait longest. Night behind night was spent by her at an open window and all looked upward through dark blue water in which splashed tails and fins of fish. Month and stars saw to it and though they shone absolutely faintly, but seemed through water much more than to us. And if under them the dark cloud slid as though, she knew, that either the whale floats it, or the ship, and on it is a lot of people, and, is final, it and to a head did not come, that below under them the pretty water-nymph reaches for the ship the white hands.

And here to the senior princess it was executed fifteen years, and to it have allowed to emerge on a surface.

How many was stories when it has returned back! Well, and is better, she told, was to lay in a moonlight on a shallow when the sea is quiet, and to consider the big city ashore: precisely hundreds stars, there flickered fires, music, noise of crews, a dialect of people was heard, belltowers and spikes were seen, bells called. And just because there it was impossible for it, there and pulled it most of all.

As the younger sister greedy listened to its stories! And then, in the evening, stood at an open window and looked upward through dark blue water and thought of the big city, noisy and recovered, and it seemed to it even, that she hears a sound of bells.

A year later and second sister have allowed to rise on a surface and to float anywhere. It has come up from water just that minute when the sun sat down, and has decided, that more perfectly shows are not present on light. The sky was entirely gold, she has told, and clouds - ah, it simply does not have words to describe, how they are beautiful! Red and violet, they floated on the sky, but to the sun, precisely long white veil, flight of wild swans even faster rushed. It too has floated to the sun, but it has plunged into water, and the pink reflected light by the sea and clouds has gone out.

A year later the third sister has risen on a surface. This was most courageous and has floated in the wide river which ran into the sea. She has seen there green hills with vineyards, and palaces looked out of a thicket of wonderful wood and manors. She heard, how sing birds, and the sun warmed so strongly, that it had to dive time and again into water to cool the flaring person. In a bay the whole flight of small human children has got to it, they ran naked and lapped in water. It wanted to it to play with them, but they were frightened of it and have escaped, and instead of them any black small animal was is there was a dog, only after all she still never could see a dog - and has begun a bark on it so terribly, that she has got a fright and has departured back in the sea. But never to forget to it of wonderful wood, green hills and charming children which are able to float though do not have they fish tail.

Fourth sister was not such courageous, it kept in the high sea and considered, that there and was is better: the sea is visible around on many miles, the sky over a head as a huge glass dome. She saw and the ships, only absolutely from apart, and they looked just as seagulls, and in the sea quick dolphins and whales somersaulted started up from nostrils water so it seemed as if around beat hundreds fountains.

And the turn has reached fifth sister. Its birthday was in the winter and consequently she has seen what it was not possible to see another. The sea was absolutely green, she told, the huge ice mountains, pearl everyone exactly like, only where above any belltower constructed by people everywhere floated. They were the most freakish kind and sparkled, as if diamonds. She has taken seat on greatest of them, the wind blew its long hair, and seamen scaredly bypassed this place far away. By the evening the sky was clouded by clouds, lightnings have begun to sparkle, the thunder has rung out, the turned black sea raised up the huge ice blocks which are lighted up by flashes of lightnings. By the ships furled sails, around there was a fear and horror, and it indifferently floated on the ice mountain and looked, how lightnings dark blue zigzags strike in the sea.

And so also went: comes up any of sisters the first time on a surface, admires with all new and beautiful, well, and then when the adult girl can rise upward any minute, all to it becomes uninteresting also it aspires home and a month later says, that at them below is better, only here and feel at home.

Often in the evenings, having embraced, five sisters on a surface emerged. All had marvellous voices as at anybody from people and when the storm threatening by  destruction to the ships gathered, they floated before the ships and sang so is sweet how it is good on a sea-bottom, persuaded seamen without fear to go down downwards. Only seamen could not disassemble words, it seemed to them, that it simply rustles a storm, and it would be not possible to them to see at the bottom of any miracles - when the ship sank, people choked and got to a palace of the sea tsar already dead.

The younger water-nymph when its sisters emerged here so on a surface, remained one-odineshenka and looked it following, and to it just right was to begin to cry, yes only to mermaids is not given tears, and from it to it was still горше.

- Ah, when to me will be fifteen years! - she spoke. - I know, that very much I will grow fond of that world and people who there live!

At last and to it it was executed fifteen years.

- Well here, have grown up also you! - the grandmother, the Queen mother has told. - Podi here, I will decorate you, as other sisters!

And she has put on to the water-nymph a head a wreath from the white lilies, only each petal was половинкой pearls, and has then fastened to it on a tail eight oysters as a sign of its high office.

- Yes it is sick! - the water-nymph has told.

- To be beautiful, it is possible and to suffer! - the grandmother has told.

Ah, as the water-nymph willingly would throw off all this magnificence and a heavy wreath! Red flowers from its bed would go to it much more, but there's nothing to be done.

- Farewell! - she has told both easily and smoothly as if air vial, has risen on a surface.

When it has lifted a head over water, the sun has just sat down, but clouds still gleamed pink and gold, and in the is pale-red sky clear evening stars were already lighted; air was soft and fresh, the sea is quiet. Nearby there was a three-mast ship only with one lifted sail - was not the slightest breeze. Everywhere on tackles and yards sailors sat. From a deck music and singing and when has absolutely darkened was distributed, the ship was shined with hundreds multi-coloured small lamps and in air as if flags of all nations would start gleaming. The water-nymph has swum up directly to a cabin window, and every time as it приподымало a wave, she could glance inside through transparent glasses. There there was a set of elegantly dressed people, but the young prince with the big black eyes was most beautiful. To it, probably, was no more than sixteen years. Its birthday was celebrated, because by the ship and there was such fun. Sailors danced on a deck and when there was there a young prince, in the sky hundreds rockets have soared up, and became light, as in the afternoon so the water-nymph has absolutely got a fright and has dived into water, but. There and then has again put out a head, and it seemed, as if all stars from the sky fall to it in the sea. She never before did not see such fireworks. The huge sun span with a wheel, wonderful fiery fishes flied up in a dark blue height, and all it was reflected in silent, clear water. By the ship was so it is light, that it was possible to distinguish each rope, and people and for a long time. Ah, as the young prince was good! It shook all hands, smiled and laughed, and music all rattled and rattled in wonderful night.

Already late was, and the water-nymph all could not tear off eyes from the ship and from the fine prince. Multi-coloured small lamps have gone out, more rockets did not fly up, guns did not rattle, but has hooted and has grumbled in depth sea. The water-nymph shook on waves and all looked in a cabin, and the ship began to type a course, one behind another sails were dismissed, all waves above rose, clouds gathered, lightnings have in the distance begun to sparkle.

The storm approached, sailors have begun to furl sails. The ship, being shaken, flied on the raged sea, waves rose huge black mountains, striving to be rolled through a mast, and the ship dived, as if a swan, between very tall shaft and again rose on a crest of a piled up wave. To the water-nymph all it seemed pleasant walk, but not to sailors. The ship groaned and cracked; under blows of waves the thick covering of boards here has moved, waves have overflowed the ship, has broken half-and-half as a stem, a mast, the ship has laid down sideways, and water has rushed in hold. Here the water-nymph has understood, what danger threatens people, - it and most had to dodge from logs and the fragments rushing on waves. For a minute it became dark, it's pitch dark, but here the lightning has flashed, and the water-nymph has again seen people by the ship. Everyone was rescued, as could. It looked around for the prince and has seen, how it has fallen in water when the ship has collapsed on a part. At first she very much was delighted - after all it will get now to it on a bottom, but has there and then recollected, that people cannot live in water and it will come in a palace of her father only the dead. No, no, he should not die! And it has floated between logs and boards, not thinking at all that they can crush it. It that dived deeply flied up on a wave and at last has reached the young prince. He almost already has absolutely become exhausted and float on the rough sea could not. Hands and feet refused to serve it, fine eyes were closed, and it would sink, be not to it to the aid the water-nymph. It has raised his head over water and has given to waves to bear both of them anywhere...

By the morning the storm has abated. From the ship does not remain also chips. The sun and as though has returned paints to cheeks of the prince has again begun to sparkle over water, but its eyes have still been closed.

The water-nymph has cast away hair from a forehead of the prince, has kissed him on a high beautiful forehead, and it seemed to it, that it is similar to the marble boy who costs at it in a garden. She has kissed him once again and has wished, that it remained is live.

At last it has caught sight of a land, high dark blue mountains at which tops, precisely flights of swans, grew white snow. At the coast wonderful woods turned green, and before them there was not that a church, not that a monastery - she could not tell precisely, knew only, that it was a building. Orange and lemon trees grew in a garden, and at the gate high palm trees. The sea pressed here in coast a small gulf, silent, but very deep, with rock, at which sea намыло small white sand. Here the water-nymph with the prince also has come and has put it on sand so that its head was above on the sun.

Here in a high white building bells have rung out, and in a garden the whole crowd of young girls poured out. The water-nymph has sailed far away for the high stones which were sticking out of water, has covered the hair and a breast морскою with foam so now nobody would distinguish her faces, and began to wait, whether who will come to the aid of the poor prince.

Soon the young girl has approached to rock and first very much was frightened, but has there and then got up courage and has called other people, and the water-nymph has seen, that the prince has revived and has smiled to all who was near it. And he has not smiled to it, he at all did not know, that it has rescued to it a life. It became sad to the water-nymph, and when the prince have withdrawn in the big building, it it is sad has dived into water and has departured home.

Now it became even more silent, still задумчивее, than before. Sisters asked it, that she saw for the first time on a sea surface, but she it has not told anything.

Often in the mornings and to evenings it came to that place where has left the prince. She saw, how ripened in a garden fruits as them then collected, saw, how has melted snow on high mountains, but the prince so more and did not see and came back home each time all is more sad. A unique joy was for it to sit in the garden, having twisted with hands the beautiful marble statue similar to the prince, but behind the colours it did not look after any more. They have run wild and have expanded on paths, have intertwined stalks and leaves with branches of trees, and in a garden became absolutely dark.

At last it has not sustained and has told about all one of sisters. Behind it other sisters have learnt also, but anybody is more, unless two-three more mermaids yes their most close girlfriends. One of them too knew about the prince, saw festival by the ship and even knew, whence the prince comes and where its kingdom.

- Have floated together, the sister! - have told to the water-nymph of sister and, having embraced, that place where there was a palace of the prince have risen on a surface exhausting near.

The palace was from a light yellow brilliant stone, with big marble to ladders; one of them went down directly to the sea. The magnificent gilt domes rose over a roof, and between the columns surrounding a building, there were marble statues, just as live people. Through high mirror windows magnificent rooms were seen; expensive silk curtains everywhere hung, carpets have been outspread, and walls decorated the big pictures. Lovely sight, and only! In the middle of the biggest hall the fountain murmured; water streams beat highly-highly under a glass dome of a ceiling through which water and the strange plants growing along the edges of pool, the sun lighted up.

Now the water-nymph knew, where there lives the prince, and began to come to a palace almost every evening or every night. Any of sisters did not dare to swim up to the earth so close, well and it swam away even in the narrow channel which passed just under the marble balcony casting on water a long shade. Here it stopped and long looked at the young prince, and he thought, that walks at light of month one-odineshenek.

Many times she as he went for a drive with musicians on the elegant boat decorated with fluttering flags saw. The water-nymph looked out of a green reed and if people sometimes noticed how its long silver-white veil is rinsed downwind, it seemed to them, that it splashes wings a swan.

Many times she as the fishermen fishing at night with a torch spoke about the prince heard, they told about it a lot of good, and the water-nymph rejoiced, that has rescued to it a life when it, half-dead, carried on waves; she recollected, how his head was based upon its breast and as she has gently kissed him then. And he knew nothing about it, it and could not dream it!

More and more the water-nymph started to love people, all pulled it to them more strongly; their terrestrial world seemed to it much more, than its underwater; they could after all cross the sea by the ships, climb up high mountains above clouds, and their countries with woods and fields were stretched so widely, as an eye will not capture! Very much it would be desirable the water-nymph to learn more about people, about their life, but sisters could not answer all its questions, and she addressed to the grandmother: the old woman well knew "high society" as she fairly named the earth laying over the sea.

- If people do not sink, - the water-nymph asked, - then they live eternally, do not die, how we?

- Well you! - the old woman answered. - they too die, their century even is shorter than ours. We live three hundred years; only when we cease to be, us do not bury, we even do not have tombs, we simply turn to sea foam.

- I would give all hundreds years for one day of a human life, the water-nymph-has spoken.

- Nonsense! There is nothing and think of it! - the old woman has told. - to us here is where better, than to people on the earth!

- Means, and I will die, I will become sea foam, I will not hear more music of waves, I will not see neither wonderful colours, nor the red sun! Really I cannot live among people in any way?

- You can, - the grandmother has told, - let only somebody from people will grow fond of you so, that you to it will become more expensive than the father and mother, it let will be given to you by all heart and all thoughts, will make you the wife and will swear eternal fidelity. But to it not to happen never! After all, for example, - people find that at us is considered beautiful - your fish tail ugly. They understand nothing beauty; in their opinion to be beautiful, it is necessary to have by all means two clumsy props, or feet as they them name.

The water-nymph has deeply sighed and is sad has looked at the fish tail.

- Let's live - not to grieve! - the old woman has told. - we Will have fun in plenty, three hundred years - term considerable... Tonight at us in a palace ball!

Here there was a magnificence what you will not see on the earth! Walls and a ceiling of a dancing hall were from thick, but transparent glass; along walls numbers hundreds huge purple and travjanisto-green bowls with blue sparks in the middle laid; these fires brightly shined all hall, and through glass walls - and the sea around. It was visible, as to walls flights of the big and small fishes swim up, and their scales are poured by gold, silver, purple.

In the middle of a hall water ran a wide stream, and in it danced under the wonderful singing water and mermaids. Such fine voices does not happen at people. The water-nymph sang best, and all clapped to it in ладоши. For a minute to it was has become cheerfully at thought that anybody and anywhere, nor in the sea, on the earth, does not have such wonderful voice as at it; but then she again began to think of the surface world, about the fine prince, and to it became sad. It has imperceptibly slipped out a palace and while there sang and had fun, is sad sat in the garden. Suddenly sounds of French horns from above have reached, and she has thought: “ Here it again goes for a drive on a boat! As I love it! More than the father and mother! I belong to it all heart, all thoughts, I willingly would hand over it happiness of all my life! On all I would go - if only to me to be with it. While sisters dance in a fatherly palace, I will float to a sea witch. I always was afraid of it, but, maybe, she will advise something or somehow will help me! ”

And the water-nymph has floated from the garden to rough whirlpools behind which there lived a witch. Still never it was possible to it to float this road; here did not grow flowers, even the grass - around was only naked grey sand; water behind it raged and rustled, as under a mill wheel, and carried away behind itself in abyss everything, that only met on the way. Just between such raging whirlpools also had to float the water-nymph to get to that edge, where владычила a witch. Further the way laid through hot bubbling silt, this place a witch named the peat bog. And there there was a hand a tax to its habitation surrounded with strange wood: instead of trees and bushes polyps grew in it - the semianimals-semiplants similar on стоглавых of snakes, growing directly from sand; their branches were similar long осклизлым to hands with the fingers coiling, as hearts; Polyps for a minute did not cease to move from a root to the top and everything sufficed flexible fingers, that only to them came across, and: any more did not let out. The water-nymph in a fright has stopped, its heart was hammered for fear, it was ready to return, but has recollected the prince and has got up courage: has strong tied round a head the long hair that polyps have not seized them, has crossed on a breast of a hand and as fish, has floated between disgusting polyps which reached it the coiling hands. She saw, how is strong, precisely iron pincers, they the fingers held everything, that it was possible to them to seize: white skeletons of the sunk people, ship wheels, boxes, bones of the animals, even one water-nymph. Polyps have caught and have strangled her. It was most terrible!

But here it has come to be on a slippery wood glade where somersaulted, showing an opposite yellowish belly, big, fat water ужи. In the middle of a glade the house from white human bones has been built; the sea witch there and then sat and fed a toad as people feed with sugar of small canaries from a mouth. Disgusting ужей she called the цыплятками and allowed them to creep on big, porous, as a sponge, breasts.

- I know, I know, what for you have come! - the sea witch has told to the water-nymph. - you start nonsenses, well I all the same will help you - on your trouble, my beauty! You wish to get off the tail and to receive instead of it two props, to go, as people. You want, that the young prince has grown fond of you.

And the witch has laughed loudly so loudly and disgustingly, as a toad and ужи got from it and have plopped down on sand.

- Well it is fine, you have come in it is a high time! - the witch continued. - come you tomorrow in the morning, would be late, and I could not help you before the next year. I will make to you drink, you will take it, will float with it to coast even before sunrise, will sit down there and will drink all to a drop; then your tail will fork and will turn to pair harmonous as people would tell, legs. But you will be so painfully as though you will pierce with a sharp sword. But all who will see you, will tell, that they yet did not meet such charming girl! You will keep the light step - any dancer will not be compared to you, but remember: you will go as on sharp knifes, and your feet will bleed. You will bear all it? Then I will help you.

- Yes! - the water-nymph a shivering voice has told, having thought about the prince.

- Remember, - the witch has told, - time you will accept human shape, to you not to become again the mermaid! Not to see to you neither a sea-bottom, nor the fatherly house, sisters! And if the prince does not grow fond of you so, that will forget for the sake of you both the father and mother, will not be given to you by all heart and will not make you the wife, you will be lost; with the first dawn after its marriage on another your heart will be broken off on a part, and you will become foam sea.

- Let! - the water-nymph has told and has turned pale as death.

- And still you should pay to me for the help, - the witch has told. - and I недешево will take! At you a wonderful voice, to it you also think to fascinate the prince, but you there was give this voice to me. I will take the best for the invaluable drink, that is at you: after all I should add own blood that it became остер as a sword edge to a drink.

- If you take my voice what remains to me? - The water-nymph has asked.

- Your pretty face, your light step and your speaking eyes - it is enough to win human heart! Well it is full, be not afraid: you will put out a uvula, and I will cut off it on account of a magic drink!

- Well! - the water-nymph has told, and the witch has put a copper on fire to weld drink.

- Cleanliness - the best beauty! - she has told and has rubbed off a copper a sheaf live ужей.

Then it has scratched to herself a breast; in a copper black blood has dripped, and to rise there were soon the clubs of steam accepting such freakish forms, that simply the fear took. The witch constantly added in a copper of new and new medicines, and; when drink has begun to boil, it забулькало so as if the crocodile cried. At last the drink was ready, by sight it seemed прозрачнейшей spring water.

- Take! - the witch has told, giving to the water-nymph a drink.

Then cut off to it language, and the water-nymph became mute - could not more neither sing, nor speak.

- Will seize you polyps when you will float back, - the witch addressed, - scatter on them drink drop, both their hands and fingers will scatter on one thousand slices.

But the water-nymph had not to do it - polyps with horror turned away at one kind of the drink sparkling in her hands, as a bright star. It has quickly floated wood, passed a bog and raging whirlpools.

Here and a fatherly palace; fires in a dancing hall are extinguished, all sleep. The water-nymph has not dared more to enter there - after all it was mute and was going to leave the fatherly house for ever. Its heart was ready to be broken off from melancholy. It has sliped in a garden, took on a flower from a bed from each sister, has sent native thousand air kisses and has risen on a dark-blue surface of the sea.

The sun did not rise yet when she has seen before herself a palace of the prince and has sat down on a wide marble ladder. Month lighted up its wonderful blue light. The water-nymph has drunk burning drink, and it seemed to it, as if it have pierced with a two-edged sword; it has lost consciousness and has fallen замертво. When she has regained consciousness, over the sea the sun already shone; in all body she felt a burning pain. Before it there was a fine prince and with surprise considered it. She was looked down and has seen, that the fish tail has disappeared, and instead of it it had two small white legs. But it was absolutely nude and consequently has muffled in the long, dense hair. The prince has asked, who it and as here has got, but it only is mild and sadly looked at it the dark blue eyes: speak after all it could not. Then it took it for a hand and has led in a palace. The truth the witch has told: each step caused to the water-nymph such pain as if she went on sharp knifes and needles; But it patiently endured a pain and there was a hand about a hand with the prince easily, precisely by air. The prince and its retinue only marvelled its wonderful, light step.

The water-nymph have dressed up in silk and muslin, and it became the first beauty at a court yard, but remained still mute, could not neither sing, nor speak. Somehow time to the prince and its regal parents has called girls-slaves, dressed up in silk and gold. They began to sing, one of them sang especially well, and the prince slapped hands together and smiled to it. It became sad to the water-nymph: once and she could sing, and incomparably it is better! “Ah, if he knew, that I have for ever left the voice, only to be near it!”

Then girls began to dance under sounds чудеснейшей music; here and the water-nymph has lifted the white fine hands, has risen on tiptoe and has rushed in easy, air dance; so anybody did not dance still! Each movement underlined its beauty, and its eyes spoke to heart more than singing of slaves.

All were in admiration, especially the prince; he named the water-nymph the small foundling, and the water-nymph danced all and danced, though each time as its feet concerned the earths, to it was so painfully as if she went on sharp knifes. The prince has told, that "it always should be near it, and it was allowed to it to sleep on a velvet pillow before doors of its room.

He ordered to sew to it a man's suit that it could accompany its top. They went on smelling sweet woods where in fresh foliage sang birds, and green branches concerned its shoulders. They climbed up high mountains and though from her feet blood exuded and all saw it, she laughed, and continued to follow the prince on the tops; there they admired on the clouds floating at their feet, precisely flights of the birds departing to another's countries.

And at night in a palace at the prince when all slept, the water-nymph went down on a marble ladder, put flaring as on fire, feet in cold water and thought of the native house and about a bottom sea.

Time have emerged from water a hand about a hand of her sister at night and have started singing a sad song; she has nodded it, they have learnt it and have told to it as it has afflicted all of them. Since then they visited her every night, and once it увидала in the distance even the old grandmother who did not rise many years from water, and the tsar sea with a crown on a head, they stretched to it hands, but dare to swim up to the earth so close, as sisters.

Day by day the prince became attached to the water-nymph all more strongly and more strongly, but he loved it only as the lovely, kind child, to make its wife and the princess to it and in a head did not come, and meanwhile it should become his wife, otherwise, if it has given the heart and a hand another, it would become foam sea.

“Whether you love me most on light?” - it seemed, asked eyes of the water-nymph when the prince embraced her and kissed on a forehead.

- Yes, I love you! - the prince spoke. - at you kind heart, you are betrayed to me most and is similar to the young girl whom I saw once and, truly, more I will not see! I floated by the ship, the ship has sunk, waves have cast me ashore near to any temple where young girls serve the god; most younger of them has found me ashore and has rescued to me a life; I saw its only two times, but only its in the whole world I could grow fond of one! You are similar to it and have almost superseded from my heart its image. It belongs to a sacred temple, and here my happy star has sent me you; never I will leave you!

“Alas! He does not know, that it I have rescued to it a life! - the water-nymph thought. - I have taken out it from waves sea on coast and have put in a grove, near a temple, and itself have hidden in sea foam and looked, whether somebody will come to it to the aid. I saw this beautiful girl whom he loves more than me! - and the water-nymph deeply sighed, cry it could not. - but that girl belongs to a temple, never will return to the world, and they never will meet! I am near it, I see it every day, I can look after it, love it, give for it a life!”

But here began to say, that the prince marries the charming daughter of the next king and consequently equips the magnificent ship in swimming. The prince will go to the next king as though to familiarise with its country, and on the business, to see the princess; with it the big retinue goes. The water-nymph on all these speeches only shook a head and laughed - she after all is best knew thoughts of the prince.

- I should go! - he spoke to it. - I should look the fine princess; it is demanded by my parents, but they not begin to force me to marry it, and I never will grow fond of it! It after all is not similar to that beauty to whom you are similar. If I select at last to myself the bride so I will better choose you, my mute foundling with speaking eyes!

And he kissed it on pink lips, played its long hair and put the head on its breast where the heart thirsting of human happiness and love fought.

- You after all are not afraid of the sea, washing a mute crumb? - He when they already stood by the ship which should bring them to the country of the next king spoke.

And the prince began to tell to it about storms and about a calm, about strange fishes that live in abyss, and that divers saw there, and she only smiled, listening to its stories, - she is best knew, that is at the bottom the sea.

In a clear moonlight night when everything, except the helmsman, fall down, it has sat down at the board and began to look in transparent waves, and it seemed to it, that she sees a fatherly palace; the old grandmother in a silver crown stood on a tower and looked through worrying streams of water on киль the ship. Then on a sea surface her sisters have emerged; they it is sad looked at it and stretched to it the white hands, and she has nodded it a head, has smiled and wished to tell about how to it it is good here, but here the ship ship's boy has approached to it, and sisters have dived into water, and the ship's boy has thought, that it white sea foam has flashed in waves.

Next morning the ship was included into harbour of elegant capital of the next kingdom. In a city have rung out in bells, from high towers sounds of horns were distributed; on the areas there were regiments of soldiers with brilliant bayonets and fluttering banners. Festivals have begun, balls followed balls, but the princess yet was not - it was brought up somewhere away in a monastery where it have given to study in all royal virtues. Also it at last has arrived.

The water-nymph greedy looked at it and should recognise, that it is lovelier and finer than the person yet did not see. The face skin of the princess was such gentle, transparent, and because of long dark eyelashes dark blue mild eyes smiled.

- It you! - the prince has told. - you have rescued to me a life when I half-dead laid on seacoast!

And it has strong pressed to heart the зардевшуюся the bride.

- Ah, I so am happy! - he has told to the water-nymph. - of what I was not dared and to dream, has come true! You will be glad to my happiness, you after all so love me.

The water-nymph has kissed to it a hand, and its heart, appear, will just about be broken off from a pain: its wedding should after all kill her, transform into foam sea.

In the same evening the prince with the young wife should sail home the prince; guns scorched, flags fluttered, on a deck were will stretch a tent from gold and the purple, covered with soft pillows; in a tent they should spend this silent, cool night.

Sails were inflated from a wind, the ship easily and smoothly заскользил on waves and has rushed in the high sea.

As soon as смерклось, by the ship multi-coloured small lamps were lighted, and sailors began to dance cheerfully on a deck. The water-nymph has recollected, how it has risen for the first time on a surface of the sea and has seen the same fun by the ship. And here it has rushed in fast air dance, precisely swallow pursued by a kite. All were delighted: she never before did not dance so wonderfully! Its gentle legs cut as knifes, but she did not feel this pain - to its heart was even more sick. She knew, that only one evening it is necessary to it to stay with for the sake of whom it has left native and the fatherly house, has given the wonderful voice and suffered intolerable tortures which the prince and did not guess. Only one night it was necessary to it to breathe one air with it, to see the dark blue sea and the star sky, and there there will come for it eternal night, without thoughts, without dreams. Far for a midnight dances and music proceeded by the ship, and the water-nymph laughed and danced with a deadly flour on heart; The prince kissed the beauty the wife, and she played its black curls; at last a hand about a hand they have left in the magnificent tent.

By the ship all has abated, only the helmsman remained with a wheel. The water-nymph has leant about hand-rail and, having faced the east, began to wait for the first beam of the sun which, she knew, should kill her. And suddenly she has seen, how from the sea her sisters have risen; they were pale, as well as it, but their long magnificent hair did not flutter more downwind - they have been cut off.

- We have given to find hair to a witch that it has helped us to relieve you of death! And it has given us here this knife - see, what it sharp? Before there will ascend the sun, you should stick it into heart of the prince and when its warm blood will scatter to you on feet, they again will grow together in the fish tail and you again will become the mermaid, will go down to us in the sea and will live the three hundred years before you will turn to salty foam sea. But hasten! Either he, or you - one of you should die before sunrise. Kill the prince and return to us! Hasten. You see, in the sky the red strip has seemed? There will soon ascend the sun, and you will die!

With these words they have deeply sighed and have plunged into the sea.

The water-nymph has raised a purple curtain of a tent and has seen, that the head of the young wife is based upon a breast of the prince. The water-nymph has bent and has kissed him on a fine forehead, has looked at the sky where the morning dawn inflamed, has then looked at a sharp knife and has again directed a look on the prince who in a dream has said a name of the wife - it one was at it in thoughts! - and the knife has trembled in hands at the water-nymph. Even a minute - and it has thrown it in waves, and they have reddened, as though in that place where it has fallen, from the sea blood drops have acted.

She has last time looked at the prince the semidied away look, has rushed from the ship to the sea and has felt, as its body blurs foam.

Over the sea the sun has risen; its beams любовно warmed is deathly-cold sea foam, and the water-nymph did not feel death; she saw the clear sun and any transparent, wonderful creations, hundreds flying over it. She saw through them white sails of the ship and pink clouds in the sky; their voice sounded as music, but such ennobled, that the human ear would not catch it just as human eyes did not see them. They did not have wings, but they were in the air, easy and transparent. The water-nymph has noticed, as it became same, having come off from sea foam.

- To whom I go? - She has asked, rising in air, and its voice sounded такою дивною music.

- To daughters of air! - air creations have answered it. - we fly everywhere and all we try to bring pleasure. In tropical countries where people perish from hot, infected with pestilence air, we cast a cool. We extend a fragrance of colours in air and we bear to people healing and a joy... We Fly with us to the transcendental world! There you will find love and happiness what has not found on the earth.

And the water-nymph has stretched the transparent hands to the sun and has for the first time felt at itself on tear eyes.

By the ship for this time all has again come to movement, and the water-nymph has seen, how the prince with the young wife search for it. It is sad they looked at worrying sea foam, precisely knew, that the water-nymph has rushed to waves. Invisible, the water-nymph has kissed the beauty on a forehead, has smiled to the prince and has risen together with other children of air to the pink clouds floating in the sky.