thE FIShERMAN AND hIS SOUL
[tO h.S.h. ALICE, PRINCESS OF MONACO]
Every evening t out upon threw
s into ter.
not little
at best, for it ter and black-winged wind, and rough waves
rose up to meet it. But he fish
came in from to ts, and he
took to t-place and sold them.
Every evening out upon t was
so into t. And he
laugo all the fish
t ser t o
men, or some t t Queen will desire, and
putting fortrengtugged at till,
like lines of blue enamel round a vase of bronze, the long veins
rose up on ugged at thin ropes, and nearer and
nearer came t corks, and t rose at last to
top of ter.
But no fis all , nor any monster or thing of horror,
but only a little Mermaid lying fast asleep.
fleece of gold, and eace hair as a
te
ivory, and ail was of silver and pearl. Silver and pearl was
ail, and t; and like
sea-she
cold glistened
upon her eyelids.
So beautiful was s whe young Fisherman saw her he was
filled out close
to he side he clasped her in his arms. And
led sea-gull, and
error eyes, and
struggled t s escape. But igo him,
and suffer o depart.
And w she could in no way escape from him, she
began to me go, for I am the only
daugher is aged and alone.
But t let thou
makest me a promise t w come and
sing to me, for t to listen to the Sea-
folk, and so ss be full.
ilt trut me go, if I promise this? cried
the Mermaid.
In very trut the young Fisherman.
So s by th of
t her, and she
sank doo ter, trembling range fear.
Every evening t out upon the sea, and called
to t of ter and sang to him.
Round and round he wild gulls wheeled
above her head.
And she Sea-folk who
drive to cave, and carry ttle calves
on tritons who have long green beards, and
s, and bloed conche King passes
by; of th a roof of
clear emerald, and a pavement of brighe gardens
of t filigrane fans of coral wave all day
long, and t about like silver birds, and the anemones
cling to the ribbed yellow
sand. S come doh
seas and o the Sirens
s o stop
t to the
er and be droall masts,
and to the mackerel
s of ttle barnacles
ravellers, and cling to the ships and
go round and round ttlefishe
sides of tretc their long black arms, and can
make nig. Silus who
of is carved out of an opal and steered
he happy Mermen who play upon harps and can
c Kraken to sleep; of ttle cch
heir backs;
of te foam and their arms
to tusks, and
ting manes.
And as sunny-fiso listen
to s round them and
caugook
o the sea, smiling
at him.
Yet ouch her.
Oftentimes o s;
and o seize o ter as a seal
mig day. And eache
sound of er to was her
voice t s and his cunning, and had no care of
. Vermilion-finned and he
tunnies by in s . his spear lay
by s of plaited osier y.
ited, and eyes dim idle in
and listened, listening till ts crept round he
ained h silver.
And one evening o tle Mermaid,
little Mermaid, I love take me for thy bridegroom, for I
love thee.
But t a human soul, she
ans send ahen could I
love thee.
And to use is my soul to
me? I cannot see it. I may not touc. I do not kno.
Surely I away from me, and much gladness shall be
mine. And a cry of joy broke from anding up in
ted boat, o the Mermaid. I will
send my soul away, he cried, and you shall be my bride, and I
he sea we will dwell
toget t sung of t show me, and
all t t I will do, nor shall our lives be divided.
And ttle Mermaid laughed for pleasure and hid her face in her
hands.
But he young Fisherman.
tell me , and lo! it shall be done.
Alas! I kno, said ttle Mermaid: the Sea-folk have
no souls. And so tfully at
him.
No morning, before the span of a
mans to the house of
t and knocked times at the door.
t t, and w
was, co er.
And t do-
smelling ruso t who was
reading out of to her, I am in love
h me from having my
desire. tell me ruth
I . Of o me? I cannot
see it. I may not touc. I do not kno.
And t beat , and anshou
art mad, or eaten of some poisonous he
noblest part of man, and o us by God t we should
nobly use it. than a human soul,
nor any eart can be is h all
t is in the rubies
of t any more of this
matter, for it is a sin t may not be forgiven. And as for the
Sea-folk, t, and traffic hem are
lost also. ts of t kno good
from evil, and for t died.
tears whe
bitter , and he rose up from his knees and said
to and are glad, and on
t t me be
as the days of
flo me, if it
stand bet I love?
t, knitting his
broo
he woodland,
and accursed be t
nigime, and t to lure me from my beads. they
tap at to my ears tale
of tempt me emptations, and when I
me. t, I tell thee,
t. For there is no heaven nor hell, and in
neithey praise Gods name.
Fat not hou
sayest. Once in my net I snared ter of a King. She is
fairer tar, and he moon. For her
body I would give my soul, and for her love I would surrender
ell me me go in peace.
A: t, and thou
s be lost h her.
And drove him from his door.
And t doo t-place, and he
h bowed head, as one who is in sorrow.
And ws saw o wo
eaco meet him, and called him
by name, and said to to sell?
I of
me, for I am . Of o me? I cannot
see it. I may not touc. I do not kno.
But ts mocked at use is a mans
soul to us? It is not h a clipped piece of silver. Sell us
thee in sea-purple, and
put a ring upon t
Queen. But talk not of to us it is nought, nor has
it any value for our service.
And to range a this
is! t tellet the gold in
ts say t it is not h a clipped
piece of silver. And of t-place, and
doo to ponder on w he should
do.
And at noon he remembered how one of his companions, who was a
gatold ain young itch who
d in a cave at the bay and was very cunning in her
c to and ran, so eager rid of
followed he
sand of tcch knew
down h her
red ood at the cave,
and in was
blossoming.
dye lack? dye lack? sing up
teep, and bent down before , whe
le reed-pipe, and he
mullet come sailing into t it ty boy,
it dye lack? dye lack? A storm to wreck
ts of ricreasure ashore? I have
more storms tronger than
ter I can send t
galleys to ttom of t I ty boy,
I dye lack? dye lack? I know a flower
t gro but I. It has purple
leaves, and a star in its , and its juice is as we as milk.
S touche Queen,
s of the
King she whole world she would follow
t ty boy, it dye
lack? dye lack? I can pound a toad in a mortar, and make
brot, and stir th a dead mans hand. Sprinkle
it on turn into a black
viper, and h a wheel I can draw
tal I can s
dye lack? dye lack? tell me t
t pay me a price, pretty boy, t pay me
a price.
My desire is but for a little the young Fisherman,
yet been
is but for a little ts me, and
denied me. to thee evil,
and .
tco him.
I he young Fisherman.
tch grew pale, and shuddered, and hid her face in her blue
mantle. Pretty boy, pretty boy, stered, t is a
terrible to do.
ossed to me,
see it. I may not touc. I do not know
it.
tell tch, looking
do iful eyes.
Five pieces of gold, s, and ttled house
in well me
o get rid of my soul, and I I
possess.
S ruck he spray of
urn tumn leaves into gold, she answered,
and I can o silver if I . he
whis world, and has
their dominions.
ther
gold nor silver?
tcroked e
dance ty boy, s him as
she spoke.
Noug t? cried the young Fisherman in wonder and he rose
to .
Noug t, s him again.
t sunset in some secret place her, he
said, and after t ell me thing
wo know.
She moon is
full, stered. tened. A
blue bird rose screaming from its nest and circled over the dunes,
and tted birds rustled the coarse grey grass and
o eache sound of
a ting t her
o o his
ear.
to-nig come to top of tain, she
here.
tarted and looked at her, and she showed her
eet? he
asked.
It matters not, so-nigand under
t for my coming. If a black
dog run torike it will
go ao t no answer. he
moon is full I sogether on
the grass.
But to me to tell me how I may send my soul from
me? ion.
S into t, and through her red hair rippled
t I s, she made answer.
t t of tche young Fisherman, and
I o-nigop of tain.
I t asked of me either gold or silver.
But suc , for it is but a little
to his head low, and
ran back to to joy.
And tcc, and when he had passed from
sered aken a mirror from a
box of carved cedar up on a frame, and burned
vervain on lig, and peered the coils
of ter a time she clenched her hands in anger.
tered, I am as fair as she is.
And t evening, whe young Fisherman
climbed up to top of tain, and stood under the branches
of targe of polisal the round sea lay
at , and ts moved in the
little bay. A great oo
no ansowards
ruck it
away whining.
At midnigcs.
P upon there is some one
! and t, and ctered to each
ot of all came tch her
red reaming in tissue
embroidered tle cap of green velvet
was on her head.
chey saw her,
but so taking the
Fis into t and began
to dance.
Round and round tch jumped so high
t
across t
no o be seen, and afraid.
Faster, cried tc his neck,
and upon er, faster! she cried,
and to spin beneat, and his brain grew
troubled, and a great terror fell on hing
t c last under the
s been there before.
It of black velvet, cut in the Spanish
fasrangely pale, but his lips were like a
proud red flower. oying in
a listless manner he grass
beside , and a pair of riding-gloves gauntleted
lace, and se into a curious
device. A s cloak lined h sables hang from his shoulder,
and e we h rings. heavy eyelids
drooped over his eyes.
tc last
t, and o the
eyes of tch laugh, and
caug, and whirled her madly round and round.
Suddenly a dog bayed in topped, and
going up t dohe mans hands. As
ttle smile touched his proud lips, as a birds
oucer and makes it laug there was disdain
in it. looking at the young Fisherman.
Come! let us worsch, and she led him up,
and a great desire to do as s him seized on him, and he
followed w knowing why he
did it, the Cross, and called
upon the holy name.
No sooner ches screamed like hawks and
fle cched
over to a little wood, and
rappings came running to meet him.
As upon turned round, and looked at the
young Fisherman sadly.
And tcried to fly a the
Fis s, and .
Loose me, s me go. For t named w
s be named, and s may not be looked at.
Nay, I let till t told
me t.
secret? said tcling ,
and biting her foam-flecked lips.
t, he made answer.
ears, and so the
Fis t!
ightly.
And w s free o
ers of the sea, and as
comely as t ders, and she fawned on
o his.
But o
not t t to me I hee for a false
ch.
Sree, and shuddered. Be
it so, stered. It is t mine. Do as
t. And sook from tle knife t had a
to him.
shis serve me? he asked of her, wondering.
S for a fes, and a look of terror came over
hen she brushed her hair back from her forehead, and
smiling strangely so men call the
body is not t is the soul.
Stand on to t away from
around t thy
soul leave t will do so.
trembled. Is true? he murmured.
It is true, and I I told t, she
cried, and so his knees weeping.
o
tain and began
to climb down.
And to him and said, Lo!
I hy
servant. Send me not a evil have I done
thee?
And t done me no evil, but I
here
is dim twilig lies
bet trouble me not, for my love is
calling to me.
And eously, but not, but
leapt from crag to crag, being sure-footed as a , and at
last he sea.
Bronze-limbed and , like a statue by a Grecian, he
stood on to t of the foam
came beckoned to of the waves rose dim
forms t did him homage. Before him lay his shadow, which was
the honey-
coloured air.
And o drive me from thee,
send me not fort a . thy
to take h me.
ossed should I love my love if
I gave t? he cried.
Nay, but be merciful, said , for the
world is very cruel, and I am afraid.
My is my loves, arry not, but get
thee gone.
S love also? asked his Soul.
Get the young
Fisook ttle knife s handle of green
vipers skin, and cut a
rose up and stood before was even as
himself.
back, and t to , and a feeling of
a me see
thy face no more.
Nay, but meet again, said ts voice was low
and flute-like, and its lips spake.
? cried t not
folloo the sea?
Once every year I o to thee, said
t may be t t have need of me.
need s
be it as t, and o ters and tritons
bletle Mermaid rose up to meet him, and
put h.
And tood on tchem. And when
to t he
marshes.
And after a year o the
sea and called to t of the deep,
and said, to me?
And t I may speak hee,
for I hings.
So er, and leaned his
ened.
And to turned my face to the
East and journeyed. From t comet is wise.
Six days I journeyed, and on th day I came
to a is in try of tartars. I sat down under
tamarisk tree to ser myself from the
land up . t to and
fro over the plain like flies crawling upon a disk of polished
copper.
rose up from t rim of
tartars sa, trung ted bows,
and upon ttle o meet it.
to themselves behind
t curtains.
At tars returned, but five of them were missing,
and of t came back not a few hey
o tily away.
t of a cave and peered after they
sniffed up trils, and trotted off in the
opposite direction.
he plain, and
to. A company of mercs ed round it on
carpets. ted behe negroes
cents of tanned skin upon the
sand, and making a he prickly pear.
As I came near ts rose up and drew
his sword, and asked me my business.
I ans I I had
escaped from tartars, o make me their slave.
the chief smiled, and showed me five heads fixed upon long reeds of
bamboo.
t of God, and I answered him
Mohammed.
, ook me
by t me some
mares milk in a wooden dised.
At daybreak arted on our journey. I rode on a red-haired
camel by the chief, and a runner ran before us carrying
a spear. the mules
folloy camels in the
caravan, and ty in number.
e from try of tartars into try of those
whe
heir caves. As we
passed over tains
fall on us, and eacied a veil of gauze before his eyes. As
arro us from
trees, and at nigime we he wild men
beating on to to
fruits before t o the
tos hem warm milk in howls of brass, and
t us go by. times in our journey o the banks
of t on rafts of bladders of
blown us and sougo slay
us. rembled.
ty levied tolls on us, but suffer us
to enter tes. ttle
maize-cakes baked in h
dates. For every s hem a bead of amber.
he
o ts. e foughe Magadae who
are born old, and grow younger and younger every year, and die when
ttle croi hey
are tigers, and paint themselves yellow and black; and
es rees, and
t their god,
she Krimnians who worship a crocodile,
and give it earrings of green glass, and feed it ter and
fresh
t, and run more sly than
tle, and a third died of
. t murmured against me, and said t I
tune. I took a one
and let it sting me. I did not sicken they grew
afraid.
In ty of Illel. It -
time is outside the
air ry, for travelling in Scorpion. e took
tes from trees, and brake them, and drank
t juices. ts, and ed
for the dawn.
And at da te of ty. It was
h sea-dragons and dragons
t tlements and
asked us our business. terpreter of the caravan answered
t we h much merchandise.
took ages, and told us t te to us
at noon, and bade us tarry till then.
e, and as ered in the
people came cro of to look at us, and a crier
round ty crying tood in the
market-place, and ths
and opened ts of sycamore. And whey had ended
task, ts set fortrange he waxed
linen from Egypt and ted linen from try of the
Etyre and the blue hangings from
Sidon, the
curious vessels of burnt clay. From the roof of a house a company
of cher.
And on t day ts came and bartered h us, and on
the
craftsmen and tom h all
mercs as long as tarry in ty.
And arried for a moon, and whe moon was waning, I wearied
and reets of ty and came to the
garden of its god. ts in their yellow robes moved
silently trees, and on a pavement of black marble
stood ts
doors
on tilted roof was of sea-
green porcelain, and tting eaves ooned tle
bells. e doves fle, truck th
tinkle.
In front of temple er paved h veined
onyx. I lay do, and ouche
broad leaves. One of ts came toood behind
me. , one of soft serpent-skin and the
otre of black felt
decorated s. Seven yelloo his
robe, and ained imony.
After a little wo me, and asked me my desire.
I told my desire o see the god.
quot;ting,quot; said t, looking strangely at me
ing eyes.
quot;tell me in , and I ; I answered.
t fringes of unic ed
nails. quot;t; he murmured.
quot;tell me on w coucc; I answered.
quot;t t,quot; he cried.
quot;If t I be
bitter I ; was my answer.
aking me by the hand, he raised
me up, and led me into temple.
And in t ced on a throne of
jasper bordered orient pearls. It of
ebony, and in stature ature of a man. On its forehead
s o its thighs.
Its feet s
loins girt t udded h seven beryls.
And I said to t, quot;Is t; And he answered me,
quot;t;
quot;S; I cried, quot;or I ; And I
touc became hered.
And t besoug;Let my lord ,
and I will s;
So I breat became whole
again, and rembled and led me into the second chamber, and I
saanding on a lotus of jade emeralds.
It of ivory, and in stature ature of
a man. On its foree, and its breasts were
smeared held a crooked
sceptre of jade, and in tal. It ware buskins
of brass, and its th a circle of
selenites.
And I said to t, quot;Is t;
And ;t;
quot;S; I cried, quot;or I ; And I
touchey became blind.
And t besoug;Let my lord ,
and I will s;
So I breat came
back to trembled again, and led me into third
c, nor image of any kind,
but only a mirror of round metal set on an altar of stone.
And I said to t, quot;;
And ;t t thou
seest, for t reflecteth all
t are in he face of him
. t reflectet, so t he who
looketo it may be
the Mirror of isdom.
And there
anyt not
isdom. t t.quot; And I looked
into t was even as o me.
And I did a strange t ters not, for in a
valley t is but a days journey from this place have I hidden
t suffer me to enter into thee again
and be t, and t be he wise men,
and isdom so enter into thee, and none
hou.
But tter than isdom, he
cried, and ttle Mermaid loves me.
Nay, but tter the Soul.
Love is better, anso
t he marshes.
And after to the shore
of to t of
t to me?
And t I may speak hee,
for I hings.
So er, and leaned his
ened.
And to turned my face to
t is
precious. Six days I journeyed along t lead to the
city of Asy red-dyed he
pilgrims are to go did I journey, and on the
sevented up my eyes, and lo! ty lay at my feet,
for it is in a valley.
tes to ty, and in front of eace
stands a bronze neighe Bedouins come down from
tains. tch-
tooands
an arc sunrise rikes h an
arro sunset hrough a horn of horn.
to enter, topped me and asked of me who
I I he
city of Mecca, whe Koran was
embroidered in silver letters by they
reated me to pass in.
Inside it is even as a bazaar. Surely t have been
reets terns of paper
flutter like large butterflies. he roofs
ted bubbles do. In front of ths
sit ts on silken carpets. traight black
beards, and turbans are covered h golden sequins, and long
strings of amber and carved peacones glide their cool
fingers. Some of them sell galbanum and nard, and curious perfumes
from thick oil of red roses,
and myrrtle nail-sops to speak
to throw pinches of frankincense upon a charcoal brazier
and make t. I saw a Syrian who held in his hands a
t, and its
odour as it burned he pink almond in spring.
Ots embossed all over h creamy blue
turquoise stones, and anklets of brass tle
pearls, and tigers cla in gold, and t gilt
cat, t in gold also, and earrings of pierced
emerald, and finger-rings of ea-houses
comes tar, and their
at the passers-by.
Of a trut he wine-sellers
elbo black skins on their
s of the wine of Schiraz, which is as
s as in little metal cups and strew rose
leaves upon it. In t-place stand tsellers, who
sell all kinds of fruit: ripe figs, heir bruised purple
flesopazes, citrons and
rose-apples and clusters of we grapes, round red-gold oranges,
and oval lemons of green gold. Once I sas
trunk ed urmeric, and over its ears it
of crimson silk cord. It stopped opposite one of the
booting the man only laughed.
t not trange a people they are
glad to them a caged bird, and
set it free t ter, and whey are sad
t t grow
less.
One evening I met some negroes carrying a hrough
t he poles were of
vermilion lacquer studded he windows
ains of muslin embroidered les wings and
iny seed-pearls, and as it passed by a pale-faced Circassian
looked out and smiled at me. I followed behe negroes
eps and sco I did not care. I felt a
great curiosity come over me.
At last topped at a square we here were no
o it, only a little door like tomb. they
set doimes h a copper
an of green leathrough
t, and w on
tepped out. As s in, surned
round and smiled at me again. I had never seen any one so pale.
urned to t for the
it , I knew whe
woman was, and w me.
Certainly t of the
Ne into
to pray. h rose-leaves,
and . the palms of
and h saffron.
At sunrise forth from his palace in a robe of silver, and
at sunset urned to it again in a robe of gold. the people
flung t I
do so. I stood by tall of a seller of dates and ed. hen
ted eyebroopped. I
stood quite still, and made he people marvelled
at my boldness, and counselled me to flee from ty. I paid no
o t and sat range gods,
ed. old t
I o leave them.
t nigea- is in the
Street of Pomegranates, tered and led
me to t in they closed each door behind me,
and put a c. Inside court h an arcade
running all round. te alabaster, set here and
tiles. the pillars were of green marble,
and t of a kind of peach-blossom marble. I had never
seen anyt before.
As I passed across t two veiled women looked down from a
balcony and cursed me. tened on, and tts of
te of
wrougered garden of seven
terraces. It ed ulip-cups and moonflowers, and
silver-studded aloes. Like a slim reed of crystal a fountain hung
in trees -out torches.
From one of tingale was singing.
At tood a little pavilion. As we
approac to meet us. t bodies
s me heir
yelloain of the
guard, and in a low voice wo
munced pastilles, ed gesture
out of an oval box of lilac enamel.
After a fes tain of the
soldiers. t back to the eunuchs following
slorees as
turned round, and smiled at
me h an evil smile.
tain of tioned me torance of
t trembling, and drahe heavy
curtain aside I entered in.
tretched on a couch of dyed lion skins, and
a gerfalcon perc. Beood a brass-
turbaned Nubian, naked doo t, and h heavy earrings
in ears. On a table by the couch lay a
migar of steel.
o me, quot; is thy
name? Kno t t I am Emperor of ty?quot; But I
made him no answer.
ed tar, and the Nubian seized
it, and rusruck at me violence. the
blade he man fell
spraeettered
error and he couch.
t to , and taking a lance from a stand of
arms, at me. I caug in its flighe
s into t me I held up
my stopped in mid-air. then he drew a dagger from a
belt of abbed t lest
tell of hed like a
trampled snake, and a red foam bubbled from his lips.
As soon as urned to me, and when he had
s from tle napkin of
purfled and purple silk, o me, quot;Art t, t I
may not , t I can do thee no
? I pray ty to-nig in it
I am no longer its lord.quot;
And I answered ;I will go for reasure. Give me
reasure, and I ;
ook me by t into the
captain of the eunuchs saw me,
the ground in fear.
t walls of red
porphe Emperor
touc opened, and we passed down a
corridor t orches. In niches upon each side
stood great o th silver pieces. hen
he word
t may not be spoken, and a granite door s
spring, and his eyes should
be dazzled.
t not believe here
oise-sones
of great size piled up ored in
coffers of elep- in leattles.
tal, and
tter in cups of jade. Round green emeralds were ranged in
order upon tes of ivory, and in one corner were silk bags
filled, some urquoise-stones, and othe
ivory s, and the horns of
brass he pillars, which were of
cedar, ones. In t
oval sh wine-coloured and coloured
like grass. And yet I old t a tit was
there.
And waken away his hands from before his face
o me: quot;treasure, and is in
it is to thee
camels and camel drivers, and take
treasure to of thou
desirest to go. And to-night, for I would
not t t there is in my
city a man ;
But I ans is he
silver also is the
these. Nor shall I
take aug t little ring t t on the
finger of t;
And t;It is but a ring of lead,quot; he cried,
quot;nor any value. take treasure and
go from my city.quot;
quot;Nay,quot; I ans;but I ake noug t leaden ring,
for I knoten , and for ;
And trembled, and besoug;take all the
treasure and go from my city. t is mine shine
also.quot;
And I did a strange t ters not, for in a
cave t is but a days journey from the
Ring of Ric is but a days journey from t
s for the
kings of take it, and the worlds
richine.
But tter than Riches, he
cried, and ttle Mermaid loves me.
Nay, but tter the Soul.
Love is better, anso
t he marshes.
And after to the shore
of to t of
t to me?
And t I may speak hee,
for I hings.
So er, and leaned his
ened.
And to y t I knohere is an inn
t standet th sailors who drank of
t-coloured e bread made of barley, and
little salt fis
and made merry, tered to us an old man bearing a leathern
carpet and a lute t wo horns of amber. And when he had
laid out t on truck he
rings of e, and a girl whose face was veiled ran in
and began to dance before us. h a veil of
gauze, but hey
moved over t like little we pigeons. Never have I seen
anyty in w a
days journey from this place.
Now whe words of his Soul, he
remembered t ttle Mermaid and could not dance.
And a great desire came over o is
but a days journey, and I can return to my love, and he laughed,
and stood up in ter, and strode tohe shore.
And whe dry shore he laughed again, and held
out o cry of joy and
ran to meet ered into he young Fisherman saw
stretc s is
the Soul.
And o us not tarry, but get once,
for ters t do their
bidding.
So te, and all t nighe
moon, and all t day the sun, and on
to a city.
And to y in
o me?
And is not ty, but another.
Nevert us enter in. So tered in and passed
treets, and as treet of the
Je forth in a
booto ake t silver cup and hide
it.
So ook t in tunic, and they
of ty.
And after t ty, the young
Fiso his Soul,
tell me to take t, for it was an
evil to do?
But peace, be at peace.
And on to a city, and the
young Fiso y in which she
dances of o me?
And is not ty, but another.
Nevert us enter in. So tered in and passed
treets, and as treet of the
Sellers of Sandals, tanding by a
jar of er. And o e t child. So he
smote till it , and w
of ty.
And after t ty the young
Fiso tell me
to smite t o do?
But peace, be at peace.
And on to a city, and the
young Fiso y in which she
dances of o me?
And may be t it is in ty,
t us enter in.
So tered in and passed treets, but nowhere
could t stood by
its side. And ty looked curiously at him, and
o us go hence, for she who
dances e feet is not here.
But let us tarry, for t is
dark and the way.
So -place and rested, and after a time
t by a wh of
tartary, and bare a lantern of pierced ted
reed. And t said to t in the
market-place, seeing t the bales
corded?
And this
city, nor give me ser.
Are all kinsmen? said t. And did not one God
make us? t-chamber.
So t to his
es and
entered into t brouger in a
copper dis was he
mig, and set a bowl of rice and a piece of
roasted kid before him.
And after t led o t-
c rest. And the young
Fis was on his
s of dyed goats-hair.
And wh a covering of black lambs-
wool he fell asleep.
And t ill night, his Soul
he
merc, even to th, and slay him, and
take from .
And t tohe
merc, and over t of t there was lying a
curved sray by t held nine
purses of gold. And ouche sword,
and started and awoke, and leaping
up seized o t
turn evil for good, and pay he shedding of blood for
t I hee?
And o trike him, and he
struck he nine purses of
gold, and fled ily tes, and set
o tar t is tar of morning.
And he young Fisherman
beat , and said to thou bid me slay
t and take evil.
But peace, be at peace.
Nay, cried t be at peace, for all
t t made me to do I e. te, and I bid
tell me w wroughis wise.
And send me forto the
me no , so I learned to do all things
and love them.
sayest the young Fisherman.
t, ans well.
tten t t me no ? I tro. And so
trouble not t be at peace, for there is no pain
t t not give a t not
receive.
And wrembled and said
to t evil, and made me forget my
love, and tempted me emptations, and set my feet in
the ways of sin.
And not forgotten t whou
didst send me forto t me no . Come,
let us go to anoty, and make merry, for we have nine purses
of gold.
But took the nine purses of gold, and flung
trampled on them.
Nay, I o do hee, nor will
I journey even as I sent thee away before,
so me no good.
And urned o ttle knife t
rove to cut from
t she Soul.
Yet irred not from o his command,
but said to tcold thee no
more, for I may not leave t th.
Once in h
back keep it his is his
punis and his reward.
And the young Fisherman grew pale and clenched his hands and cried,
Sc sold me not t.
Nay, anso him she worships,
and w she will be ever.
And w rid
of it h him
alerly.
And o his
Soul, I do thy bidding, and
close my lips t I may not speak turn to
to the sea
urn, and to ttle bay o sing, and
I o ell he evil
t on me.
And empted thou
s return to han she is.
the manner of
all kinds of birds and beasts. t are painted h henna,
and in ttle copper bells. they laugh while
ter is as clear as ter of
er. Come o t is
trouble of t t which is
pleasant to eat not made for ter? Is t
o drink? trouble not t come o
anoty. ttle city here is a
garden of tulip-trees. And te
peacocks and peacocks t s. tails when
to t
disks. And sheir pleasure, and
sometimes s otimes she dances
. ibium, and her
nostrils are she wings of a swallow. From a hook in
one of rils is carved out of a pearl.
S are about
inkle like bells of silver. And so trouble not thyself
any more, but come o ty.
But t closed his lips
ight cord bound his hands, and
journeyed back to to the
little bay o sing. And ever did his
Soul tempt no answer, nor would he
do any of t it sougo make o do, so great
hin him.
And whe cord
from ook the seal of silence from his lips, and
called to ttle Mermaid. But s to hough
o her.
And but little joy
out of t as one er
into a broken vessel. t a, and nought
is given to turn. It ter for to come h
me, for I knohings
are wroughere.
But t in a cleft of
t tles, and abode there for
to the Mermaid,
and every noon o nigime he spake
never did s of to meet him, nor
in any place of t for her
in ter, in tide and
in t are at ttom of the deep.
And ever did empt errible
t did it not prevail against he power
of his love.
And after t hin himself, I
empted my master ronger than I
am. I empt may be t he will
come h me.
So o told thee of
t turned a deaf ear to me.
Suffer me noo tell t may be t
t ruthis world,
nor is ts net. there be some who
lack raiment, and ot
in purple, and o and fro over the fens go
to eache beggars go up
and dos are empty. the
streets of ties s at their
gates. Come, let us go forthem
not to be. tarry o thy love,
seeing s to t is love, t thou
s set tore upon it?
But t noug he power
of o the Mermaid, and every
noon o nigime he spake her name.
Yet never did s of to meet him, nor in any place
of t for he
rivers of t are under the waves, in
t t makes purple, and in t the dawn
leaves grey.
And after to the young
Fis nigime, and as in ttled house alone,
Lo! noed tempted thee
ronger than I am. herefore will I
tempt t I pray to suffer me to enter thy
, t I may be one hee even as before.
Surely t enter, said the
days go t
have much suffered.
Alas! cried rance, so
compassed about of thine.
Yet I I could he young Fisherman.
And as cry of mourning from the sea,
even t men he Sea-folk is dead. And
t up, and left tled house, and ran
doo to the shore,
bearing e as
t tossed on the
surf took it from took it from the surf,
and t, and lying at the young
Fistle Mermaid. Dead at it
was lying.
eeping as one smitten ,
and oyed
amber of t on the sand,
rembling
to . Cold was
t asted it ter joy. he
kissed t lay upon their
cups tears.
And to to ts
ears ale. ttle hands
round ouchin reed of
t. Bitter, bitter was range
gladness was his pain.
te foam moaned like a leper.
ite cla the
palace of t
upon t tritons blew heir horns.
Flee away, said he sea come nigher, and
if tarriest it hee. Flee away, for I am afraid,
seeing t t is closed against me by reason of the
greatness of to a place of safety. Surely
t not send me a into another world?
But tened not to called on the
little Mermaid and said, Love is better than wisdom, and more
precious t of ters of
men. t destroy it, nor can ters quenc. I
called on t da not come to my call. the
moon thou no heed of me. For evilly had
I left to my own ever did
t strong, nor did aught
prevail against it, though I have looked upon evil and looked upon
good. And no t dead, surely I hee
also.
And o depart, but , so great was
to cover h
its h
mad lips t t was
did break, trance and entered in, and was one
he young Fisherman
s waves.
And in t forto bless t
roubled. And the musicians,
and t
company.
And w reache young Fisherman
lying drohe body of
ttle Mermaid. And he
sign of t bless the
sea nor anyt is in it. Accursed be the Sea-folk, and
accursed be all traffic hem. And as for him who for
loves sake forsook God, and so lieth his leman slain by
Gods judgment, take up he body of his leman, and
bury t no
mark above t none may knohe place
of ting. For accursed heir lives, and
accursed shs also.
And the
Field of t hey dug a deep
pit, and laid t.
And w was a holy day,
t up to t so the people
to t th of God.
And wered in and
boar was covered
range flo never range were
to look at, and of curious beauty, and ty troubled
in rils. And glad,
and understood not why he was glad.
And after t abernacle, and incensed the
monstrance t , and so the people,
and again beo speak to the
people, desiring to speak to t the
beauty of te floroubled
in rils, and to his lips, and he
spake not of t of the God whose name is Love.
And w.
And
back to ty, and ears. And
to unrobe ook from he
alb and tole. And ood as one
in a dream.
And after t t them and said,
are t stand on tar, and whey
come?
And t flo tell, but
t
trembled, and returned to his own house and prayed.
And in t ill dahe
monks and the swingers of
censers, and a great company, and came to the sea, and
blessed t are in it. the Fauns
also tle t dance in the woodland,
and t-eyed t peer the
th
joy and never again in the Fullers
Field gre the field remained barren even
as before. Nor came to they had been
to do, for t to anot of the sea.