the following is an annotated1 version of the fairy tale. i recommend reading the entire story before exploring the annotations2, especially if you have not read the tale recently.
far out in the ocean, where the water is as blue1 as the prettiest cornflower, and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed, that no cable could fathom3 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 king2 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 pliant4, that the slightest agitation5 of the water causes them to stir as if they had life. fishes, both large and small, glide6 between the branches, as *rds 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 amber7. 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 diadem8 of a queen.
the sea king had been a widower9 for many years, and his aged10 mother kept house for him. she was a very wise woman, and exceedingly proud of her high *rth; on that account she wore twelve oysters11 on her tail; while others, also of high rank, were only allowed to wear six. she was, how*r, deserving of very great praise, especially for her care of the little sea-princesses, her grand-daughters. they were six beautiful children; but the youngest3 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.4 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 fly 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 red5 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 *rything lay a peculiar12 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 sun6 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 mermaid13; 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;7 and while her sisters would be delighted with the wonderful things which they obtained from the wrecks15 of vessels17, she cared for nothing but her pretty red flowers, like the sun, excepting a beautiful marble statue.8 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 wreck14. she planted by the statue a rose-colored weeping willow18. it grew splendidly, and very soon hung its fresh branches over the statue, almost down to the blue sands. the shadow had a violet tint19, 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 fragrance20, 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 *rds fishes, or she would not have understood her; for she had n*r seen *rds.
“when you have reached your fif*th year,”9 said the grand-mother, “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.”
in the following year, one of the sisters would be fif*: 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. how*r, each promised to tell the others 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 *rmation. 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 fins21 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 n*r imagined that a pretty little mermaid10 was standing22 beneath them, holding out her white hands towards the keel of their ship.
as soon as the eldest23 was fif*, 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 city11 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 peal24 out from the church steeples; and because she could not go near to all those wonderful things, she longed for them * than *r. 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 bustle25 and noise, and *n 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 pleased. 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 * rapidly than the clouds, flew a large flock of wild swans12 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 rosy26 tints27 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;13 palaces and castles peeped out from amid the proud trees of the forest; she heard the *rds singing, and the rays of the sun were so powerful that she was obliged often to spane down under the water to cool her burning face. in a narrow creek28 she found a whole troop of little human children, quite 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 n*r 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 n*r 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 * 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 spouted29 water from their nostrils30 till it seemed as if a hundred fountains were playing in *ry direction.
the fifth sister’s *rthday 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 icebergs32 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 steered33 as far away as they could from the iceberg31, as if they were afraid of it. towards *ning, 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 darted35 its forked flashes into 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 * beautiful down below, and pleasanter to be at home. yet often, in the *ning hours, the five sisters would twine36 their arms round each other, and rise to the surface, in a row. they had * beautiful voices than any human being could have;14 and before the approach of a storm, and when they expected a ship would be lost, they swam before the vessel16, 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.15 but the sailors could not understand the song, they took it for the howling of the storm. and these things were n*r 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 mermaids37 have no tears, and therefore they suffer *. “oh, were i but fif* years old,” said she: “i know that i shall love the world up there, and all the people who live in it.”16
at last she reached her fif*th year. “well, now, you are grown up,” said the old dowager, her grandmother; “so you must let me adorn38 you like your other sisters;” and she placed a wreath of white lilies in her hair, and *ry 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.
“but they hurt me so,” said the little mermaid.
“pride must suffer pain,” replied the old lady. oh, how gladly she would have shaken off all this grandeur39, and laid aside the heavy wreath! the red flowers in her own garden would have suited her much better, but she could not * herself: so she said, “farewell,” 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 tinted40 with crimson41 and gold, and through the glimmering42 twilight43 beamed the *ning 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 ca*n windows; and now and then, as the waves lifted her up, she could look in through clear glass window-panes,17 and see a number of well-dressed people within. among them was a young prince, the most beautiful of all,18 with large black eyes; he was six* years of age, and his *rthday was being kept with much rejoicing. the sailors were dancing on deck, but when the prince came out of the ca*n, * than a hundred rockets rose in the air, * it as bright as day. the little mermaid was so startled that she spaned 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 n*r seen such fireworks before. great suns spurted44 fire about, splendid fireflies flew into the blue air, and *rything was reflected in the clear, calm sea beneath. the ship itself was so brightly illuminated45 that all the people, and *n 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 the music resounded46 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 * rockets rose in the air, and the cannon47 had ceased firing; but the sea became restless, and a moaning, grumbling48 sound could be heard beneath the waves: still the little mermaid remained by the ca*n 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 * 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 spaned like a swan between them, and then rose again on their lofty, foaming50 crests52. to the little mermaid this appeared pleasant sport; not so to the sailors. at length the ship groaned53 and creaked; the thick planks54 gave way under the lashing55 of the sea as it broke over the deck; the mainmast snapped asunder56 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 *er; *n she herself was obliged to be careful to avoid the beams and planks of the wreck which lay scattered57 on the water. at one moment it was so pitch dark that she could not see a single object, but a flash of lightning r*aled the whole scene; she could see *ry 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 swam about among the beams and planks which strewed58 the surface of the sea, forgetting that they could crush her to pieces. then she spaned deeply under the dark waters, rising and falling with the waves, till at length she ma*d to reach the young prince, who was fast losing the power of swimming in that stormy sea. his li* were failing him, his beautiful eyes were closed, and he would have died had not the little mermaid come to his assistance.19 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 hue59 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 wished20 that he might live. presently 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 foam49 of the sea so that her little face might not be seen, and watched to see what would 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 spaned down sorrowfully into the water, and returned to her father’s castle. she had always been silent and thoughtful, and now she was * so than *r. 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 *ning and morning did she rise to the place where she had left the prince. she saw the fruits in the garden ripen60 till they were gathered, the snow on the tops of the mountains melt away; but she n*r saw the prince, and therefore she returned home, always * 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.
“come, little sister,” 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 gilded61 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 costly62 silk curtains and hangings of tapestry63; 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 *ning 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 sit and watch the young prince, who thought himself quite alone in the bright moonlight. she saw him many times of an *ning 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 beli*d 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 heartily65 she had kissed him; but he knew nothing of all this, and could not *n dream of her. she grew * and * fond of human beings, and wished * and * 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 mount the high hills which were far above the clouds; and the lands they possessed66, 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 applied67 to her old grandmother, who knew all about the upper world, which she very rightly called the lands above the sea.
“if human beings are not drowned,” asked the little mermaid, “can they live for*r? do they n*r die as we do here in the sea?”
“yes,” replied the old lady, “they must also die, and their term of life is *n 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 *n a grave down here of those we love. we have not immortal68 souls, we shall n*r live again;21 but, like the green sea-*, when once it has been cut off, we can n*r flourish *. human beings, on the contrary, have a soul22 which lives for*r, 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 behold69 all the land of the earth, so do they rise to unknown and glorious regions which we shall n*r see.”
