she fainted away and lay as if she were dead. When
the sun rose on the sea she woke up and became conscious of a
sharp pang, but just in front of her stood the handsome young prince,
fixing his coal black eyes on her; she cast hers down and saw that
her fish's tail was gone, and that she had the prettiest little white
legs any maiden could desire; but she was quite naked, so she wrapped
her long thick hair around her. The prince asked who she was and
how she came there. She looked at him tenderly and with a sad
expression in her dark blue eyes, but could not speak. Then he took
her by the hand and led her into the palace. Every step she took
was, as the witch had warned her beforehand, as if she were treading
on sharp knives and spikes, but she bore it gladly; led by the prince,
she moved as lightly as a bubble, and he and every one else marvelled at her graceful gliding gait.
Clothed in the costliest silks and muslins she was the greatest beauty
in the palace, but she was dumb, and could neither sing nor speak.
Beautiful slaves clad in silks and gold came forward and sang to the
prince and his royal parents; one of them sang better than all the
others, and the prince clapped his hands and smiled at her; that
made the little mermaid very sad, for she knew that she used to sing
far better herself. She thought, 'Oh! if he only knew that for the
sake of being with him I had given up my voice for ever!' Now the
slaves began to dance, graceful undulating dances to enchanting
music; thereupon the little mermaid, lifting her beautiful white arms
and raising herself on tiptoe, glided on the floor with a grace which
none of the other dancers had yet attained. With every motion her
grace and beauty became more apparent, and her eyes appealed more
deeply to the heart than the songs of the slaves. Every one was de-
lighted with it, especially the prince, who called her his little found-
ling; and she danced on and on, notwithstanding that every time
her foot touched the ground it was like treading on sharp knives.
The prince said that she should always be near him, and she was
allowed to sleep outside his door on a velvet cushion.
He had a man's dress made for her, so that she could ride about
with him.