Текст книги "Золушка / Cinderella"

Золушка / Cinderella

Адаптация текста Д.Л. Абрагина и А.А. Пахомовой

© Д.Л. Абрагин, А.А. Пахомова, адаптация текста

© ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2019

Cinderella

Once upon a time, there lived a gentleman[1]1
  Once upon a time, there lived a gentleman – Жил-был один господин


[Закрыть], who after his beautiful and kind wife died, married the proudest and meanest woman in all the land[2]2
  the proudest and meanest woman in all the land – самой высокомерной и недоброй женщине в округе


[Закрыть].

She had two daughters from a previous marriage who were just as nasty and haughty as their mother.

The gentleman also had a young daughter by another wife[3]3
  by another wife – от прежней жены


[Закрыть] named Cinderella, who was one of the sweetest girls in the kingdom.

Cinderella’s stepmother was extremely jealous of her beauty and charm and made her do[4]4
  made her do – заставляла ее делать


[Закрыть] the hardest and most dreadful work in the house.

Cinderella did the dishes[5]5
  did the dishes – мыла посуду


[Закрыть], scrubbed the floor and made the beds[6]6
  made the beds – убирала постели


[Закрыть] while her stepsisters rested in their beds or had fun playing dress-up.

Now, it so happened that the King’s son decided to give a ball, inviting all the young ladies in the land to attend.

Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters were delighted and would talk of nothing but the ball all day long. They sent for the greatest designers in the kingdom to ensure that they looked their best[7]7
  to ensure that they looked their best – чтобы быть уверенными, что они будут выглядеть лучше всех


[Закрыть].

Cinderella offered to help them get ready for the ball, for she had excellent taste, and despite how her stepsisters treated her, she always gave them the best advice.

As she helped them, the eldest sister asked, “Cinderella, are you not going to the ball?”

Cinderella sadly lowered her head and said, “No, you’re only teasing me because I have nothing to wear for the ball. Perhaps I could borrow something?”

“Lend our clothes to such a dirty Cinderwench[8]8
  Cinderwench – Замарашка


[Закрыть]? We’re not fools!” And the sisters laughed cruelly.

When the big day finally came, Cinderella accompanied her stepmother and stepsisters to the Court and couldn’t help but burst into tears as she watched them enter the beautiful ball[9]9
  couldn’t help but burst into tears as she watched them enter the beautiful ball – не могла сдержать слез при виде того, как они оказались на прекрасном балу


[Закрыть].

As she wept, Cinderella’s fairy godmother appeared.

“Cinderella, why are you crying?” she asked.

“You wish to attend the ball, is that not so?”

“Yes,” cried Cinderella, between sobs.

The fairy godmother smiled and said, “Well, run into the garden and bring me a pumpkin.”

Cinderella immediately went to get the finest pumpkin she could find.

When she brought it, her godmother struck the pumpkin with her wand, instantly turning it into a fine coach plated with gold and silver.

Next, she had Cinderella find some mice[10]10
  had Cinderella find some mice – заставила Золушку найти нескольких мышей


[Закрыть], and when she brought the furry little creatures back, the fairy godmother tapped them each with her wand, turning[11]11
  turning – превращая


[Закрыть] them into six fine horses and a coachman.

“Well, what do you say? Do you still think you are not able to attend the ball?” asked her godmother.

“Oh yes!” cried Cinderella, “but should I go looking like this, in these rags?[12]12
  but should I go looking like this, in these rags? – но как я буду выглядеть в этих лохмотьях?


[Закрыть]”

Her godmother only touched her with her wand, and instantly Cinderella’s rags turned into a dress of white and silver, sparkling with jewels.

To top it off[13]13
  To top it off – для завершения образа


[Закрыть], fairy godmother gave Cinderella a pair of glass slippers[14]14
  glass slippers – зд. хрустальные туфельки


[Закрыть], the prettiest in the whole world.

“The spell only lasts until midnight, so promise you will leave the ball before then,” said the Godmother.

Cinderella promised to return before midnight, thanked her again, and drove off to the ball.

When Cinderella entered the castle, the dancing and music stopped as everyone turned to gaze at her beauty.

No one recognized her; she was a complete mystery.

The Prince rushed up to greet her, led her to the most honorable seat, and later took her out for a dance[15]15
  took her out for a dance – пригласил ее на танец


[Закрыть].

Cinderella even made time to approach her step-sisters, who still did not recognize her, and shared some of the oranges the prince had presented to her as a gift.

The Prince never left her side[16]16
  never left her side – не отходил от нее


[Закрыть], and Cinderella was enjoying herself so much that she completely forgot the time!

When the clock struck midnight, Cinderella was shocked and ran away immediately, leaving one of her glass slippers behind in haste.

The Prince ran to follow her, but only managed to pick up the glass slipper she left behind.

Cinderella managed to get home[17]17
  to get home – добраться до дома


[Закрыть] but was quite out of breath[18]18
  out of breath – задыхающийся, запыхавшийся


[Закрыть] and in her dirty old clothes.

She was resting in bed when her two stepsisters suddenly entered her room.

“You stayed really late![19]19
  You stayed really late! – Что-то вы припозднились!


[Закрыть]” cried Cinderella, rubbing her eyes and stretching as if she had been sleeping.

“If you had been there, you would have seen the most beautiful princess[20]20
  If you had been there you would have seen the most beautiful princess – Если бы ты там побывала, ты бы увидела прекрасную принцессу


[Закрыть],” exclaimed the eldest sister, “she was so nice to us and had the undivided attention of the Prince.”

“Her background is a mystery, and the Prince would give anything to know who she was[21]21
  would give anything to know who she was – все бы отдал за то, чтобы узнать, кто она такая


[Закрыть],” said the youngest.

A few days later, the Prince declared that he would marry the woman whose foot fit in the slipper.

His soldiers began to try the slipper on all the princesses and duchesses in the Court, but it was all in vain.

A little later, the slipper was brought to the two sisters, who tried with all their might to make the slipper fit[22]22
  who tried with all their might to make the slipper fit – изо всех сил старались поместить ногу в туфельку


[Закрыть].

Cinderella, who saw this, politely asked to try it.

Her sisters burst out laughing[23]23
  burst out laughing – принялись смеяться


[Закрыть] at the idea, but the Prince ordered that everyone in the kingdom should have a try.

When Cinderella’s foot slid perfectly into the slipper[24]24
  Cinderella’s foot slid perfectly into the slipper – туфелька идеально подошла Золушке по размеру


[Закрыть], her sisters were astonished.

Cinderella’s fairy godmother appeared and with the flick of her wand turned Cinderella into the beautiful girl from the ball.

The step-sisters dropped to their knees and begged for forgiveness for the awful way they treated her over the years[25]25
  for the awful way they treated her over the years – за то, как они с ней обращались все это время


[Закрыть].

Cinderella lifted them up and embraced them, saying she forgave them with all her heart.

Cinderella was then escorted to the Prince, dressed as beautiful as she was at the ball.

A few days later they were married.

Cinderella, who was very kind, gave her two sisters rooms in the palace, and everyone lived happily ever after.

Puss in Boots

There was a miller whose only inheritance to his three sons was his mill, his donkey, and his cat. The division was soon made. The eldest took the mill, the second the donkey, and the youngest took the cat.

The poor young fellow was quite comfortless because he received so little. “My brothers,” said he, “may make a handsome living by joining their shares together, but for my part, after I have eaten up my cat and made myself a muff from his skin, I must then die of hunger.”

The cat, who heard all this but pretended otherwise, said to him serious, “Do not be so concerned, my good master. If you will give me a bag and have a pair of boots made for me that I may scamper through the dirt and the brambles, then you shall see that you are not so poorly off with me as you imagine.”

The cat’s master did not believe him very much. However, he had often seen him play a great many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice[26]26
  he had often seen him play a great many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice – он часто видел, как тот проделывал разные уловки, чтобы поймать мышей и крыс


[Закрыть], such as hanging by his heels or hiding himself in the meal and pretending to be dead, so he did take some hope that he might give him some help in his miserable condition[27]27
  miserable condition – жалкое положение


[Закрыть].

After receiving what he had asked for, the cat gallantly pulled on the boots and slung the bag about his neck. Holding its drawstrings in his forepaws[28]28
  Holding its drawstrings in his forepaws – Держа шнурки в передних лапах


[Закрыть], he went to a place where there were a lot of rabbits. He put some bran and greens into his bag, then laid down as if he were dead. He waited for some young rabbits to come and look into his bag.

Soon, a rash and foolish young rabbit jumped into his bag, and the master cat immediately closed the strings, then took and killed him without pity[29]29
  without pity – без сожаления


[Закрыть].

Proud of his prey, he went with it to the palace, and asked to speak with his majesty. He was shown upstairs into the king’s apartment [30]30
  He was shown upstairs into the king’s apartment – Его провели наверх в покои короля


[Закрыть]and, making a low bow[31]31
  low bow – низкий поклон


[Закрыть], said to him, “Sir, I have brought you a rabbit from my noble lord[32]32
  my noble lord – мой благородный лорд


[Закрыть], the Master of Carabas” (for that was the title which the cat was pleased to give his master).

“Tell your master,” said the king, “that I thank him and that I am very pleased with his gift.”

Another time he went and hid himself in a grain field. He again held his bag open, and when a brace of partridges[33]33
  a brace of partridges – пара куропаток


[Закрыть] ran into it, he drew the strings and caught them both. He presented these to the king, as he had done before with the rabbit. The king received the partridges with great pleasure and gave him a tip. The cat continued, from time to time[34]34
  from time to time – время от времени


[Закрыть] for two or three months, to take game[35]35
  to take game – приносить добычу


[Закрыть] to his majesty from his master.

One day, when he knew for certain[36]36
  for certain – наверняка


[Закрыть] that the king would be taking a drive along the riverside with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world, he said to his master, “If you follow my advice, your fortune is made. All you must do is to go and bathe yourself in the river at the place I show you, then leave the rest to me.”

The Marquis of Carabas did what the cat advised him to, without knowing why[37]37
  without knowing why – не зная почему


[Закрыть]. While he was bathing, the king passed by in his coach, and the cat began to cry out, “Help! Help! My Lord Marquis of Carabas is going to be drowned.”

At this noise, the king put his head out of the coach window and saw that it was the cat who had so often brought him such good game, so he commanded his guards to help the Marquis of Carabas. While they were drawing the poor Marquis out of the river, the cat came up to the coach and told the king that while his master was bathing, some rogues had stolen his clothes, even though he had cried out, “Thieves! Thieves!” several times as loud as he could. In truth, the cunning cat had hidden the clothes under a large stone.[38]38
  as loud as he could – так громко, как мог


[Закрыть]

The king immediately commanded the officers of his wardrobe to run and fetch one of his best suits for the Lord Marquis of Carabas.

The king received him very courteously[39]39
  The king received him very courteously. – Король принял его очень вежливо.


[Закрыть]. And because the king’s fine clothes gave him a striking appearance (for[40]40
  for – так как


[Закрыть] he was very handsome and well proportioned), the king’s daughter took a secret inclination to him. The Marquis of Carabas had only to look at her a couple of times, and she fell head over heels in love with him[41]41
  she fell head over heels in love with him – она влюбилась в него по уши


[Закрыть]. The king asked him to enter the coach and join them.

The cat ran on ahead[42]42
  on ahead – вперед


[Закрыть]. Meeting some countrymen who were mowing a meadow[43]43
  who were mowing a meadow – которые косили луга


[Закрыть], he said to them, “My good fellows, if you do not tell the king that the meadow you are mowing belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped up like mincemeat[44]44
  you shall be chopped up like mincemeat – вы будете изрублены на фарш


[Закрыть].”

The king asked the mowers whose meadow it was that they were mowing.

“It belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas,” they answered altogether because the cat had frightened them.

“You see, sir,” said the Marquis, “this is a meadow which always yield a plentiful harvest every year.”

The master cat, still running on ahead, met with some reapers and said to them, “My good fellows, if you do not tell the king that all this grain belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped up like mincemeat.”

The king, who passed by a moment later, asked them whose grain it was that they were reaping.

“It belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas,” replied the reapers, which pleased both the king and the marquis. The king congratulated him for his fine harvest. The master cat continued to run ahead and said the same words to all he met. The king was surprised at the big estates of the Lord Marquis of Carabas.

The master cat came at last to a castle, the lord of which was an ogre, the richest that had ever been known[45]45
  that had ever been known – которого когда-либо знали


[Закрыть]. All the lands which the king had just passed by belonged to this castle. The cat, who found out who this ogre was and what he could do, asked to speak with him, saying he could not pass so near his castle without having the honor of paying his respects to him.

The ogre received him as civilly as an ogre could do and invited him to sit down. “I have heard,” said the cat, “that you are able to change yourself into any kind of creature. You can, for example, transform yourself into a lion, an elephant, or the like.”

“That is true,” answered the ogre, “and to convince you, I shall now become a lion.”

The cat was so terrified to see a lion so near him that he leaped onto the roof, that was even more difficult for him because his boots didn’t help him to walk on the tiles. However, the ogre resumed his natural form, and the cat came down, saying that he had been very frightened indeed.

“I have further been told,” said the cat, “that you can also transform yourself into the smallest of animals, for example, a rat or a mouse. But I can scarcely believe that. I think that that would be quite impossible.”

“Impossible!” cried the ogre. “You shall see!”

He immediately changed himself into a mouse and began to run about the floor. As soon as the cat saw this, he fell upon him and ate him up.

Meanwhile the king, who saw this fine castle of the ogre’s as he passed, decided to go inside. The cat, who heard the noise of his majesty’s coach running over the drawbridge, ran out and said to the king, “Your majesty is welcome to this castle of my Lord Marquis of Carabas.”

“What! My Lord Marquis,” cried the king, “and does this castle also belong to you? There can be nothing finer than this court and all the stately buildings which surround it. Let us go inside, if you don’t mind[46]46
  if you don’t mind – если вы не возражаете


[Закрыть].”

The marquis gave his hand to the princess and followed the king, who went first. They passed into a spacious hall, where they found a magnificent feast, which the ogre had prepared for his friends, who were coming to visit him that very day but dared not to enter, knowing the king was there.

His majesty was perfectly charmed with the good qualities of my Lord Marquis of Carabas, as was his daughter, who had fallen violently in love with him. Seeing the vast estate he possessed, the king said to him, after having drunk five or six glasses, “It will be your own fault, my Lord Marquis, if you do not become my son-in-law.”

The marquis, making several low bows, accepted the honor which his majesty conferred upon him[47]47
  accepted the honor which his majesty conferred upon him – принял почет, которым одарил его король


[Закрыть] and that very same day married the princess.

The cat became a great lord and never again ran after mice, except for entertainment.

The Little Mermaid

Far out in the ocean, where the water is blue and very, very deep, lived the Sea King and his subjects. His castle stood in the deepest spot of the ocean. Its walls were built of coral, and the long windows were of the clearest amber. The roof was made of shells that opened and closed as the water flowed over them.

The Sea King had six beautiful children; but the youngest was the prettiest of them all. Her skin was as clear and delicate as a roseleaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea. Like all the others, she had no feet, and her body ended in a fish’s tail[48]48
  her body ended in a fish’s tail – а её тело заканчивалось рыбьим хвостом


[Закрыть]. All day long she played with her sisters in the great halls of the castle. Outside the castle there was a beautiful garden, in which grew bright red and dark blue flowers, and blossoms like flames of fire[49]49
  blossoms like flames of fire – цветы, похожие на языки пламени


[Закрыть]. Over everything shined a beautiful blue light. Each of the young princesses had a little plot of ground[50]50
  a little plot of ground – маленький участок земли


[Закрыть] in the garden, where they planted different flowers. One arranged her flower-bed into the shape of a whale; another made hers look like the figure of a mermaid. The youngest sister made hers round like the sun, with red flowers. She was a quiet child. Her sisters liked to find different wonderful things at the wrecks of vessels, but she cared for nothing but her flowers and one beautiful marble statue. It was a statue of a handsome boy, carved out of pure white stone, which had fallen to the bottom of the sea from a wreck. She planted a rose-colored weeping willow by the statue. It grew fast, and very soon hung its fresh branches over the statue. She also loved to hear stories about the world above the sea. To her it seemed most wonderful and beautiful[51]51
  To her it seemed most wonderful and beautiful – для неё было удивительным и прекрасным


[Закрыть] to hear that the flowers of the land had fragrance; that the trees of the forest were green; and that the fish among the trees could sing so sweetly, that it was quite a pleasure to hear them.

Once the princesses reached their fifteenth year, they would be allowed to rise up out of the sea and see the world above. But the youngest would have to wait five years before it was her turn to rise to the surface.

Each princess promised to tell the others what she saw on her first visit, and what she thought the most beautiful[52]52
  what she thought the most beautiful – что показалось ей наиболее красивым


[Закрыть]. As soon as the eldest was fifteen, 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 town 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 humans.

In another year the second sister rose to the surface of the water. It was at sunset, and this, she said, was the most beautiful sight of all. The sky was full of gold, while, violet and rose-colored clouds, which she could not describe. Above her flew a large flock of wild swans. She swam towards the sun; but it sunk into the waves, and the rosy color 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[53]53
  a broad river that emptied itself into the sea – широкая река, вливающаяся в море


[Закрыть]. On the banks she saw green hills covered with beautiful vines. There were palaces and castles amid the trees of the forest; she heard the birds singing, and the rays of the sun were so powerful that she had to dive down under the water a few times to cool her burning face. She said she should never forget the beautiful forest and the green hills.

The fourth sister was more 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[54]54
  a bell of glass – стеклянный купол


[Закрыть]. She saw ships, but at such a great distance that they looked like seagulls.

The fifth sister’s birthday was in the winter, so she saw what the others could not see the first time they went up. The sea looked green, and large icebergs were floating about. They glittered like diamonds. Towards the evening, as the sun went down, dark clouds covered the sky, the thunder rolled and the lightning flashed, while she sat calmly on the floating iceberg.

When the sisters grew up, they became indifferent about the surface[55]55
  they became indifferent about the surface – они перестали думать о поверхности


[Закрыть]. Now they said it was much more beautiful down below, at home. Yet often, in the evening hours, they all would swim to the surface to sing, for they all had beautiful voices.

At last the youngest sister reached her fifteenth year and rose to the surface of the water. The sun had just set; the clouds were tinted with red and gold. The sea was calm, and the air was mild and fresh. A large ship was slowly sailing nearby. There was music and songs on board; and, as darkness came on, a hundred colored lanterns were lighted[56]56
  a hundred colored lanterns were lighted – зажгли сотню разноцветных фонариков


[Закрыть]. The little mermaid swam close to the cabin windows. Now and then, she could look in and see a number of well-dressed people within. Among them was a young prince, the most beautiful of all. He was sixteen years of age, and it was his birthday.

It was very late; yet the little mermaid could not take her eyes from the ship, or from the beautiful prince. The sea became restless; still the little mermaid remained by the cabin window. The ship continued sailing; but soon the waves rose higher, the clouds became darker, and lightning appeared in the distance. A storm was approaching; the waves rose mountains high[57]57
  the waves rose mountains high – волны поднимались выше гор


[Закрыть]. The main mast snapped and the ship turned to its side. The water rushed in. The little mermaid saw that the crew was in danger; she could see everyone on board, except the prince. In the next moment, she saw him sink into the deep waves. She swam to the young prince. He was tired and almost dead, but she held his head above the water, and let the waves drift them away.

In the morning the storm was gone. The sun rose up. Prince’s eyes remained closed. The mermaid kissed his forehead, and stroked back his wet hair. He looked like the marble statue in her little garden. Then she saw land; the sea here formed a little bay, in which the water was still, but very deep. She swam with the prince to the beach. Then bells sounded in the large white building nearby. The little mermaid swam out farther from the shore[58]58
  swam out farther from the shore – отплыла подальше от берега


[Закрыть] and hid behind some high rocks. She saw one of the girls approach the spot where the prince lay. She seemed frightened at first, but only for a moment; then she called more people. The prince came to life again, and smiled at the people around him. He didn’t know that the mermaid saved him. This made her very unhappy.

When the little mermaid returned home, she was very quiet. Her sisters asked her about the surface, but she told them nothing.

Many times she swam to the place where she left the prince. But she never saw him again. So she would sit in her garden near the beautiful marble statue which looked like him; but she gave up tending her flowers[59]59
  she gave up tending her flowers – она перестала ухаживать за своими цветами


[Закрыть], and that the whole place became dark and gloomy. Then, she could not bear it any longer and told one of her sisters all about it. Then the others heard the secret. Soon it became known to a mermaid that knew who the prince was.

Her sisters took the little mermaid to his palace. It was built of bright yellow stone, with long flights of marble steps, one of which reached down to the sea. It was very beautiful. Now that the mermaid knew where he lived, she spent many evenings and nights near the palace. She would swim much nearer the shore than any of the others. Here she would sit and watch the young prince. She grew more and more fond of humans, and wished more and more to be able to walk among them.

One day, there was a ball at the palace of the Sea King. Mermaids danced and sang to the music. The little mermaid sang more sweetly than them all. The whole court applauded her. For a moment she felt happy. But she soon thought again of the world above her, and the charming prince. She thought: “My wishes depend on him and I will be happy with him. I will go to the sea witch and ask her for help.”

And then the little mermaid went out from her garden, and took the road to the witches’ house. She had never been that way before[60]60
  had never been that way before – никогда раньше здесь не была


[Закрыть]. The house stood in the centre of a strange forest. The little mermaid was scared and wanted to go back. But then she thought of the prince and her courage returned.

The house was built with the bones of shipwrecked human beings. And inside it sat the sea witch. “I know what you want,” said the sea witch; “it is very stupid of you, but you shall have your way[61]61
  you shall have your way – будь по-твоему


[Закрыть]. You want to get rid of your fish’s tail, and to have legs instead of it, so that the young prince may fall in love with you. I will prepare a potion for you. You must swim with it to land tomorrow before sunrise, and sit down on the shore and drink it. Your tail will disappear, and you will get legs. You will feel great pain; your every step will feel as if you were walking on sharp knives. If you will bear all this, I will help you.”

“Yes, I will,” said the little princess in a trembling voice.

“But think again,” said the witch; “for when you become human, you can no more be a mermaid[62]62
  you can no more be a mermaid – ты больше не сможешь стать русалкой


[Закрыть]. You will never return to your sisters, or to your father’s palace again. And if you do not win the love of the prince, and he marries another, your heart will break, and you will become sea foam.”

“I will do it,” said the little mermaid.

“And as payment for my help, I’ll take your voice.”

“But if you take away my voice,” said the little mermaid, “what is left for me?”

“You are beautiful; surely you can enchain a man’s heart. Well, have you lost your courage?”

“Alright,” said the little mermaid.

Then the witch placed her cauldron on the fire, and prepared the magic potion. When at last it was ready, it looked like the clearest water. “There it is for you,” said the witch. Then she cut off the mermaid’s tongue, so that she would never again speak or sing.

The mermaid left and quickly went back to the palace. She went into the garden, took one last look at her home and then swam to the surface. When she got to the prince’s palace, it was night. She swam to the marble steps and drank the potion. She felt pain and fainted. When the sun arose, she recovered, and saw the prince near her. She looked down and saw that her fish’s tail was gone, and that she had a pair of legs. The prince asked her who she was, and where she came from, but she could not speak. He took her to the palace. Every step she took hurt and she felt like she was walking on needles. But she stepped lightly and the prince wondered at her graceful movements[63]63
  the prince wondered at her graceful movements – принц дивился её грациозным движениям


[Закрыть]. She was very soon given a few beautiful dresses and she became the most beautiful creature in the palace.

Once, there were dancers performing for the prince. Their dance was very beautiful. The little mermaid raised her arms, stood on the tips of her toes, and danced like no one else. Everyone was enchanted, especially the prince.

As the days passed, the mermaid loved the prince more. He loved her as he would love a little child, but it never came into his head[64]64
  it never came into his head – ему никогда не приходило в голову


[Закрыть] to make her his wife.

“You are dear to me,” said the prince; “for you have the best heart, and you are the most devoted to me. You remind me of a young maiden whom I once saw. I was in a ship wreck, and the waves cast me ashore near a holy temple. She found me on the shore, and saved my life. She is the only one in the world whom I could love; but you are like her, and you have almost driven her image out of my mind[65]65
  you have almost driven her image out of my mind – ты почти совсем вытеснила её образ из моей головы


[Закрыть]. She belongs to the holy temple, and my good fortune has sent you to me instead of her; and we will never part.”

“Ah, he doesn’t know that I saved him,” thought the little mermaid. “I carried him to the shore; I saw the pretty maiden that he loves.” And the mermaid sighed deeply. “He says the maiden belongs to the holy temple, so she will never return to the world. They will never meet.”

Very soon it was said that the prince must marry, and that the beautiful daughter of a neighboring king would be his wife.

“I must travel,” he said to the mermaid; “I must see this beautiful princess; my parents want it. I cannot love her. If I were forced to choose a bride, I would rather choose you.”

And so they got on a ship and sailed to meet the princess. The next day they got to the harbor of a beautiful town. The church bells were ringing, and from the high towers sounded a flourish of trumpets[66]66
  a flourish of trumpets – фанфары


[Закрыть].

But the princess had not yet appeared. People said that she was being brought up and educated in a religious house. At last she came. She was beautiful: her skin was delicately fair, and her blue eyes shone with truth and purity.

“It was you,” said the prince, “who saved my life when I lay dead on the beach! Oh, I am too happy!”

The little mermaid kissed his hand, and felt as if her heart was already broken. His wedding morning would bring death to her, and she would turn into the foam of the sea.

The wedding happened at once. The little mermaid, dressed in silk and gold, held up the bride’s train; but her ears heard nothing of the festive music, and her eyes saw not the holy ceremony. She thought only of what was going to happen in the morning.

Once everyone on the ship went to sleep, the little mermaid came up to the edge of the ship and looked towards the east. She saw her sisters rise out of the water. They were as pale as herself; but their long beautiful hair had been cut off.

“We have given our hair to the witch,” said they, “to help you. She has given us a knife. Here it is, and it is very sharp. Before the sun rises you must plunge it into the heart of the prince; then you will turn into a mermaid again. Be quick; he or you must die before sunrise.” And then they sank down beneath the waves.

The little mermaid went into the tent, where the prince and his bride were sleeping. She bent down and kissed his forehead; then she glanced at the sharp knife. Then she flung it far away from her into the waves and the water turned red where it fell. She cast one more glance[67]67
  cast one more glance – ещё раз взглянула


[Закрыть] at the prince, and then threw herself from the ship into the sea.

She thought her body was dissolving into foam. The sun rose above the waves, and she saw the bright sun, and all around her floated hundreds of transparent beautiful beings. She could see through them the white sails of the ship, and the red clouds in the sky. The little mermaid realized that now she had a body like theirs.

“Where am I?” asked she.

“Among the daughters of the air,” answered one of them. “We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence. We carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration.”

The little mermaid lifted her eyes towards the sun, and felt them, for the first time, filling with tears. On the ship, the prince and his beautiful bride were searching for her. Unseen, she kissed their foreheads, and rose with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud high in the sky.