Русалочка

           Onmanyanight,too,whenthefishermen,withtheirtorches,wereoutatsea,sheheardthemrelatesomanygoodthingsaboutthedoingsoftheyoungprince,thatshewasgladshehadsavedhislifewhenhehadbeentossedabouthalf-deadonthewaves. Andsherememberedthathisheadhadrestedonherbosom,andhowheartilyshehadkissedhim; butheknewnothingofallthis,andcouldnotevendreamofher. Shegrewmoreandmorefondofhumanbeings,andwishedmoreandmoretobeabletowanderaboutwiththosewhoseworldseemedtobesomuchlargerthanherown. Theycouldflyovertheseainships,andmountthehighhillswhichwerefarabovetheclouds;andthelandstheypossessed,theirwoodsandtheirfields,stretchedfarawaybeyondthereachofhersight. Therewassomuchthatshewishedtoknow,andhersisterswereunabletoanswerallherquestions. Thensheappliedtoheroldgrandmother,whoknewallabouttheupperworld,whichsheveryrightlycalledthelandsabovethesea. 

           "Ifhumanbeingsarenotdrowned,"askedthelittlemermaid,"cantheyliveforever?dotheyneverdieaswedohereinthesea?" 

           "Yes,"repliedtheoldlady, "theymustalsodie,andtheirtermoflifeisevenshorterthanours. Wesometimeslivetothreehundredyears,butwhenweceasetoexisthereweonlybecomethefoamonthesurfaceofthewater,andwehavenotevenagravedownhereofthosewelove.