Русалочка

           "Butifyoutakeawaymyvoice,"saidthelittlemermaid,"whatisleftforme?" 

           "Yourbeautifulform,yourgracefulwalk,andyourexpressiveeyes;surelywiththeseyoucanenchainaman’sheart. Well,haveyoulostyourcourage?PutoutyourlittletonguethatImaycutitoffasmypayment;thenyoushallhavethepowerfuldraught." 

           "Itshallbe,"saidthelittlemermaid. 

           Thenthewitchplacedhercauldrononthefire,topreparethemagicdraught. 

           "Cleanlinessisagoodthing,"saidshe,scouringthevesselwithsnakes,whichshehadtiedtogetherinalargeknot; thensheprickedherselfinthebreast,andlettheblackblooddropintoit.Thesteamthatroseformeditselfintosuchhorribleshapesthatnoonecouldlookatthemwithoutfear. Everymomentthewitchthrewsomethingelseintothevessel,andwhenitbegantoboil,thesoundwasliketheweepingofacrocodile. Whenatlastthemagicdraughtwasready,itlookedliketheclearestwater. "Thereitisforyou,"saidthewitch.Thenshecutoffthemermaid’stongue,sothatshebecamedumb,andwouldneveragainspeakorsing. "Ifthepolypishouldseizeholdofyouasyoureturnthroughthewood,"saidthewitch,"throwoverthemafewdropsofthepotion,andtheirfingerswillbetornintoathousandpieces." Butthelittlemermaidhadnooccasiontodothis,forthepolypisprangbackinterrorwhentheycaughtsightoftheglitteringdraught,whichshoneinherhandlikeatwinklingstar.