Русалочка

           Whenshecameback,shehadhundredsofthingstotalkabout; butthemostbeautiful,shesaid,wastolieinthemoonlight,onasandbank,inthequietsea,nearthecoast,andtogazeonalargetownnearby,wherethelightsweretwinklinglikehundredsofstars; tolistentothesoundsofthemusic,thenoiseofcarriages,andthevoicesofhumanbeings,andthentohearthemerrybellspealoutfromthechurchsteeples; andbecauseshecouldnotgoneartoallthosewonderfulthings,shelongedforthemmorethanever. Oh,didnottheyoungestsisterlisteneagerlytoallthesedescriptions andafterwards,whenshestoodattheopenwindowlookingupthroughthedarkbluewater,shethoughtofthegreatcity,withallitsbustleandnoise,andevenfanciedshecouldhearthesoundofthechurchbells,downinthedepthsofthesea. 

           Inanotheryearthesecondsisterreceivedpermissiontorisetothesurfaceofthewater,andtoswimaboutwhereshepleased. Sherosejustasthesunwassetting,andthis,shesaid,wasthemostbeautifulsightofall. Thewholeskylookedlikegold,whilevioletandrose-coloredclouds,whichshecouldnotdescribe,floatedoverher;and,stillmorerapidlythantheclouds,flewalargeflockofwildswanstowardsthesettingsun,lookinglikealongwhiteveilacrossthesea. Shealsoswamtowardsthesun;butitsunkintothewaves,andtherosytintsfadedfromthecloudsandfromthesea.