Русалочка

           Wehavenotimmortalsouls,weshallneverliveagain;but,likethegreensea-weed,whenonceithasbeencutoff,wecanneverflourishmore. Humanbeings,onthecontrary,haveasoulwhichlivesforever,livesafterthebodyhasbeenturnedtodust. Itrisesupthroughtheclear,pureairbeyondtheglitteringstars. Asweriseoutofthewater,andbeholdallthelandoftheearth,sodotheyrisetounknownandgloriousregionswhichweshallneversee." 

           "Whyhavenotweanimmortalsoul?"askedthelittlemermaidmournfully; "IwouldgivegladlyallthehundredsofyearsthatIhavetolive,tobeahumanbeingonlyforoneday,andtohavethehopeofknowingthehappinessofthatgloriousworldabovethestars." 

           "Youmustnotthinkofthat,"saidtheoldwoman; "wefeelourselvestobemuchhappierandmuchbetteroffthanhumanbeings." 

           "SoIshalldie,"saidthelittlemermaid,"andasthefoamoftheseaIshallbedrivenaboutneveragaintohearthemusicofthewaves,ortoseetheprettyflowersnortheredsun. IsthereanythingIcandotowinanimmortalsoul?" 

           "No,"saidtheoldwoman,"unlessamanweretoloveyousomuchthatyouweremoretohimthanhisfatherormother; andifallhisthoughtsandallhislovewerefixeduponyou,andthepriestplacedhisrighthandinyours,andhepromisedtobetruetoyouhereandhereafter,thenhissoulwouldglideintoyourbodyandyouwouldobtainashareinthefuturehappinessofmankind.