Русалочка

           Theyweresixbeautifulchildren;buttheyoungestwastheprettiestofthemall;herskinwasasclearanddelicateasarose-leaf,andhereyesasblueasthedeepestsea; but,likealltheothers,shehadnofeet,andherbodyendedinafish’stail. Alldaylongtheyplayedinthegreathallsofthecastle,oramongthelivingflowersthatgrewoutofthewalls. Thelargeamberwindowswereopen,andthefishswamin,justastheswallowsflyintoourhouseswhenweopenthewindows,exceptingthatthefishesswamuptotheprincesses,ateoutoftheirhands,andallowedthemselvestobestroked. Outsidethecastletherewasabeautifulgarden,inwhichgrewbrightredanddarkblueflowers,andblossomslikeflamesoffire;thefruitglitteredlikegold,andtheleavesandstemswavedtoandfrocontinually. Theearthitselfwasthefinestsand,butblueastheflameofburningsulphur. Overeverythinglayapeculiarblueradiance,asifitweresurroundedbytheairfromabove,throughwhichtheblueskyshone,insteadofthedarkdepthsofthesea. Incalmweatherthesuncouldbeseen,lookinglikeapurpleflower,withthelightstreamingfromthecalyx. Eachoftheyoungprincesseshadalittleplotofgroundinthegarden,whereshemightdigandplantasshepleased. Onearrangedherflower-bedintotheformofawhale;anotherthoughtitbettertomakeherslikethefigureofalittlemermaid;butthatoftheyoungestwasroundlikethesun,andcontainedflowersasredashisraysatsunset.