The sun rose above the waves, and his warm rays fell on the cold foam of the little mermaid, who did not feel as if she were dying. She saw the bright sun, and all around her floated hundreds of transparent beautiful beings; she could see through them the white sails of the ship, and the red clouds in the sky; their speech was melodious, but too ethereal to be heard by mortal ears, as they were also unseen by mortal eyes. The little mermaid perceived that she had a body like theirs, and that she continued to rise higher and higher out of the foam. "Where am I?" asked she, and her voice sounded ethereal, as the voice of those who were with her; no earthly music could imitate it.
"Among the daughters of the air," answered one of them. "A mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being. On the power of another hangs her eternal destiny. But the daughters of the air, although they do not possess an immortal soul, can, by their good deeds, procure one for themselves. We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence. We carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration. After we have striven for three hundred years to all the good in our power, we receive an immortal soul and take part in the happiness of mankind. You, poor little mermaid, have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing; you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit-world by your good deeds; and now, by striving for three hundred years in the same way, you may obtain an immortal soul."
The little mermaid lifted her glorified eyes towards the sun, and felt them, for the first time, filling with tears. On the ship, in which she had left the prince, there were life and noise; she saw him and his beautiful bride searching for her; sorrowfully they gazed at the pearly foam, as if they knew she had thrown herself into the waves. Unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride, and fanned the prince, and then mounted with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the ether.
"After three hundred years, thus shall we float into the kingdom of heaven," said she. "And we may even get there sooner," whispered one of her companions. "Unseen we can enter the houses of men, where there are children, and for every day on which we find a good child, who is the joy of hisparents and deserves their love, our time of probation is shortened. The child does not know, when we fly through the room, that we smile with joy at his good conduct, for we can count one year less of our three hundred years. But when we see a naughty or a wicked child, we shed tears of sorrow, and for every tear a day is added to our time of trial!"
海的女儿
在海的远处，水是那么蓝，像最美丽的矢车菊的花瓣，同时又是那么清，像最明亮的玻璃。然而它又是那么深，深得任何锚链都达不到底。要想从海底一直达到水面，必须有许多许多教堂尖塔，一个接一个地连起来才成。为那儿只是一片铺满了白砂的海底。不是的。那儿还海底的人就住在这下面。 不过，你千万不要以生长着最奇异的树木和植物。它们的枝干和叶子是那么柔软，只要水轻微地流动一下，它们就摇动起来，好像活的一样。所有的大鱼、小鱼在这些枝子中间游来游去，就像天空的飞鸟。
海里最深的地方是海王宫殿所在的处所。它的墙是珊瑚砌成的，尖顶的高窗子是用最亮的琥珀造成的;不过屋顶上却铺着黑色的蚌壳，它们随着水的流动可以自动开合。这是怪好看的，因为每个蚌壳里面含有亮晶晶的珍珠。随便哪一颗珍珠都可以成为皇后帽子上最主要的装饰品。
住在海底的海王好多年来就是一个鳏夫，但是他有母亲为他管理家务。她是一个聪明的女人，可是对于自己的高贵的出身感到不可一世，因此她的尾巴上老戴着一打牡蛎--其余的显贵每人只能戴上半打。除此以外，她是值得大大称赞的，特别因为她非常喜爱那些小海公主--她的孙女。
她们是6个美丽的孩子，而6个当中，那个顶小的又要算最美丽了。她的皮肤又光又嫩，像玫瑰的花瓣;她的眼睛是蔚蓝色的，像最深的湖水。不过，跟其他的公主一样，她没有腿，她的下半截身子是一条鱼尾。
她们可以把漫长的日子全部消磨在皇宫里，她们可以在墙上长着鲜花的大厅里玩耍。那些镶着琥珀的大窗子是开着的，鱼儿向着她们游来，正如我们打开窗子的时候燕子会飞进来一样。不过鱼儿会一直游 到这些小公主的跟前，在她们的手里找东西吃，让她们抚摸自己。 宫殿外面有一个很大的花园，里面长着许多火红的和深蓝色的树木，树上的果子亮得像黄金，花朵开得像燃烧着的火，花枝和叶子在不停地摇动。花园的地上全是最细的沙子，但是蓝得像硫磺发出的光焰。在那儿，到处都闪耀着一种奇异的蓝色光彩。你很容易以为你是高高地在空中而不是在海底，你的头上和脚下全是一片蓝天。