THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL
ouch her.
Oftentimes o s;
and o seize o ter as a seal
mig day. And eache
sound of er to was her
voice t s and his cunning, and had no care of
. Vermilion-finned and he
tunnies by in s . his spear lay
by s of plaited osier y.
ited, and eyes dim idle in
and listened, listening till ts crept round he
ained h silver.
And one evening o tle Mermaid,
little Mermaid, I love take me for thy bridegroom, for I
love thee.
But t a human soul, she
ans send ahen could I
love thee.
And to use is my soul to
me? I cannot see it. I may not touc. I do not kno.
Surely I away from me, and much gladness shall be
mine. And a cry of joy broke from anding up in
ted boat, o the Mermaid. I will
send my soul away, he cried, and you shall be my bride, and I
he sea we will dwell
toget t sung of t show me, and
all t t I will do, nor shall our lives be divided.
And ttle Mermaid laughed for pleasure and hid her face in her
hands.
But he young Fisherman.
tell me , and lo! it shall be done.
Alas! I kno, said ttle Mermaid: the Sea-folk have
no souls. And so tfully at
him.
No morning, before the span of a
mans to the house of
t and knocked times at the door.
t t, and w
was, co er.
And t do-
smelling ruso t who was