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this　trouble　of　thine　about　the　things　of　sin？　　Is　that　which　is

pleasant　to　eat　not　made　for　the　eater？　　Is　there　poison　in　that

which　is　sweet　to　drink？　　Trouble　not　thyself；　but　come　with　me　to

another　city。　　There　is　a　little　city　hard　by　in　which　there　is　a

garden　of　tulip…trees。　　And　there　dwell　in　this　comely　garden　white

peacocks　and　peacocks　that　have　blue　breasts。　　Their　tails　when

they　spread　them　to　the　sun　are　like　disks　of　ivory　and　like　gilt

disks。　　And　she　who　feeds　them　dances　for　their　pleasure；　and

sometimes　she　dances　on　her　hands　and　at　other　times　she　dances

with　her　feet。　　Her　eyes　are　coloured　with　stibium；　and　her

nostrils　are　shaped　like　the　wings　of　a　swallow。　　From　a　hook　in

one　of　her　nostrils　hangs　a　flower　that　is　carved　out　of　a　pearl。

She　laughs　while　she　dances；　and　the　silver　rings　that　are　about

her　ankles　tinkle　like　bells　of　silver。　　And　so　trouble　not　thyself

any　more；　but　come　with　me　to　this　city。'



But　the　young　Fisherman　answered　not　his　Soul；　but　closed　his　lips

with　the　seal　of　silence　and　with　a　tight　cord　bound　his　hands；　and

journeyed　back　to　the　place　from　which　he　had　come；　even　to　the

little　bay　where　his　love　had　been　wont　to　sing。　　And　ever　did　his

Soul　tempt　him　by　the　way；　but　he　made　it　no　answer；　nor　would　he

do　any　of　the　wickedness　that　it　sought　to　make　him　to　do；　so　great

was　the　power　of　the　love　that　was　within　him。



And　when　he　had　reached　the　shore　of　the　sea；　he　loosed　the　cord

from　his　hands；　and　took　the　seal　of　silence　from　his　lips；　and

called　to　the　little　Mermaid。　　But　she　came　not　to　his　call；　though

he　called　to　her　all　day　long　and　besought　her。



And　his　Soul　mocked　him　and　said；　'Surely　thou　hast　but　little　joy

out　of　thy　love。　　Thou　art　as　one　who　in　time　of　death　pours　water

into　a　broken　vessel。　　Thou　givest　away　what　thou　hast；　and　nought

is　given　to　thee　in　return。　　It　were　better　for　thee　to　come　with

me；　for　I　know　where　the　Valley　of　Pleasure　lies；　and　what　things

are　wrought　there。'



But　the　young　Fisherman　answered　not　his　Soul；　but　in　a　cleft　of

the　rock　he　built　himself　a　house　of　wattles；　and　abode　there　for

the　space　of　a　year。　　And　every　morning　he　called　to　the　Mermaid；

and　every　noon　he　called　to　her　again；　and　at　night…time　he　spake

her　name。　　Yet　never　did　she　rise　out　of　the　sea　to　meet　him；　nor

in　any　place　of　the　sea　could　he　find　her　though　he　sought　for　her

in　the　caves　and　in　the　green　water；　in　the　pools　of　the　tide　and

in　the　wells　that　are　at　the　bottom　of　the　deep。



And　ever　did　his　Soul　tempt　him　with　evil；　and　whisper　of　terrible

things。　　Yet　did　it　not　prevail　against　him；　so　great　was　the　power

of　his　love。



And　after　the　year　was　over；　the　Soul　thought　within　himself；　'I

have　tempted　my　master　with　evil；　and　his　love　is　stronger　than　I

am。　　I　will　tempt　him　now　with　good；　and　it　may　be　that　he　will

come　with　me。'



So　he　spake　to　the　young　Fisherman　and　said；　'I　have　told　thee　of

the　joy　of　the　world；　and　thou　hast　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　me。

Suffer　me　now　to　tell　thee　of　the　world's　pain；　and　it　may　be　that

thou　wilt　hearken。　　For　of　a　truth　pain　is　the　Lord　of　this　world；

nor　is　there　any　one　who　escapes　from　its　net。　　There　be　some　who

lack　raiment；　and　others　who　lack　bread。　　There　be　widows　who　sit

in　purple；　and　widows　who　sit　in　rags。　　To　and　fro　over　the　fens　go

the　lepers；　and　they　are　cruel　to　each　other。　　The　beggars　go　up

and　down　on　the　highways；　and　their　wallets　are　empty。　　Through　the

streets　of　the　cities　walks　Famine；　and　the　Plague　sits　at　their

gates。　　Come；　let　us　go　forth　and　mend　these　things；　and　make　them

not　to　be。　　Wherefore　shouldst　thou　tarry　here　calling　to　thy　love；

seeing　she　comes　not　to　thy　call？　　And　what　is　love；　that　thou

shouldst　set　this　high　store　upon　it？'



But　the　young　Fisherman　answered　it　nought；　so　great　was　the　power

of　his　love。　　And　every　morning　he　called　to　the　Mermaid；　and　every

noon　he　called　to　her　again；　and　at　night…time　he　spake　her　name。

Yet　never　did　she　rise　out　of　the　sea　to　meet　him；　nor　in　any　place

of　the　sea　could　he　find　her；　though　he　sought　for　her　in　the

rivers　of　the　sea；　and　in　the　valleys　that　are　under　the　waves；　in

the　sea　that　the　night　makes　purple；　and　in　the　sea　that　the　dawn

leaves　grey。



And　after　the　second　year　was　over；　the　Soul　said　to　the　young

Fisherman　at　night…time；　and　as　he　sat　in　the　wattled　house　alone；

'Lo！　now　I　have　tempted　thee　with　evil；　and　I　have　tempted　thee

with　good；　and　thy　love　is　stronger　than　I　am。　　Wherefore　will　I

tempt　thee　no　longer；　but　I　pray　thee　to　suffer　me　to　enter　thy

heart；　that　I　may　be　one　with　thee　even　as　before。'



'Surely　thou　mayest　enter；'　said　the　young　Fisherman；　'for　in　the

days　when　with　no　heart　thou　didst　go　through　the　world　thou　must

have　much　suffered。'



'Alas！'　cried　his　Soul；　'I　can　find　no　place　of　entrance；　so

compassed　about　with　love　is　this　heart　of　thine。'



'Yet　I　would　that　I　could　help　thee；'　said　the　young　Fisherman。



And　as　he　spake　there　came　a　great　cry　of　mourning　from　the　sea；

even　the　cry　that　men　hear　when　one　of　the　Sea…folk　is　dead。　　And

the　young　Fisherman　leapt　up；　and　left　his　wattled　house；　and　ran

down　to　the　shore。　　And　the　black　waves　came　hurrying　to　the　shore；

bearing　with　them　a　burden　that　was　whiter　than　silver。　　White　as

the　surf　it　was；　and　like　a　flower　it　tossed　on　the　waves。　　And　the

surf　took　it　from　the　waves；　and　the　foam　took　it　from　the　surf；

and　the　shore　received　it；　and　lying　at　his　feet　the　young

Fisherman　saw　the　body　of　the　little　Mermaid。　　Dead　at　his　feet　it

was　lying。



Weeping　as　one　smitten　with　pain　he　flung　himself　down　beside　it；

and　he　kissed　the　cold　red　of　the　mouth；　and　toyed　with　the　wet

amber　of　the　hair。　　He　flung　himself　down　beside　it　on　the　sand；

weeping　as　one　trembling　with　joy；　and　in　his　brown　arms　he　held　it

to　his　breast。　　Cold　were　the　lips；　yet　he　kissed　them。　　Salt　was

the　honey　of　the　hair；　yet　he　tasted　it　with　a　bitter　joy。　　He

kissed　the　closed　eyelids；　and　the　wild　spray　that　lay　upon　their

cups　was　less　salt　than　his　tears。



And　to　the　dead　thing　he　made　confession。　　Into　the　shells　of　its

ears　he　poured　the　harsh　wine　of　his　tale。　　He　put　the　little　hands

round　his　neck；　and　with　his　fingers　he　touched　the　thin　reed　of

the　throat。　　Bitter；　bitter　was　his　joy；　and　full　of　strange

gladness　was　his　pain。



The　black　sea　came　nearer；　and　the　white　foam　moaned　like　a　leper。

With　white　claws　of　foam　the　sea　grabbled　at　the　shore。　　From　the

palace　of　the　Sea…King　came　the　cry　of　mourning　again；　and　far　out

upon　the　sea　the　great　Tritons　blew　hoarsely　upon　their　horns。



'Flee　away；'　said　his　Soul；　'for　ever　doth　the　sea　come　nigher；　and

if　thou　tarriest　it　will　slay　thee。　　Flee　away；　for　I　am　afraid；

seeing　that　thy　heart　is　closed　against　me　by　reason　of　the

greatness　of　thy　love。　　Flee　away　to　a　place　of　safety。　　Surely

thou　wilt　not　send　me　without　a　heart　into　another　world？'



But　the　young　Fisherman　listened　not　to　his　Soul；　but　called　on　the

little　Mermaid　and　said；　'Love　is　better　than　wisdom；　and　more

precious　than　riches；　and　fairer　than　the　feet　of　the　daughters　of

men。　　The　fires　cannot　destroy　it；　nor　can　the　waters　quench　it。　　I

called　on　thee　at　dawn；　and　thou　didst　not　come　to　my　call。　　The

moon　heard　thy　name；　yet　hadst　thou　no　heed　of　me。　　For　evilly　had

I　left　thee；　and　to　my　own　hurt　had　I　wandered　away。　　Yet　ever　did

thy　love　abide　with　me；　and　ever　was　it　strong；　nor　did　aught

prevail　against　it；　though　I　have　looked　upon　evil　and　looked　upon

good。　　And　now　that　thou　art　dead；　surely　I　will　die　with　thee

also。'



And　his　Soul　besought　him　to　depart；　but　he　would　not；　so　great　was

his　love。　　And　the　sea　came　nearer；　and　sought　to　cover　him　with

its　waves；　and　when　he　knew　that　the　end　was　at　hand　he　kissed　with

mad　lips　the　cold　lips　of　the　Mermaid；　and　the　heart　that　was

wit