of which reached quite down to the sea. Splendid gilded cupolas rose
over the roof, and between the pillars that surrounded the whole
building stood lifelike statues of marble. Through the clear crystal of
the lofty windows could be seen noble rooms, with costly silk curtains
and hangings of tapestry and walls covered with beautiful paintings. In
the center of the largest salon a fountain threw its sparkling jets
high up into the glass cupola of the ceiling, through which the sun
shone in upon the water and upon the beautiful plants that grew in the
basin of the fountain.

Now that the little mermaid knew where the prince lived, she spent many
an evening and many a night on the water near the palace. She would swim
much nearer the shore than any of the others had ventured, and once she
went up the narrow channel under the marble balcony, which threw a broad
shadow on the water. Here she sat and watched the young prince, who
thought himself alone in the bright moonlight.

She often saw him evenings, sailing in a beautiful boat on which music
sounded and flags waved. She peeped out from among the green rushes, and
if the wind caught her long silvery-white veil, those who saw it
believed it to be a swan, spreading out its wings.

Many a night, too, when the fishermen set their nets by the light of
their torches, she heard them relate many good things about the young
prince. And this made her glad that she had saved his life when he was
tossed about half dead on the waves. She remembered how his head had
rested on her bosom and how heartily she had kissed him, but he knew
nothing of all this and could not even dream of her.

She grew more and more to like human beings and wished more and more to
be able to wander about with those whose world seemed to be so much
larger than her own. They could fly over the sea in ships and mount the
high hills which were far above the clouds; and the lands they
possessed, their woods and their fields, stretched far away beyond the
reach of her sight. There was so much that she wished to know! but her
sisters were unable to answer all her questions. She then went to her
old grandmother, who knew all about the upper world, which she rightly
called "the lands above the sea."

"If human beings are not drowned," asked the little mermaid, "can they
live forever? Do they never die, as we do here in the sea?"

"Yes," replied the old lady, "they must also die, and their term of life
is even