The Fisherman and His Soul
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 423.
O. Wilde
Every evening the young Fisherman went to sea and threw his nets into the water.
Every evening he went to sea, and one evening the net was so heavy that he could not draw it into the boat. And he laughed, and said to himself, "Surely I have caught all the fish of the sea, or some monster," and he put forth all his strength and drew the net to the surface of the water.
But there were no fish at all in it, nor any monster, but only a little Mermaid, who was fast asleep.
Her wet hair was like gold, her body was as white as ivory, and her tail was of silver and pearl, and like sea-shells were her ears, and her lips were like sea-coral.
She was so beautiful that the young Fisherman drew the net close to him, and embraced her. And when he touched her, she gave a cry, and awoke, and looked at him in terror and tried to escape. But he held her so tight that she could not free herself.
And when she saw that she could in no way1 escape from him, she began to weep, and said, "I ask you to let me go, for I am the only daughter of a King, and my father is very old and all alone."
But the young Fisherman answered, "I shall let you go if you promise that whenever I call you, you will come and sing to me, for the fish like to listen to the songs of the Sea-folk, and so my nets will be fulL"
"Will you indeed let me go if I promise you this?" asked the Mermaid.
"Indeed I will let you go," said the young Fisherman.
So she promised him, and swore it by the oath of the Sea-folk2 and he loosened his arms, and let her go, and she sank down into the water, trembling with a strange fear.
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♦ * ♦
Every evening the young Fisherman went to sea, and called to the Mermaid, and she rose out of the water and sang a marvellous song to him.
And as she sang, all the fish came from the depth to listen to her, and the young Fisherman threw his nets and caught them. And when his boat was full, the Mermaid smiled at him and sank down into the sea.
Yet, she never came so near to him that he could touch her. He often called to her and begged her, but she did not come near him, and when he tried to seize her she sank down into the water, and he did not see her again that day. And each day the sound of her voice became sweeter to his ears. So sweet was her voice that he forgot his nets and his boat. With eyes dim with wonder, he sat idly in his boat and listened, and listened, till night came.
And one evening he called to her, and said: "Little Mermaid, little Mermaid, I love you. Let me be your bridegroom, for I love you."
But the Mermaid shook her head. "You have a human soul," she answered. "Send away your soul and I shall love you."
And the young Fisherman said to himself, "What is the use of my soul to me? I cannot see it. I may not touch it I do not know it. Surely I can send it away." He gave a cry of joy, and held out his arms to the Mermaid. "I shall send my soul away," he cried, "and you will be my bride, and I shall be your bridegroom, and we shall live together in the depth of the sea, and you will show me all that you have sung to me about, and I shall do all that you desire, and we shall never separate."
And the little Mermaid laughed with pleasure and hid her face in her hands.
"But how shall I send my soul away?" cried the young Fisherman. "Tell me how to do it."
"Alas! I do not know," said the little Mermaid: "the Sea-folk have no souls." And she looked thoughtfully at him and sank down into the depth.
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* * *
Early the next morning the young Fisherman went to the house of the Priest. When he entered the house and saw the Priest he knelt down on the floor and said to him, "Father, I am in love with one of the Sea-folk, but we cannot be together because of my soul. Tell me how I can send my soul away, for indeed I don't need it. What is the value of my soul to me? I cannot see it. I may not touch it. I do not know it."
"Alas! You are mad," cried the Priest, "for the soul is the noblest part of a man. There is nothing more precious than a human soul. It is worth all the gold that is in the world, and is more precious than the rubies of the kings. Therefore, my son, do not think of this any more, for it is a sin. And as for the Sea-folk, they are lost, and those who wish to be with them are also lost. They are like beasts that do not know the difference between good and evil."
The young Fisherman's eyes filled with tears when he heard the bitter words of the Priest, and he rose up from his knees and said, "Father, what is my soul to me, if it stands between me and my love?"
"The love of the body is a sin," cried the Priest and frowned. "Accursed be3 the singers of the sea! I have heard them at night, and they have tried to tempt me. They knock at my window and laugh when I am praying. They whisper into my ears the tale of their joys. They tempt me with strange temptations. They are lost, I tell you, they are lost, and there is neither heaven nor hell for them."4
"Father," cried the young Fisherman, "you do not know what you are saying. Once I caught in my net the daughter of a King. She is more beautiful than the morning star, and whiter than the moon. For her body I shall give my soul, for her love I shall give up heaven. Tell me how to get rid of my soul, and let me go in peace."
"Go away, go away!" cried the Priest; "your mermaid is lost, and you will be lost with her," and he turned him out of the house.
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And the young Fisherman went slowly to the marketplace, and his heart was full of sorrow. When the merchants saw him they began to whisper to each other, and one of them called him by name, and asked him, "What have you to sell?"
"I will sell you my soul," he answered. "I ask you to buy it, for I am tired of it. What is the use of my soul to me? I cannot see it. I may not touch it. I do not know it."
But the merchants mocked at him, and said, "What is the use of a man's soul to us? It is not worth a single piece of silver. Sell us your body into slavery. But do not talk about your soul, for it is worth nothing to us."
And the young Fisherman said to himself: "How strange! The Priest tells me that the soul is worth all the gold in the world, and the merchants say that it is not worth a single piece of silver." And he went to the seashore, and began to think what to do.
* * *
And at noon he remembered that in a cave near the bay lived a young Witch who was very clever in her witchcraft. And he ran there, so eager was he to get rid of his soul.
The young Witch knew that he would come, and she laughed and let down her red hair. She met him at the opening of the cave.
"What do you need? What do you need?" she cried, as he bowed to her. "Fish for your net? I have a little reed-pipe, and when I play it the fish come into the bay. But it has a price, pretty boy, it has a price. What do you need?"
"I desire only a little thing," answered the young Fisherman, "yet the Priest has turned me out of his house, and the merchants have laughed at me. That is why I have come to you, though men call you evil, and whatever price you ask, I shall pay it."
"What is your desire?" asked the Witch, coming near to him.
"My desire is to get rid of my soul," answered the young Fisherman.
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The Witch grew pale and trembled. "Pretty boy, pretty boy," she murmured, "that is a terrible thing to do."
He brushed his brown hair back and laughed. "My soul is nothing to me," he answered, "I cannot see it. I may not touch it. I do not know it."
"What will you give me, if I tell you?" asked the Witch, looking at him with her beautiful green eyes.
"Five pieces of gold," he said, "and my nets, and the house where I live, and the painted boat in which I sail. Only tell me how to get rid of my soul, and I shall give you all that I possess."
She laughed at him, and said, "I can turn the autumn leaves into gold if I want to. He whom I serve is richer than all the kings of the world."
"What then shall I give you," exclaimed the young Fisherman.
"You must dance with me, pretty boy," she murmured, and she smiled at him as she spoke.
"Then at sunset in some secret place we shall dance together," he said, "and after that you will tell me the thing which I desire to know."
She shook her head. "When the moon is full," she murmured. Then she looked all round and listened. There was no other sound but the sound of the sea. But she drew him near to her, and put her dry lips close to his ear, and whispered, "To-night, when the moon is full, you must come to the top of the mountain. It is a Sabbath, and He will be there."
The young Fisherman started and looked at her, and she showed her white teeth and laughed. "Who is He?" he asked.
"It doesn't matter," she answered. "Come to-night, and stand under the branches of the oak, and wait for me. If a black dog runs towards you, strike it with a stick, and it will go away. If an owl speaks to you, don't answer it. When the moon is full, I shall be with you, and we shall dance together on the grass."
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"But will you swear to me to tell me how I can send my soul away?" he asked.
"By the hoofs of the goat I swear it," she answered.
"You are the best of witches," cried the young Fisherman, "and I shall dance with you to-night on the top of the mountain. I would prefer to pay you either gold or silver. But you will get your price because it is only a little thing." And he bent his head before her and ran back to the town filled with great joy.
And the Witch watched him as he ran. Then she entered her cave and took a mirror from a box and burnt grass before it. She looked through the rings of smoke, and after a time she clenched her hands in anger. "He must be mine," she murmured, "I am as fair as his love is."
* * *
And that evening the young Fisherman came to the top of the mountain and stood under the branches of the oak.
At midnight the witches came. They flew through the air like bats. Last of all came the young Witch. She wore a dress of gold satin embroidered with silver, and a little cap of green velvet. She ran to the oak, and taking the young Fisherman by the hand she led him into the moonlight, and they began to dance.
Round and round they whirled, and the young Witch jumped so high that he could see the heels of her shoes. Then he heard the sound of the galloping of a horse, but nowhere could he see the horse, and he felt afraid.
"Faster," cried the Witch, and she put her arms around his neck, and he felt her hot breath on his face. "Faster, faster!" she cried, and the earth seemed to whirl under his feet, and a great terror fell on him because he felt that some evil thing9 was watching him, and at last he noticed that under the shadow of a rock there was a figure.
It was a man, dressed in a suit of black velvet. His face was strangely pale, but his lips were like a red flower, he wore rings on his delicate white fingers. On the grass beside him lay a hat and a pair of gloves. He seemed tired.
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"Come! Let us worship," whispered the Witch, and he followed her. But when he came close, and without knowing why he did it, he made on his breast the sign of the Cross.
As soon as he did so the witches screamed and flew away, and the pale face of the man was twisted in a spasm of pain. The man whistled and a horse appeared before him. As he jumped into the saddle he turned round and looked at the young Fisherman sadly.
And the Witch with the red hair also tried to fly away but the young Fisherman caught her by the hand and held her tight and said, "I shall not let you go if you do not tell me the secret."
"What secret?" asked the Witch, struggling with him like a wild cat.
"You know," he replied.
"Ask me anything but that!" she said with tears in her green eyes.
He laughed, and held her more tightly.
And when she saw that she could not free herself, she whispered to him, "Surely I am as fair as the daughter of the sea," and she embraced him and put her face close to his.
But he pushed her away with anger, and said to her, "If you do not keep your promise, I shall kill you."
She grew pale and trembled. "Be it so," she murmured "It is your soul and not mine. Do with it as you wish." And she took out a little knife with a handle of snake skin and gave it to him.
"What shall I do with it?" he asked her in wonder.
She was silent for a few moments, and fear came over her. Then she brushed her hair back from her forehead and smiled strangely. "What men call the shadow of the body," she said, "is not the shadow of the body, but is the body of the souL Stand on the sea-shore with your back to the moon, and cut away from around your feet6 your shadow, which is your soul's body, and order your soul to leave you, andit will do so."
The young Fisherman trembled. "Is this true?" he murmured.
"It is true, and I am sorry that I have told you about it," she cried, and threw herself at his feet, weeping.
He pushed her away, put the knife into his belt, and went down to the sea-shore. And on his way his Soul said to him, "I have been your servant for all these years. Don't send me away from you now! What evil have I done to you?"
And the young Fisherman laughed. "You have done me no evil, but I have no need of you," he answered. "The world is wide, go wherever you want and don't trouble me, for my love is calling to me."
At last he reached the sea-shore. He stood on the sand with his back to the moon and before him lay his shadow, which was the body of his Soul.
And his Soul said to him, "If you indeed must send me away, give me your heart to take with me. The world is cruel, and I am afraid."
The young Fisherman shook his head and smiled. "With what shall I love my love if I give you my heart?" he exclaimed.
"No, be merciful," said the Soul; "give me your heart, for the world is very cruel."
"My heart belongs to my love," answered the Fisherman.
"But I also want to love," said his Soul.
"Go away, for I have no need of you," cried the Fisherman and he took the little knife with the handle of snake skin and cut away his shadow from around his feet, and it rose up and stood before him, and it looked like himself. He put the knife into his belt and a feeling of terror came over him. "Go away," he murmured, "and let me see your face no more."
"No, but we must meet again," said the Soul in a low voice.
"How shall we meet?" cried the young Fisherman. "You will not follow me into the depths of the sea!"
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"Once every year I will come to this place and call to you," said the Soul. "It may be that you will need me."
"What shall I need you for?" cried the young Fisherman, "but let it be as you wish," and he plunged into the water and the little Mermaid rose out of the sea to meet him, and she embraced him, and kissed him on the lips.
And the Soul stood on the shore and watched them. And when they sank into the sea, it went weeping away.
* * *
And after a year was over, the Soul came to the seashore and called to the young Fisherman, and he rose out of the depths and asked, "Why did you call me?"
"Come nearer," answered the Soul, "I want to tell you about the marvellous things that I have seen."
So he came nearer and began to listen.
"When I left you," said the Soul, "I turned my face to the East and began my journey. From the East comes everything that is wise. Six days I journeyed, and on the morning of the seventh day I came to a hill that is in the country of the Tartars. I sat down under the shadow of a tree to shelter myself from the sun.
"When the moon rose I saw a camp-fire on the plain and went towards it. A company of merchants were sitting round it on carpets. Their camels were behind them. As I came near them, the chief of the merchants drew his sword and asked me who was the prophet of God; and I answered him Mohammed.
"When the chief heard the name of the false prophet,7 he bowed, and took me by the hand, and asked me to sit by his side. A Negro brought me some milk and a piece of meat.
"At dawn we started on our journey. I rode on a camel by the side of the chief. There were forty camels in the caravan, and the mules were twice forty in number.
"We left the country of the hills and went to the East. As we passed over the mountains we held our breath because we were afraid that the snow might fall on us.
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As we passed through the valleys, the Pygmies shot arrows at us from the hollows of the trees. When we came to the Tower of Monkeys we gave them fruit, and they did not harm us. When we came to the Tower of Snakes we gave them warm milk, and they let us go by.
"The kings of each city imposed taxes on us, but did not allow us to enter their gates. They threw us bread and fruit over the walls.
"When the people in the villages saw us coming, they poisoned the wells. We fought with the Magadae who are born old, and grow younger and younger every year, and die when they are little children; and with the Laktroi who say that they are the sons of tigers, and paint themselves yellow and black; and with the Agazonbae, who are dog-faced, and with the Sibans, who have horses' feet, but run more swiftly than horses. A third of our company died in battle and a third died of hunger and thirst. The rest spoke against me,8 and said that I had brought them misfortune. I took a snake from under a stone and let it sting me. When they saw that I did not fall ill they felt afraid.
"In four months we reached the city of Illel. The interpreter of the caravan explained to the guards that we had come from Syria with plenty of goods. So at noon they opened the gate and we entered the city. We stood in the market, and the merchants displayed their strange goods for sale: the waxed linen from Egypt, and the painted linen from Ethiopia, the blue silk from China and many other beautiful things.
"When the moon rose I wandered away through the streets of the city and came to the garden of its god. The priests in their yellow robes moved silently among the green trees, and on black marble stood the temple. In front of it was a pond of clear water. I lay down beside it. One of the priests came towards me and stood behind me.
"He was silent for a few moments and then asked me what I desired.
"I told him that my desire was to see the god.
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'"The god is hunting,' said the priest, looking strangely at me with his small eyes.
"'Tell me in what forest, and I shall ride to him,' I answered.
"'The god is asleep,' he murmured.
'"Tell me on what couch, and I shall watch over him,' I answered.
"'The god is at a feast,' he cried.
'"If the wine is sweet, I shall drink it with him, and if it is bitter, I shall also drink it with him,' was my answer.
"He bowed his head in wonder, and, taking me by the hand, he led me into the temple, and in the first chamber I saw an idol sitting on a throne. It was made of ebony and was of a man's height. Its feet were red with the blood of a newly-killed kid.9
"And I asked the priest, 'Is this the god?' and he answered me, 'This is the god.'
"'Show me the god,' I cried, 'or I shall kill you.' And I touched his hand, and it became withered.
"And the priest begged me, saying 'Please my lord, heal me, your servant, and I will show you the god.'
"So I healed him and he led me into the second chamber, and I saw an idol standing on a block of marble. It was made of ivory and was twice the height of a man. In one hand it held a crooked sceptre and in the other a round crystal.
"And I asked the priest, 'It this the god?' And he answered me, 'This is the god.'
"'Show me the god,' I cried, 'or I shall kill you.' And I touched his eyes, and he went blind.10
"And the priest begged me, saying 'Please my lord, heal me, your servant, and I shall show you the god.'
"So I healed him and he led me into the third chamber, and there was no idol in it, but only a metal mirror.
"And I asked the priest, 'Where is the god?'
"And he answered me: 'There is no god, but this mirror is the Mirror of Wisdom. And through it you can see all things that are in heaven and on earth. Those who
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possess this mirror know everything and there is nothing hidden from them. For this reason it is the god, and we worship it,' and I looked into the mirror, and it was just as he had said to me.
"And I did a strange thing, but it doesn't matter what I did, for in a valley that is only a day's journey from this place I have hidden the Mirror of Wisdom. Let me enter into you again and be your servant, and nobody will be as wise as you."
But the young Fisherman laughed. "Love is better than Wisdom," he cried, "and the little Mermaid loves me."
"No, there is nothing better than Wisdom," said the Soul.
"Love is better," answered the young Fisherman, and he plunged into the depth of the sea, and the Soul went weeping away.
* * *
And after the second year was over, the Soul came to the sea-shore and called to the young Fisherman, and he rose out of the depths and asked: "Why did you call me?"
And the Soul answered, "Come nearer, I want to tell you about the marvellous things that I have seen."
So he came nearer and began to listen.
"When I left you," said the Soul,, "I turned my face to the South, and began my journey. From the South comes everything that is precious. Six days I journeyed along the road by which the pilgrims go, and on the morning of the seventh day I saw the city. When I tried to enter, the guards stopped me and asked me who I was. I answered that I was a Dervish11 and the guards allowed me to go in.
"Inside it is like a bazaar. Surely you should have been with me. Across the narrow streets hang gay lamps of paper. They are like large butterflies. In front of the shops sit the merchants on silken carpets. Some of them sell curious perfumes from the islands of the Indian Sea. Others sell silver bracelets with blue stones, anklets with little
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pearls, finger-rings and the claws of the tiger set in gold, and many other precious things.
"Certainly you should have been with me at the feast of the New Moon. At sunrise the young Emperor came out of his palace in a robe of silver, and at sunset he returned to it again in a robe of gold. The people threw themselves on the ground and hid their faces, but I did not want to do so. When the Emperor saw me, he raised his painted eyebrows and stopped. I stood quite still and did not bow to him. The people were surprised at my bravery, and advised me to run away from the city, but I paid no attention to them.
"That night when I was in the tea-house, the guards of the Emperor entered and led me to the palace. As I went in they closed each door behind me, and put a chain across it. The guards hastened me on12 and soon I found myself in a garden. At the end of the garden stood a little pavilion. The captain of the guard led me into it I walked on without trembling. The young Emperor was lying on a couch of lion skins. Behind him stood a Nubian, naked down to the waist. On the table by the side of the couch lay a great sword.
"When the Emperor saw me he frowned, and said to me, 'What is your name? Don't you know that I am the Emperor of this city?' But I did not answer him.
"He pointed with his finger at the sword, and the Nubian seized it and struck at me with great strength. The sword whizzed through me, and did not hurt me. The man fell on the floor in fear and hid himself behind the couch.
"The Emperor jumped to his feet, and taking a spear, he threw it at me. I caught it and broke it into two pieces. He shot at me with an arrow but I stopped it in its flight. Then he took a dagger and killed the Nubian for the Emperor did not want to have a witness of his dishonour.
"After this the Emperor turned to me and said, 'Are you a prophet or the son of a prophet that I cannot hurt you? I ask you to leave my city to-night, for while you are in it, I am not its lord.'
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"And I answered him, 'Give me half of your treasure and I shall go away.'
"He took me by the hand, and led me out into the garden. When the captain of the guard saw me, he wondered what had happened.
"There is a chamber in the palace that has eight walls. The Emperor touched one of them and it opened, and we passed down a corridor that was lit with many lamps. On each side stood great wine-jars with silver pieces. When we reached the centre of the corridor the Emperor spoke the word that may not be spoken, and a granite door opened on a secret spring.
"You can't imagine how marvellous a place it was. There were huge tortoise-shells full of pearls and red rubies. The gold and the gold-dust were in trunks of great size. There were opals, sapphires and many other precious stones. And yet I have told you only a tenth of what was there.
"And the Emperor said to me, 'This is my treasure house, and half of it is yours. And I shall give you camels and camel drivers, and they will take your part of the treasure to whatever country of the world you desire to go. But you must leave the city to-night for I do not want the Sun, who is my father, to see that there is in my city a man whom I cannot kill.'
"But I answered him, 'The gold that is here is yours, and the silver is also yours and yours are the precious jewels. As for me, I do not need them. I shall take nothing, but that little ring that you wear on your finger.'
"And the Emperor frowned. 'It is only a leaden ring,' he cried, 'it has no value. Therefore take your half of the treasure and go from the city.'
"'No,' I answered, 'I shall take nothing but that leaden ring, for I know for what purpose it is used.'
"And the Emperor trembled, and said, 'Take all the treasure and go from the city. The half that is mine shall be yours also.'
"And I did a strange thing, but it does not matter what I did, for in a cave that is only a day's journey front this
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place I have hidden the Ring of Riches, and it waits for you. Those who possess this Ring are richer than all the kings of the world. Come therefore and take it, and all the riches of the world shall be yours."
But the young Fisherman laughed. "Love is better than riches," he cried, "and the little Mermaid loves me."
"No, there is nothing better than riches," said the Soul.
"Love is better," answered the young Fisherman, and he plunged into the depth of the sea, and the Soul went weeping away.
* * *
And after the third year was over, the Soul came to the sea-shore and called to the young Fisherman, and he rose out of the depths and asked, "Why did you call me?"
And the Soul answered, "Come nearer, I want to tell you about the marvellous things that I have seen."
So he came nearer and began to listen.
And the Soul said to him, "I know a city in which there is an inn that stands by a river. I sat there with sailors who drank wine and ate bread and salt fish. And as we sat and made merry an old man with a lute entered. And when he began to play the lute, a girl whose face was veiled ran in and began to dance before us. Her face was veiled but her feet were naked and they moved over the carpet like little white pigeons. I have never seen anything so marvellous, and the city in which she dances is only a day's journey from this place!"
Now when the young Fisherman heard the words of his Soul, he remembered that the little Mermaid had no feet and could not dance. And a great desire came over him, and he said to himself, "It is only a day's journey, and I can return to my love," and he laughed and went towards the shore.
And on the shore he laughed again and held out his arms to his Soul. And his Soul gave a great cry of joy, and ran to meet him, and entered into him, and the young Fisherman saw again before him on the sand the shadow of his body which was the body of his Soul.
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And his Soul said to him, "Let us go at once, for the Sea-gods are jealous, and have monsters that will do everything they wish."
So they made haste, and all that night and all the next day they journeyed, and in the evening they came to a city.
And the young Fisherman asked his Soul, "Is this the city in which she dances?"
And his Soul answered him, "It is not that city, but another. Nevertheless let us enter it"
So they entered it and passed through its streets, and as they passed through the street of the Jewellers, the young Fisherman saw a silver cup on a stall and his Soul said to him, "Take that silver cup and hide it."
So he took the cup and hid it, and they went hurriedly out of the city.
And when they had gone some miles from the city, the young Fisherman frowned, and threw the cup away, and said to his Soul, "Why did you tell me to take that cup and hide it, for it was an evil thing to do?"
But his Soul answered him, "Be quiet, be quiet."
And in the evening of the second day they came to a city, and the young Fisherman asked his Soul, "Is this the city in which she dances?"
And his Soul answered him, "It is not this city but another. Nevertheless let us enter it."
So they entered it and passed through the streets, and as they passed through the street of the Sellers, the young Fisherman saw a child with a jar of water. And his Soul said to him, "Strike that child." So he struck the child till it wept, and they went hurriedly out of the city.
And when they had gone some miles from the city, the young Fisherman got angry, and said to his Soul, "Why did you tell me to strike the child, for it was an evil thing to do?"
But his Soul answered him, "Be quiet, be quiet."
And in the evening of the third day they came to a city, and the young Fisherman asked his Soul, "Is this the city in which she dances?"
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And his Soul answered him, "It may be this city, therefore let us enter it."
So they entered it and passed through the streets, but nowhere could the young Fisherman find the river or the inn that stood by its side. And he said to his Soul, "Let us go away, for she who dances is not here."
But the Soul answered him, "No, let us stay here, for the night is dark, and there may be robbers on the way."
So he sat in the market-place and rested, and after a time a merchant came up to him and asked, "Why do you sit in the market-place, when the shops are closed?"
And the young Fisherman answered him, "I can find no inn in this city and I have no friends here."
"Are we not all friends?" said the merchant. "And did not one God make us? Therefore come with me, for I have a guest-room."
So the young Fisherman rose up and followed the merchant to his house. At home the merchant brought him rose-water in a jar to wash his hands and set a plate of rice and a piece of meat before him.
And after supper the merchant led him to the guestroom and showed him his bed. And the young Fisherman thanked him and kissed his hand, and very soon fell asleep.
And three hours before dawn his Soul waked him, and said to him, "Get up and go to the room where the merchant sleeps and kill him, and take his gold, for we need it."
And the young Fisherman got up and went to the merchant's room. On the couch by the side of the merchant lay a sword and nine purses of gold. When he touched the sword the merchant awoke and cried to the young Fisherman, "Do you return evil for good?"
And his Soul said to the young Fisherman, "Strike him," and he struck him so that the merchant fainted, and he seized the nine purses of gold, and they went hurriedly out of the city.
And when they had gone some miles from the city, the young Fisherman became furious, and said to his Soul,
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"Why did you order me to kill the merchant and take his gold? Surely you are eviL"
But his Soul answered him, "Be quiet, be quiet."
"No," cried the young Fisherman, "I cannot be quiet, for I hate all that you have ordered me to do. I hate you also and I ask you to tell me why you have guided me in this way?"
And his Soul answered him, "When you sent me away from you into the world you gave me no heart, so I learned to do all these things and to love them."
"What do you say?" murmured the young Fisherman.
"You know," answered his Soul, "you know it well. Have you forgotten that you gave me no heart? And don't trouble yourself and me, but be quiet."
And when the young Fisherman heard these words he trembled and said to his Soul, "No, you are evil, and have made me forget my love, and have tempted me with temptations, and have guided me in the ways of sin."
And his Soul answered him, "You have not forgotten that when you sent me away from you into the world you gave me no heart. Come, let us go to another city, and make merry, for we have nine purses of gold."
But the young Fisherman took the nine purses of gold, and threw them away. "No," he cried, "I shall have nothing to do with you,13 and I shall go with you nowhere. And as I sent you away before, I shall send you away now, for you have done me no good." And he turned, his back to the Moon, and with the little knife that had the handle of snake skin, he tried to cut from his feet the shadow of the body which is the body of the Soul.
Yet his Soul did not leave him and paid no attention to his order, but said to him, "The witchcraft that the Witch told you does not help you any more, therefore you cannot send me away. Only once in his life can a man send his Soul away, but he who receives back his Soul must keep it with him for ever, and this is his punishment and his reward."
And the young Fisherman grew pale and cried, "She was a false Witch, for she did not tell me that." And when
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he understood that he could no longer get rid of his Soul, and that it was an evil Soul and would always remain with him, he fell on the ground weeping bitterly.
* * *
And next day, the young Fisherman got up and said to his Soul, "I shall tie my hands so as not to carry out your orders, and close my lips in order not to speak your words, and I shall return to the place where my love usually sings, and I shall call to her and tell her the evil I have done and the evil you have ordered me to do."
And his Soul tempted him and said, "Who is your love that you want to return to her? The world has many fairer than she is. There are the dancing girls of Samaria who dance in the manner of birds and beasts. Come with me and I shall show them to you. Do not trouble about sin, but come with me to another city."
But the young Fisherman did not answer his Soul. He closed his lips with the seal of silence14 and tied his hands with a cord and journeyed back to the place from which he had come, so great was the power of the love that was within him.
And when he had reached the sea-shore, he loosened the cord from his hands and took the seal of silence from his lips, and called to the little Mermaid. But she did not answer his call, though he called the whole day and begged her to come.
And his Soul mocked at him and said. "Surely you have little joy out of your love. You gave away all you had, and you got nothing in return. Come with me, for I know where is the Valley of Pleasure."
But the young Fisherman did not answer his SouL He built himself a house near the sea and lived there for a year. And every morning he called to the little Mermaid, and every noon he called to her again, and at night he called her by name. Yet she never rose out of the sea to meet him, and he could not find her in any part of the sea.
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And though his Soul tempted him all the time with evil and terrible things, it could not persuade him, so great was the power of his love.
And after the year was over, the Soul said to himself, "I have tempted my master with evil, and his love is stronger than I am. I shall tempt him now with good, and it may be that he will come with me."
So he said to the young Fisherman, "I have told you of the joy of the world, and you have turned a deaf ear to me.15 Let me now tell you of the world's pain, and it may be that now you will listen to me. For indeed pain is the Lord of the world and there is no one who escapes from its net. There are some who need clothes, and others who need bread. There are widows who wear jewels, and widows who wear rags. The beggars go up and down on the roads, and through the streets of the cities walks Famine, and the Plague sits at the gates of the poor people. Come, let us go and mend these things. Do not waste your time, calling to your love when you see that she doesn't answer you."
But the young Fisherman did not answer his Soul, 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 he called her by name. But she never rose out of the sea to meet him and nowhere could he find her.
And after the second year was over, the Soul said to the young Fisherman, "I have tempted you with evil, and I have tempted you with good, but your love is stronger than I am. So I shall not tempt you any more, but I beg you to allow me to enter your heart, in order to be one with you as before."
"Surely you may enter," said the young Fisherman, "for in the days when you walked without a heart through the world you evidently suffered very much."
"Alas!" cried his Soul, "I can find no place in your heart, it is so full of love."
"Yet I wish I could help you," answered the young Fisherman.
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And as he spoke there came a great cry from the sea, just like the cry that men hear when one of the Sea-folk dies. And the young Fisherman jumped up, and left his house and ran to the shore. And the black waves came hurriedly to the shore, bearing with them a burden that was whiter than silver. And the shore received it, and the young Fisherman saw at his feet the body of the little Mermaid.
With a cry of pain he threw himself down beside it on the sand. Weeping, he held it to his breast. Cold were the lips, yet he kissed them. He kissed the closed eyelids, and the sea-water that was on them, was less salty than his tears. And to the dead thing he confessed everything. Bitter, bitter was his joy, and full of strange gladness was his pain.
The black sea came nearer. With white claws of foam the sea struck on the shore. From the palace of the Sea-King came again a cry. "Run away," said his Soul, "for the sea is coming, and if you stay it will kill you. Run away for I am afraid, seeing that your heart is closed against me16 because of the greatness of your love. Run away to a safe place. Surely you will not send me away without a heart into another world?"
But the young Fisherman did not listen to his Soul, but called to the little Mermaid, and said, "Love is better than wisdom, and more precious than riches. The fires cannot destroy it, and the waters cannot quench it. I called to you at dawn, and you did not come at my call, I whispered your name in the night, but you did not answer, for I had evilly left you. Yet I never forgot you and my love was always in my heart."
And his Soul begged him to run away, but he would not, so great was his love. And the sea came nearer, ready to cover him with its waves, and when he knew that the end was near, he kissed the cold lips of the Mermaid, and his heart broke, and as through the fulness of his love his heart broke,17 the Soul found a place and entered it, and was one with him as before. And the sea covered the young Fisherman with its waves.
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***
And in the morning when the sea became calm the Priest went to bless it. And with him went very many people.
And when he reached the shore he saw the young fisherman who was drowned embracing the body of the little Mermaid. The Priest turned away and said, "I will not bless the sea and I will not bless anything that is in it. Accursed be the Sea-folk, and accursed be those who are with them. And as for the Fisherman who for love gave up God, take his body and the body of his love, and bury them in a lonely corner of the field, and put no mark above them, so that nobody will find their place."
And the people did as the Priest ordered.
And once when the third year was over the Priest went to church to speak to the people about the might of God.
And when he entered and bowed before the altar, he saw that the altar was covered with strange white flowers that he had never seen before. Strange were their shapes and strange was their sweet odour.
And when the Priest began to speak to the people he felt that the white flowers somehow troubled him. He did not know why, but he began to speak not about the might of God, but about the God whose name is Love.
And when he had finished he asked the people where they had got the beautiful white flowers. And they answered him, "The flowers come from the lonely corner of the field."
And the Priest trembled, and returned to his own house, thinking of the power of true love.
And in the morning the Priest went to the sea-shore, and blessed the sea, and all the wild things that are in it. But the Sea-folk never again came into the bay, for they went to another part of the sea.
NOTES:
1 in no way — íèêàê
2 swore it by the oath of the Sea-folk — ïîêëÿëàñü êëÿòâîé
îáèòàòåëåé ìîðÿ
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3 accursed be — áóäü ïðîêëÿòû
4 there is neither heaven nor hell for them — èì íåò ìåñòà
íè â ðàþ, íè â àäó
5 some evil thing — êòî-òî çëîé
6 and cut away from around your feet—è îòðåæü ñâîþ òåíü
ó ñàìûõ íîã
7 false prophet — ëæåïðîðîê
8 spoke against me — ãîâîðèëè îáî ìíå âðàæäåáíî
9 a newly-killed kid — òîëüêî ÷òî óáèòûé êîçëåíîê
10 go blind — îñëåïíóòü
11 Dervish — äåðâèø (ìîíàõ)
12 the guards hastened me on — ñòðàæà òîðîïèëà ìåíÿ
131 shall have nothing to do with you — ÿ íå õî÷ó èìåòü ñ òîáîé íè÷åãî îáùåãî
14 closed his lips with the seal of silence — íàëîæèë íà ñâîè
óñòà ïå÷àòü ìîë÷àíèÿ
15 turned a deaf ear — íå ñëóøàë
16 is closed against me — çàêðûòî îò ìåíÿ
17 and as through the fulness of his love his heart broke — è
êîãäà ïåðåïîëíåííîå ëþáîâüþ ñåðäöå ðàçîðâàëîñü
Comprehension:
1) Whom did the Fisherman catch one day?
2) What promise did the Mermaid give to him?
3) What did the Mermaid ask the young man to do when
he said he loved her?
4) Why was it difficult for him to get rid of his soul?
5) Where did the young Witch take him?
6) What did the Witch teach the Fisherman?
7) What adventures did the Fisherman's Soul have?
9) How did it happen that the Soul came into the young
man's body again?
10) In what way did the Soul tempt him? Why wasn't it
a success?
11) Did the Fisherman suffer greatly after the Mermaid's
death?
12) Why did the Priest believe in the power of love?
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