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me？ I cannot see it。 I may not touch it。 I do not know it。
Surely I will send it away from me； and much gladness shall be
mine。' And a cry of joy broke from his lips； and standing up in
the painted boat； he held out his arms to the Mermaid。 'I will
send my soul away；' he cried； 'and you shall be my bride； and I
will be thy bridegroom； and in the depth of the sea we will dwell
together； and all that thou hast sung of thou shalt show me； and
all that thou desirest I will do； nor shall our lives be divided。'
And the little Mermaid laughed for pleasure and hid her face in her
hands。
'But how shall I send my soul from me？' cried the young Fisherman。
'Tell me how I may do it； and lo！ it shall be done。'
'Alas！ I know not；' said the little Mermaid： 'the Sea…folk have
no souls。' And she sank down into the deep； looking wistfully at
him。
Now early on the next morning； before the sun was the span of a
man's hand above the hill； the young Fisherman went to the house of
the Priest and knocked three times at the door。
The novice looked out through the wicket； and when he saw who it
was； he drew back the latch and said to him； 'Enter。'
And the young Fisherman passed in； and knelt down on the sweet…
smelling rushes of the floor； and cried to the Priest who was
reading out of the Holy Book and said to him； 'Father； I am in love
with one of the Sea…folk； and my soul hindereth me from having my
desire。 Tell me how I can send my soul away from me； for in truth
I have no need of it。 Of what value is my soul to me？ I cannot
see it。 I may not touch it。 I do not know it。'
And the Priest beat his breast； and answered； 'Alack； alack； thou
art mad； or hast eaten of some poisonous herb； for the soul is the
noblest part of man； and was given to us by God that we should
nobly use it。 There is no thing more precious than a human soul；
nor any earthly thing that can be weighed with it。 It is worth all
the gold that is in the world； and is more precious than the rubies
of the kings。 Therefore； my son； think not any more of this
matter； for it is a sin that may not be forgiven。 And as for the
Sea…folk； they are lost； and they who would traffic with them are
lost also。 They are as the beasts of the field that know not good
from evil； and for them the Lord has not died。'
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
to him； 'Father； the Fauns live in the forest and are glad； and on
the rocks sit the Mermen with their harps of red gold。 Let me be
as they are； I beseech thee； for their days are as the days of
flowers。 And as for my soul； what doth my soul profit me； if it
stand between me and the thing that I love？'
'The love of the body is vile；' cried the Priest； knitting his
brows； 'and vile and evil are the pagan things God suffers to
wander through His world。 Accursed be the Fauns of the woodland；
and accursed be the singers of the sea！ I have heard them at
night…time； and they have sought to lure me from my beads。 They
tap at the window； and laugh。 They whisper into my ears the tale
of their perilous joys。 They tempt me with temptations； and when I
would pray they make mouths at me。 They are lost； I tell thee；
they are lost。 For them there is no heaven nor hell； and in
neither shall they praise God's name。'
'Father；' cried the young Fisherman； 'thou knowest not what thou
sayest。 Once in my net I snared the daughter of a King。 She is
fairer than the morning star； and whiter than the moon。 For her
body I would give my soul； and for her love I would surrender
heaven。 Tell me what I ask of thee； and let me go in peace。'
'Away！ Away！' cried the Priest： 'thy leman is lost； and thou
shalt be lost with her。'
And he gave him no blessing； but drove him from his door。
And the young Fisherman went down into the market…place； and he
walked slowly； and with bowed head； as one who is in sorrow。
And when the merchants saw him coming； they began to whisper to
each other； and one of them came forth to meet him； and called him
by name； and said to him； 'What hast thou to sell？'
'I will sell thee my soul；' he answered。 'I pray thee buy it of
me； for I am weary of it。 Of what use is 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； 'Of what use is a man's
soul to us？ It is not worth a clipped piece of silver。 Sell us
thy body for a slave； and we will clothe thee in sea…purple； and
put a ring upon thy finger； and make thee the minion of the great
Queen。 But talk not of the soul； for to us it is nought； nor has
it any value for our service。'
And the young Fisherman said to himself： 'How strange a thing this
is！ The Priest telleth me that the soul is worth all the gold in
the world； and the merchants say that it is not worth a clipped
piece of silver。' And he passed out of the market…place； and went
down to the shore of the sea； and began to ponder on what he should
do。
And at noon he remembered how one of his companions； who was a
gatherer of samphire； had told him of a certain young Witch who
dwelt in a cave at the head of the bay and was very cunning in her
witcheries。 And he set to and ran； so eager was he to get rid of
his soul； and a cloud of dust followed him as he sped round the
sand of the shore。 By the itching of her palm the young Witch knew
his coming； and she laughed and let down her red hair。 With her
red hair falling around her； she stood at the opening of the cave；
and in her hand she had a spray of wild hemlock that was
blossoming。
'What d'ye lack？ What d'ye lack？' she cried； as he came panting up
the steep； and bent down before her。 'Fish for thy net； when the
wind is foul？ I have a little reed…pipe； and when I blow on it the
mullet come sailing into the bay。 But it has a price； pretty boy；
it has a price。 What d'ye lack？ What d'ye lack？ A storm to wreck
the ships； and wash the chests of rich treasure ashore？ I have
more storms than the wind has； for I serve one who is stronger than
the wind； and with a sieve and a pail of water I can send the great
galleys to the bottom of the sea。 But I have a price； pretty boy；
I have a price。 What d'ye lack？ What d'ye lack？ I know a flower
that grows in the valley； none knows it but I。 It has purple
leaves； and a star in its heart； and its juice is as white as milk。
Shouldst thou touch with this flower the hard lips of the Queen；
she would follow thee all over the world。 Out of the bed of the
King she would rise； and over the whole world she would follow
thee。 And it has a price； pretty boy； it has a price。 What d'ye
lack？ What d'ye lack？ I can pound a toad in a mortar； and make
broth of it； and stir the broth with a dead man's hand。 Sprinkle
it on thine enemy while he sleeps； and he will turn into a black
viper； and his own mother will slay him。 With a wheel I can draw
the Moon from heaven； and in a crystal I can show thee Death。 What
d'ye lack？ What d'ye lack？ Tell me thy desire； and I will give it
thee； and thou shalt pay me a price； pretty boy； thou shalt pay me
a price。'
'My desire is but for a little thing；' said the young Fisherman；
'yet hath the Priest been wroth with me； and driven me forth。 It
is but for a little thing； and the merchants have mocked at me； and
denied me。 Therefore am I come to thee； though men call thee evil；
and whatever be thy price I shall pay it。'
'What wouldst thou？' asked the Witch； coming near to him。
'I would send my soul away from me；' answered the young Fisherman。
The Witch grew pale； and shuddered； and hid her face in her blue
mantle。 'Pretty boy； pretty boy；' she muttered； 'that is a
terrible thing to do。'
He tossed his brown curls and laughed。 'My soul is nought to me；'
he answered。 'I cannot see