有声英语儿童童话故事 海的女儿 第8章

The fifth sister’s birthdayoccurred in the winter, so when her turn came she saw what the others had notseen the first time they went up. The sea looked quite green, and largeicebergs were floating about, each like a pearl, she said, but larger andloftier than the churches built by men. They were of the most singular shapesand glittered like diamonds. She had seated herself on one of the largest andlet the wind play with her long hair. She noticed that all the ships sailedpast very rapidly, steering as far away as they could, as if they were afraidof the iceberg. Towards evening, as the sun went down, dark clouds covered thesky, the thunder rolled, and the flashes of lightning glowed red on theicebergs as they were tossed about by the heaving sea. On all the ships thesails were reefed with fear and trembling, while she sat on the floatingiceberg, calmly watching the lightning as it darted its forked flashes into thesea.

Each of the sisters, when firstshe had permission to raise to the surface, was delighted with the new andbeautiful sights. Now that they were grown-up girls and could go when theypleased, they had become quite indifferent about it. They soon wishedthemselves back again, and after a month had passed they said it was much morebeautiful down below and pleasanter to be at home.