The five sisters were very happy when they went to the top of the sea to look at ships, cities, and men. But they did not remember these things for long. Their own home soon began to look more beautiful than anything which they saw at the top of the sea or on the land.
The five sisters went up to the top of the sea many times. They went hand in hand and they sang beautiful songs. When there was rain or snow, they went in front of the ships and sang to the people on the ships.
They sang, "Those who live down in the sea are so happy!" Then they told the people on the ships not to be afraid. "Come down to us, " they cried.
When the sisters went to the top of the sea at night, the youngest princess stayed in the father’s house, looking up at them. She wanted to cry, but sea people cannot cry. So they are more unhappy than the people on land.
"Oh, I want to be fifteen!" she said. "I know that I shall love the land and the people on it."
一年以后，另一个姐姐满十五岁了。她升到海 面上，但水是冰冷的，陆地上到处都是雪，因而她
很快就回来了。
这五个姐妹来到海面上看到了船只、城市和人 类，都觉得很开心，但她们并没永远记住这些事。
不久，她们觉得自己的家比她们在海面上或陆地上 看到的任何东西都美。
五个姐妹多次到海面上去，她们手挽着手唱着 好听的歌儿。下雨或下雪的时候，她们浮到船的面
前，对着船上的人们歌唱。
她们唱道：“住在海底多么幸福！”然后她们 告诉船上的人们不要害怕。“下来吧，到我们这儿
来。”她们大声说。
当姐妹们晚上浮出海面的时候，最小的那位公 主待在她父亲的宫殿里瞧着她们。她想哭一场，不
过海里的人是不会哭的，因此他们比陆地上的人更 加不幸。
“哦！我要是十五岁就好了！。”她说，“我 知道我会喜欢陆地和陆地上的人的。”
