English Original
The village of Zennor lies upon the windward coast of Cornwall. The houses cling to the hillside as if hung there by the wind. Waves still lick the ledges in the coves, and a few fishermen still set out to sea in their boats.
In times past, the sea was both the beginning and the end for the folk of Zennor. It gave them fish for food and fish for sale, and made a wavy road to row from town to town. Hours were reckoned not by clocks but by the ebb and flow of the tide, and months and years ticked off by the herring runs. The sea took from them, too, and often wild, sudden storms would rise. Then fish and fisherman alike would be lost to an angry sea.
At the end of a good day, when the sea was calm and each boat had returned with its share of fish safely stowed in the hold, the people of Zennor would go up the path to the old church and give thanks. They would pray for a fine catch on the morrow, too. The choir would sing, and after the closing hymn the families would go home.
Now, in the choir that sang at Evensong there was a most handsome lad named Mathew Trewella. Not only was Mathew handsome to the eyes, his singing was sweet to the ears as well. His voice pealed out louder than the church bells, and each note rang clear and true. It was always Mathew who sang the closing hymn.
Early one evening, when all the fishing boats bobbed at anchor, and all the fisher families were in church and all the birds at nest, and even the waves rested themselves and came quietly to shore, something moved softly in the twilight. The waves parted without a sound, and, from deep beneath them, some creature rose and climbed out onto a rock, there in the cove of Zennor. It was both a sea creature and a she-creature. For, though it seemed to be a girl, where the girl's legs should have been was the long and silver-shiny tail of a fish. It was a mermaid, one of the daughters of Llyr, king of the ocean, and her name was Morveren.
Morveren sat upon the rock and looked at herself in the quiet water, and then combed all the little crabs and seashells from her long, long hair. As she combed, she listened to the murmur of the waves and wind. And borne on the wind was Mathew's singing.
"What breeze is there that blows such a song?" wondered Morveren. But then the wind died, and Mathew's song with it. The sun disappeared, and Morveren slipped back beneath the water to her home.
The next evening she came again. But not to the rock. This time she swam closer to shore, the better to hear. And once more Mathew's voice carried out to sea, and Morveren listened.
"What bird sings so sweet?" she asked, and she looked all about. But darkness had come, and her eyes saw only shadows.
The next day Morveren came even earlier, and boldly. She floated right up by the fishermen's boats. And when she heard Mathew's voice, she called, "What reed is there that pipes such music?"
There was no answer save the swishing of the water round the skiffs.
Morveren would and must know more about the singing. So she pulled herself up on the shore itself. From there she could see the church and hear the music pouring from its open doors. Nothing would do then but she must peek in and learn for herself who sang so sweetly.
Still, she did not go at once. For, looking behind her, she saw that the tide had begun to ebb and the water pull back from the shore. And she knew that she must go back, too, or be left stranded on the sand like a fish out of water.
So she dived down beneath the waves, down to the dark sea cave where she lived with her father the king. And there she told Llyr what she had heard.
Llyr was so old he appeared to be carved of driftwood, and his hair floated out tangled and green, like seaweed. At Morveren's words, he shook that massive head from side to side.
"To hear is enough, my child. To see is too much."
"I must go, Father," she pleaded, "for the music is magic."
"Nay," he answered. "The music is man-made, and it comes from a man's mouth. We people of the sea do not walk on the land of men."
A tear, larger than an ocean pearl, fell from Morveren's eye. "Then surely I may die from the wanting down here."
Llyr sighed, and his sigh was like the rumbling of giant waves upon the rocks; for a mermaid to cry was a thing unheard of and it troubled the old sea king greatly.
"Go, then," he said at last, "but go with care. Cover your tail with a dress, such as their women wear. Go quietly, and make sure that none shall see you. And return by high tide, or you may not return at all."
"I shall take care, Father!" cried Morveren, excited. "No one shall snare me like a herring!"
Llyr gave her a beautiful dress crusted with pearls and sea jade and coral and other ocean jewels. It covered her tail, and she covered her shining hair with a net, and so disguised she set out for the church and the land of men.
Slippery scales and fish's tail are not made for walking, and it was difficult for Morveren to get up the path to the church. Nor was she used to the dress of an earth woman dragging behind. But get there she did, pulling herself forward by grasping on the trees, until she was at the very door of the church. She was just in time for the closing hymn. Some folks were looking down at their hymnbooks and some up at the choir, so, since none had eyes in the backs of their heads, they did not see Morveren. But she saw them, and Mathew as well. He was as handsome as an angel, and when he sang it was like a harp from heaven -- although Morveren, of course, being a mermaid, knew nothing of either.
So each night thereafter, Morveren would dress and come up to the church, to look and to listen, staying but a few minutes and always leaving before the last note faded and in time to catch the swell of high tide. And night by night, month by month, Mathew grew taller and his voice grew deeper and stronger (though Morveren neither grew nor changed, for that is the way of mermaids). And so it went for most of a year, until the evening when Morveren lingered longer than usual. She had heard Mathew sing one verse, and then another, and begin a third. Each refrain was lovelier than the one before, and Morveren caught her breath in a sigh.
It was just a little sigh, softer than the whisper of a wave. But it was enough for Mathew to hear, and he looked to the back of the church and saw the mermaid. Morveren's eyes were shining, and the net had slipped from her head and her hair was wet and gleaming, too. Mathew stopped his singing. He was struck silent by the look of her -- and by his love for her. For these things will happen.
Morveren was frightened. Mathew had seen her, and her father had warned that none must look at her. Besides, the church was warm and dry, and merpeople must be cool and wet. Morveren felt herself shriveling, and turned in haste from the door.
"Stop!" cried Mathew boldly. "Wait!" And he ran down the aisle of the church and out the door after her.
Then all the people turned, startled, and their hymn-books fell from their laps.
Morveren tripped, tangled in her dress, and would have fallen had not Mathew reached her side and caught her.
"Stay!" he begged. "Whoever ye be, do not leave!"
Tears, real tears, as salty as the sea itself, rolled down Morveren's cheeks.
"I cannot stay. I am a sea creature, and must go back where I belong."
Mathew stared at her and saw the tip of her fish tail poking out from beneath the dress. But that mattered not at all to him.
"Then I will go with ye. For with ye is where I belong."
He picked Morveren up, and she threw her arms about his neck. He hurried down the path with her, toward the ocean's edge.
And all the people from the church saw this.
"Mathew, stop!" they shouted. "Hold back!"
"No! No, Mathew!" cried that boy's mother.
But Mathew was bewitched with love for the mermaid, and ran the faster with her toward the sea.
Then the fishermen of Zennor gave chase, and all others, too, even Mathew's mother. But Mathew was quick and strong and outdistanced them. And Morveren was quick and clever. She tore the pearls and coral from her dress and flung them on the path. The fishermen were greedy, even as men are now, and stopped in their chase to pick up the gems. Only Mathew's mother still ran after them.
The tide was going out. Great rocks thrust up from the dark water. Already it was too shallow for Morveren to swim. But Mathew plunged ahead into the water, stumbling in to his knees. Quickly his mother caught hold of his fisherman's jersey. Still Mathew pushed on, until the sea rose to his waist, and then his shoulders. Then the waters closed over Morveren and Mathew, and his mother was left with only a bit of yarn in her hand, like a fishing line with nothing on it.
Never again were Mathew and Morveren seen by the people of Zennor. They had gone to live in the land of Llyr, in golden sand castles built far below the waters in a blue-green world.
But the people of Zennor heard Mathew. For he sang to Morveren both day and night, love songs and lullabies. Nor did he sing for her ears only. Mathew learned songs that told of the sea as well. His voice rose up soft and high if the day was to be fair, deep and low if Llyr was going to make the waters boil. From his songs, the fishermen of Zennor knew when it was safe to put to sea, and when it was wise to anchor snug at home.
There are some still who find meanings in the voices of the waves and understand the whispers of the winds. These are the ones who say Mathew sings yet, to them that will listen.
中文翻译
赞诺尔村坐落在康沃尔郡的迎风海岸上。房屋紧贴着山坡，仿佛是被风挂在那里。海浪依然舔舐着海湾里的岩架，仍有少数渔民驾船出海。
在过去，大海对赞诺尔的人们来说既是开始也是终结。它提供给他们食用的鱼和出售的鱼，并铺就了一条通往各个城镇的波浪之路。时间不是用时钟计算，而是用潮水的涨落，岁月随着鲱鱼汛期而流逝。大海也从他们那里索取，常常会掀起狂野、突然的风暴。那时，鱼和渔民都会消失在愤怒的大海中。
在美好的一天结束时，当大海平静，每艘船都带着分得的鱼安全地存放在船舱里归来，赞诺尔的人们会沿着小路走向古老的教堂，表达感谢。他们也会为明天的好收成祈祷。唱诗班会歌唱，在最后的赞美诗结束后，家人们会回家。
那时，在晚祷时歌唱的唱诗班里，有一个非常英俊的小伙子，名叫马修·特雷韦拉。马修不仅英俊，他的歌声也悦耳动听。他的声音比教堂的钟声还要洪亮，每个音符都清晰而准确。总是由马修来唱最后的赞美诗。
一天傍晚，当所有的渔船都停泊着上下浮动，所有的渔民家庭都在教堂里，所有的鸟儿都已归巢，甚至连海浪也平息下来，静静地涌向岸边时，暮色中有什么东西在轻轻移动。海浪无声地分开，从深处，某个生物升起，爬上了一块岩石，就在赞诺尔的海湾里。它既是海洋生物，又是一个女性生物。因为，虽然它看起来像个女孩，但在女孩应该有腿的地方，却是一条长长的、银光闪闪的鱼尾。这是一条美人鱼，海洋之王利尔的女儿之一，她的名字叫莫维伦。
莫维伦坐在岩石上，在平静的水中看着自己，然后从她长长的头发里梳出所有的小螃蟹和贝壳。她一边梳头，一边聆听着波浪和风的低语。随风飘来的，是马修的歌声。
“是什么风能吹来这样的歌？”莫维伦心想。但随后风停了，马修的歌声也随之消失。太阳消失了，莫维伦滑回水下，回到了她的家。
第二天傍晚，她又来了。但不是去那块岩石。这次她游得更靠近岸边，以便听得更清楚。马修的声音再次传到海上，莫维伦聆听着。
“是什么鸟儿唱得如此甜美？”她问道，并环顾四周。但黑暗已经降临，她的眼睛只看到阴影。
第三天，莫维伦来得更早，也更胆大。她径直漂浮到渔民的船边。当她听到马修的声音时，她喊道：“是什么芦苇能吹奏出这样的音乐？”
除了小艇周围的水声，没有任何回答。
莫维伦想要、也必须知道更多关于这歌声的事。于是她把自己拉上了岸。从那里，她可以看到教堂，听到音乐从敞开的大门倾泻而出。她必须亲自窥探一下，看看是谁唱得如此甜美。
然而，她没有立刻就去。因为，她回头一看，发现潮水已经开始退去，海水正从岸边撤回。她知道她也必须回去，否则就会像离水的鱼一样搁浅在沙滩上。
于是她潜入波浪之下，下到她与国王父亲同住的黑暗海洞里。在那里，她告诉了利尔她所听到的。
利尔非常苍老，看起来像是浮木雕刻而成，他的头发缠结着、绿色地漂浮着，像海藻一样。听到莫维伦的话，他左右摇晃着那颗巨大的头颅。
“听到就够了，我的孩子。看到就太多了。”
“我必须去，父亲，”她恳求道，“因为这音乐是魔法。”
“不，”他回答。“音乐是人造的，它来自人的口中。我们海洋子民不在人类的陆地上行走。”
一滴比海洋珍珠还大的眼泪从莫维伦眼中落下。“那我肯定会因为渴望而在这里死去。”
利尔叹了口气，他的叹息如同巨浪拍打岩石的隆隆声；美人鱼哭泣是闻所未闻的事，这让老海王非常烦恼。
“那么，去吧，”他终于说道，“但要小心。用一条裙子遮住你的尾巴，就像她们女人穿的那样。悄悄地走，确保没有人看见你。并在涨潮前回来，否则你可能再也回不来了。”
“我会小心的，父亲！”莫维伦兴奋地喊道。“没有人能像抓鲱鱼一样捕捉我！”
利尔给了她一件缀满珍珠、海玉、珊瑚和其他海洋珠宝的美丽裙子。它遮住了她的尾巴，她用一张网罩住了她闪亮的头发，就这样伪装好，她出发前往教堂和人类的土地。
光滑的鳞片和鱼尾不适合行走，莫维伦很难走上通往教堂的小路。她也不习惯地球女人的裙子拖在后面。但她还是到了，她抓着树木向前挪动，直到她来到教堂的门口。她正好赶上最后的赞美诗。有些人低头看着他们的赞美诗集，有些人抬头看着唱诗班，所以，既然没有人后脑勺长眼睛，他们没有看到莫维伦。但她看到了他们，也看到了马修。他英俊如天使，当他歌唱时，就像来自天堂的竖琴——当然，莫维伦作为美人鱼，对这两者都一无所知。
此后，莫维伦每晚都会打扮好来到教堂，去看、去听，只停留几分钟，总是在最后一个音符消失前离开，及时赶上高涨的潮水。一夜又一夜，一月又一月，马修长高了，他的声音也变得更深沉、更有力（而莫维伦既不长大也不改变，因为美人鱼就是如此）。就这样过了大半年，直到一天晚上，莫维伦比平时逗留得更久。她听到马修唱了一节，又唱了一节，并开始第三节。每一段副歌都比前一段更可爱，莫维伦屏住呼吸，发出一声叹息。
那只是一声小小的叹息，比波浪的低语还要轻柔。但这足以让马修听到，他看向教堂后面，看到了美人鱼。莫维伦的眼睛闪闪发光，网从她头上滑落，她的头发也湿漉漉地闪着光。马修停止了歌唱。他被她的样子——以及他对她的爱——震惊得说不出话来。因为这些事情总会发生。
莫维伦吓坏了。马修看到了她，而她的父亲曾警告过不能让任何人看到她。此外，教堂温暖而干燥，而人鱼必须凉爽湿润。莫维伦感觉自己正在萎缩，急忙转身离开门口。
“停下！”马修大胆地喊道。“等等！”他跑下教堂的过道，追着她出了门。
这时，所有人都转过身来，大吃一惊，他们的赞美诗集从膝上掉落。
莫维伦被裙子绊倒，差点摔倒，幸好马修赶到她身边扶住了她。
“留下！”他恳求道。“不管你是谁，别走！”
眼泪，真实的眼泪，像海水一样咸，从莫维伦的脸颊滚落。
“我不能留下。我是海洋生物，必须回到我属于的地方。”
马修凝视着她，看到了她的鱼尾尖从裙子下面戳了出来。但这对他来说一点也不重要。
“那我就跟你一起去。因为和你在一起，才是我属于的地方。”
他抱起莫维伦，她用手臂环住他的脖子。他抱着她匆匆沿着小路跑向海边。
教堂里所有的人都看到了这一幕。
“马修，停下！”他们喊道。“别去！”
“不！不，马修！”那个男孩的母亲哭喊道。
但马修被对美人鱼的爱迷住了，抱着她更快地跑向大海。
于是赞诺尔的渔民们开始追赶，其他人也是，甚至马修的母亲。但马修敏捷而强壮，把他们甩在了后面。莫维伦也敏捷而聪明。她从裙子上扯下珍珠和珊瑚，扔在小路上。渔民们很贪婪，就像现在的人一样，停下追赶去捡那些宝石。只有马修的母亲还在追赶他们。
潮水正在退去。巨大的岩石从黑暗的水中耸立出来。水已经太浅，莫维伦无法游泳。但马修一头扎进水里，踉跄着走到齐膝深。他的母亲迅速抓住了他的渔民毛衣。马修仍然向前推进，直到海水涨到他的腰部，然后是肩膀。然后海水淹没了莫维伦和马修，他的母亲手里只剩下一点毛线，就像一条空无一物的钓鱼线。
赞诺尔的人们再也没有见过马修和莫维伦。他们去了利尔的国度生活，住在蓝绿色世界的水下深处建造的金色沙堡里。
但赞诺尔的人们能听到马修。因为他日夜为莫维伦歌唱，唱情歌和摇篮曲。他也不仅仅为她歌唱。马修也学会了讲述大海的歌曲。如果天气晴朗，他的声音会轻柔高亢；如果利尔要让海水沸腾，他的声音会低沉浑厚。从他的歌声中，赞诺尔的渔民知道何时出海安全，何时明智地舒适地停泊在家中。
至今仍有一些人能从海浪的声音中找到意义，理解风的低语。这些人说，马修仍在歌唱，唱给那些愿意倾听的人。