The sun had not risen when she came in sight of the prince's palace and landed at the beautiful marble steps.

当她看见王子的宫殿并停留在美丽的大理石台阶上时，太阳还没有升起。

The moon was shining bright and clear.

月光皎皎。

The little mermaid drank the burning, stinging draught, and it was like a sharp, two-edged sword running through her tender frame;

小美人鱼喝下了女巫给的药水，灼烧的痛感的就像一把锋利的两刃剑穿过她娇弱的身体。

she fainted away and lay as if she were dead.

她晕了过去，好像死了一样躺着。

When the sun rose on the sea she woke up and became conscious of a sharp pang,

当太阳在海上升起时，她醒了过来，眼前的画面让她无比震惊，

but just in front of her stood the handsome young prince, fixing his coal black eyes on her;

她面前正是那位英俊的王子，正用乌黑的眼睛看着她。

she cast hers down and saw that her fish's tail was gone, and that she had the prettiest little white legs any maiden could desire;

因为失去了鱼尾，她有点沮丧，但她有任何少女所羡慕的白嫩修长的腿。

but she was quite naked, so she wrapped her long thick hair around her.

她赤身裸体，因此用浓密的长发把自己包裹了起来。

The prince asked who she was and how she came there.

王子问她是谁，又是怎么来的。

She looked at him tenderly and with a sad expression in her dark blue eyes, but could not speak.

她温柔地看着他，深蓝色的眼睛中带着悲伤的表情，但无法说话。

Then he took her by the hand and led her into the palace.

然后他牵着她的手，将她带入宫殿。

Every step she took was, as the witch had warned her beforehand, as if she were treading on sharp knives and spikes, but she bore it gladly;

正如女巫事先警告过的那样，她每一步都像是踩着锋利的刀子和长钉，但她却甘之如饴。

led by the prince, she moved as lightly as a bubble, and he and every one else marvelled at her graceful gliding gait.

在王子的带领下，她像泡沫一样轻柔地行走着，他和其他每个人都为她优美的步态惊叹。

Clothed in the costliest silks and muslins she was the greatest beauty in the palace, but she was dumb, and could neither sing nor speak.

她穿着最昂贵的丝绸和平纹细布，是宫殿里最美丽的人，但她既不会唱歌也不会说话。