“The fisherman felt sorry for her, of course, but he forced himself to lie still till daybreak.  Then he got up, pushed the boat into the water, and stepped into it to make it appear that he saw her by chance after he had lifted the oars.

“‘Who are you?’ he called out.  ‘Are you shipwrecked?’

“She ran toward him and asked if he had seen her seal skin.  The fisherman looked as if he did not know what she was talking about.  She sat down again and wept.  Then he determined to take her with him in the boat.  ‘Come with me to my cottage,’ he commanded, ’and my mother will take care of you.  You can’t stay here on the island, where you have neither food nor shelter!’ He talked so convincingly that she was persuaded to step into his boat.

“Both the fisherman and his mother were very kind to the poor mermaid, and she seemed to be happy with them.  She grew more contented every day and helped the older woman with her work, and was exactly like any other island lass—­only she was much prettier.  One day the fisherman asked her if she would be his wife, and she did not object, but at once said yes.

“Preparations were made for the wedding.  The mermaid dressed as a bride in her green, trailing robe with the shimmering pearl crown she had worn when the fisherman first saw her.  There was neither church nor parson on the island at that time, so the bridal party seated themselves in the boats to row up to the first church they should find.

“The fisherman had the mermaid and his mother in his boat, and he rowed so well that he was far ahead of all the others.  When he had come so far that he could see the islet in the river, where he won his bride, he could not help smiling.

“‘What are you smiling at?’ she asked.

“‘Oh, I’m thinking of that night when I hid your seal skin,’ answered the fisherman; for he felt so sure of her that he thought there was no longer any need for him to conceal anything.

“‘What are you saying?’ asked the bride, astonished.  ’Surely I have never possessed a seal skin!’ It appeared she had forgotten everything.

“‘Don’t you recollect how you danced with the mermaids?’ he asked.

“‘I don’t know what you mean,’ said the bride.  ’I think that you must have dreamed a strange dream last night.’

“If I show you your seal skin, you’ll probably believe me!’ laughed the fisherman, promptly turning the boat toward the islet.  They stepped ashore and he brought the seal skin out from under the stone where he had hidden it.

“But the instant the bride set eyes on the seal skin she grasped it and drew it over her head.  It snuggled close to her—­as if there was life in it—­and immediately she threw herself into the stream.

“The bridegroom saw her swim away and plunged into the water after her; but he could not catch up to her.  When he saw that he couldn’t stop her in any other way, in his grief he seized his spear and hurled it.  He aimed better than he had intended, for the poor mermaid gave a piercing shriek and disappeared in the depths.