) that was whiter than silver (которая была белее, чем серебро). White as the surf it was (она была бела, как прибой = как пена), and like a flower (и, подобно цветку) it tossed on the waves (ее подбрасывало на волнах; to toss — бросать, кидать; подбрасывать). And the surf took it from the waves (и прибой принял: «взял» ее у волн; to take (took, taken)), and the foam took it from the surf (и пена приняла ее у прибоя), and the shore received it (и берег принял ее), and lying at his feet (и лежащим у его ног) the young Fisherman saw the body of the little Mermaid (молодой Рыбак увидел тело маленькой Русалочки; to see (saw, seen)). Dead at his feet it was lying (мертвое, у его ног оно лежало).

burden [bq:dn] surf [sq:f] foam [fqVm]

And the black waves came hurrying to the shore, bearing with them a burden that was whiter than silver. White as the surf it was, and like a flower it tossed on the waves. And the surf took it from the waves, and the foam took it from the surf, and the shore received it, and lying at his feet the young Fisherman saw the body of the little Mermaid. Dead at his feet it was lying.

Weeping as one smitten with pain (рыдая, как человек, охваченный/убитый горем; to smite (smote, smitten) — ударять, бить; поражать) he flung himself down beside it (он бросился ниц рядом с ним; to fling (flung)), and he kissed the cold red of the mouth (и целовал ее холодный красный рот: «холодную красноту рта»), and toyed with the wet amber of the hair (и перебирал ее влажные янтарные волосы; to toy — вертеть в руках). He flung himself down beside it on the sand (он бросился рядом с ним на песок), weeping as one trembling with joy (рыдая, как человек, дрожащий от радости), and in his brown arms (и своими смуглыми руками; brown — коричневый; смуглый, загорелый) he held it to his breast (он прижал ее к своей груди; to hold (held) — держать). Cold were the lips (холодны были ее уста), yet he kissed them (но он целовал их). Salt was the honey of the hair (солон был мед ее волос: «солью был мед волос»), yet he tasted it with a bitter joy (и все же он вкушал его с горькой радостью; to taste — пробовать, отведать). He kissed the closed eyelids (он целовал закрытые веки), and the wild spray that lay upon their cups (и соленые брызги, что лежали на них; to lie (lay, lain); cup — чашечка /цветка/) was less salt (были менее солеными) than his tears (чем его слезы).

smitten ['smIt(q)n] toy [tOI] honey ['hAnI] eyelid ['aIlId]

Weeping as one smitten with pain he flung himself down beside it, and he kissed the cold red of the mouth, and toyed with the wet amber of the hair. He flung himself down beside it on the sand, weeping as one trembling with joy, and in his brown arms he held it to his breast. Cold were the lips, yet he kissed them. Salt was the honey of the hair, yet he tasted it with a bitter joy. He kissed the closed eyelids, and the wild spray that lay upon their cups was less salt than his tears.

And to the dead thing he made confession (и этому мертвому созданию он признался;