Page:Writings of Oscar Wilde - Volume 03.djvu/117

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THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL. 91

without a heart. The world is cruel, give me thy heart to take with me." He tossed his head and smiled. "With what should I love my love if I gave thee my heart?" he cried. "Nay, but be merciful," said his Soul: "give me thy heart, for the world is very cruel, and I am afraid." "My heart is my love's," he answered, "therefore tarry not, but get thee gone." "Should I not love also?" asked his Soul. "Get thee gone, for I have no need of thee," cried the young Fisherman, and he took the little knife with its handle of green viper's skin, and cut away his shadow from around his feet, and it rose up and stood before him, and looked at him, and it was even as himself. He crept back, and thrust the knife into his belt, and a feeling of awe came over him. "Get thee gone, " he murmured, "and let me see thy face no more." "Nay, but we must meet again," said the Soul. Its voice was low and flute-like, and its lips hardly moved while it spake. "How shall we meet?" cried the young Fish-

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