THE GREAT SEA-SERPENT

 THERE was a little sea－fish of good family；the nameI cannot remember，you must get that from the learned．The little fish had eighteen hundred brothers and sisters allof the same age；they did not know either their father ortheir mother；they had just to take care of themselves atonce and swim about，but that was a great delight to them．

They had plenty of water to drink—the whole of thesea；they did not think about food—that would come of it－self；every one would do just as he liked，every one wouldhave his own story—but none of them thought about thateither．

The sun shone down into the water，and lighted it upround about them；it was so clear，it was a world with themost wonderful creatures，and some frightfully big，withenormous mouths which could have swallowed the eighteenhundred brothers and sisters；but they did not think of thateither，for none of them had been swallowed yet．

The little ones swam about together，close up to eachother，as herring and mackerel swim；but as they swamabout in the water，doing their very best and thinking ofnothing，there sank from above right into the middle ofthem，with a frightful noise，a long，heavy thing thatwould not stop coming；longer and longer it stretched it－self，and every one of the little fishes which it struck，wassquashed or got a blow which it could never get over．Allthe little fishes，and the big ones too，right from the sur－face of the sea down to the bottom，swam away in alarm：the heavy，monstrous thing sank deeper and deeper，andbecame longer and longer，miles in length—throughout thewhole sea．

Fishes and snails，everything that swims，everythingwhich crawls or drifts with the currents，noticed this fright-ful thing，this immense，unknown sea－eel，which had sud－denly come down from above．

What kind of a thing was it？We know what it was！It was the great league－long telegraph wire，which wasbeing laid down between Europe and America．

There was a scare and a great commotion among thelawful inhabitants of the sea where the wire was sunk．The flying-fish sprang into the air above the sea，as highas it could；the gurnard flew the length of a gunshotabove the water；other fish sought the bottom of the sea，and fled so quickly that they arrived there long before thetelegraph wire had even been sighted：they frightenedboth the cod－fish and the flounder，which were swimmingabout peacefully in the depths of the sea and eating theirfellow creatures．

A pair of sea－cucumbers were so scared that theyvomited their stomachs out；but they still lived，for theycan do that．Many lobsters and crabs came out of theirgood harness，and had to leave their legs behind them．

Among all this fright and commotion，the eighteenhundred brothers and sisters got separated from each oth－er，and never met again，or knew each other；only abouta dozen remained in the same place，and when they hadkept quiet for an hour or two，they began to get over theirfright and become inquisitive．They looked round about，they looked up，and they looked down，and there in thedepths they thought they saw the terrible thing which hadfrightened them，frightened both big and little．The thinglay along the bottom of the sea as far as they could spy；itwas very thin，but they did not know how thick it couldmake itself，or how strong it was．it lay very still；butthis，they thought，might be its cunning．

"Let it lie where it is！It does not concern us，"saidthe most cautious of the little fishes，but the very smallestof them would not give up getting to know what the thingcould be．It came down from above；up above wouldtherefore be the best place to get news about it，and sothey swam up to the surface of the sea．The weather wasquite calm．

There they met a dolphin，a kind of acrobat，a va－grant of the sea who can turn somersaults on the surface ofthe water；it had eyes to see with，and it must have seenand would know all about it．They inquired of it，but ithad only thought of itself and its somersaults，had seennothing，could give no answer，and so was silent andlooked haughty．

Thereupon they addressed themselves to a seal whojust then dived；it was more polite，although it ate littlefishes；but today it was full．It knew a little more than thedolphin．

"I have，many a night，lain on a wet stone andlooked towards the land，miles away from here．There areclumsy creatures there，who in their language are calledmen；they hunt after us，but often we escape from them．Ihave known how to do that，and so has the sea－eel you nowask about．It has been in their power，been upon the land，no doubt from time immemorial；from there they have takenit on board a ship to convey it over the sea to another dis－tant land．I saw what trouble they had，but they managedit；it had become so weak with being on shore．They laid itin coils and twists；I heard how it rattled and clattered asthey laid it；but it escaped from them，escaped out here．They held it with all their might，many hands held fast，but it slipped from them and got to the bottom；it liesthere，I think，till later on！"

"It is rather thin，"said the litile fishes．

"They have starved it，"said the seal，"but it willsoon come to itself，and get its old thickness and bigness．I imagine it is the great sea－serpent，which men are soafraid of and talk so much about．I have never seen it be- fore，and never believed in it；now，I believe that this isit，"and so the seal dived．

"How much he knew！How much he talked！"said thelittle fishes，"I have never been so wise before！—If onlyit is not a lie！"

"We could swim down：and investigate！"said thesmallest one；"on the way we may hear others'opinions．"

"I won't make a single stroke with my fins，to get toknow anything，"the others said，and turned about．

"But I will！"said the smallest，and set off into deepwater；but it was far from the place where"the long sunkenthing"lay．The little fish looked and searched about on allsides down in the deep．

It had never noticed before how big the world was．Theherring went in great shoals，shining like big silver boats；the mackerel followed，and looked even more magnifi-cent．There came fish of all shapes and with markings ofall colours．Jelly－fishes，like half－transparent flowers，al-lowed themselves to be carried to and fro by the currents．Great plants grew from the bottom of the sea，fathom-highgrass and palm-shaped trees，every leaf adorned withshining shells．

At last the little fish spied a long dark stripe andmade towards it，but it was neither fish nor cable—it wasthe railing of a big sunken ship，whose upper and lowerdecks were broken in two by the pressure of the sea．The little fish swam into the cabin where so many people hadperished when the ship sank，and were now all washedaway except two：a young woman lay stretched out therewith a little child in her arms．The water lifted them andseemed to rock them；they looked as if they were asleep．The little fish was very frightened；it did not know thatthey would never waken again．Water-plants hung like fo－liage over the railing and over the lovely bodies of motherand child．It was so still and lonely．The little fish hur- ried away as quickly as it could，out where the water wasclearer and where there were fishes to be seen．It had notgone very far before it met a young whale，so frightfullybig．

"Don't swallow me，"said the little fish，"I am noteven a taste，I am so little，and it is a great pleasure tome to be alive！"

"What are you doing down here，where your kinddoes not come？"asked the whale．

And so the little fish told about the long，wonderfuleel，or whatever the thing was，which had come downfrom above and frightened even the most courageous in-habitants of the deep．

"Ho，ho！"said the whale，and sucked in so muchwater that it had to send out a huge spout of it，when itcame up to the surface to draw breath．"Ho，ho！"it said"so it was that thing which tickled me on the back as Iturned myself！I thought it was a ship's mast which Icould use as a clawing－pin！But it was not at this spot．No，the thing lies much farther out．I will investigate it；I have nothing else to do！"

And so it swam forward and the little fish behind，not too near，for there came a tearing current where thebig whale shot through the water．

They met a shark and an old saw-fish；they also hadheard about the strange sea-eel，so long and so thin；theyhad not seen it，but they wanted to．Now there came acat－fish．

"I will you，"it said；it was going the sameway．"If the great sea-serpent is no thicker than an an－chor－rope，I shall bite it through in one bite，"and itopened its jaws and showed its six rows of teeth．"I canbite a mark in a ship's anchor，so I can surely bitethrough that stalk．"

"There it is，"said the big whale，"I see it！"

He thought he saw better than the others．"Lookhow it lifts itself，look how it sways，bends，and curvesitself！"

It was not it，however，but an immensely big con－ger-eel，several yards long，which approached．

"I have seen that one before，"said the saw－fish；"ithas never made a great noise in the sea，or frightened anybig fish．"

And so they spoke to it about the new eel，andasked if it would go with them to discover it．

"Is that eel longer than me？"said the conger；"thenthere will be trouble！"

"That there will be！"said the others．"We arestrong enough and won't stand it，"and so they hastenedforward．

But just then something came in the way，a wonder－ful monster，bigger than all of them put together．Itlooked like a floating island，which could not keep itselfup．

It was a very old whale．Its head was overgrown withsea－plants；its back was thickly set with creeping thingsand so many oysters and mussels，that its black skin wasquite covered with white spots．

"Come with us，old one，"said they；"a new fishhas come here，which is not to be tolerated．"

"I would rather lie where I am，"said the oldwhale．"Leave me alone！Let me lie！Oh，yes，yes，yes．I suffer from a serious illness！I get relief by going up tothe surface and getting my back above it！then the bigsea－birds come and pick me．It is so nice，if only theydon't put their peaks too far in；they often go right intomy blubber．Just look！The whole skeleton of a bird isstill sitting on my back，it stuck its claws too far in andcould not get loose，when I went to the bottom！Now thelittle fishes have picked him．See how he looks，and howI look！I have an illness！"

"It is only imagination！"said the young whale；"Iam never ill．No fish is ill！"

"Excuse me，"said the old whale，"the eel has askindisease，the carp is said to have small－pox，and weall suffer from worms．"

"Rubbish，"said the shark；he could not be both－ered listening to any more，nor the others either，they hadother things to think about．

At last they came to the place where the telegraphcable lay．It had a long lair on the bottom of the sea，from Europe to America，right over the sand－banks andsea－mud，rocky bottoms and wildernesses of plants andwhole forests of coral．Down there the currents are everchanging，whirlpools turn and eddy，fish swarm in greaternumbers than the countless flocks of birds which we see atthe time of their migration．There is a movement，asplashing，a buzzing，and a humming；the humming stillechoes a little in the big empty sea－shells，when we holdthem to our ears．Now they came to the place．

"There lies the beast，"said the big fish，and thelittle one said the same thing．They saw the cable，whosebeginning and end lay beyond the range of their vision．

Sponges，polypi and gorgons swayed about from thebottom of the sea，sank and bent down over it，so that itwas seen and hidden alternately．Sea－urchins，shails，andworms crawled about it；gigantic spiders，with a wholecrew of creeping things upon them，stalked along the ca－ble．Dark-blue sea－cucumbers（or whatever the creaturesare called—they eat with the whole of their body）lay andseemed to snuff at the new animal which laid itself alongthe bottom of the sea．Flounders and cod-fish turnedround in the water so as to listen on all sides．The star－fish，which always bores itself into the mud and onlyleaves the two long stalks with eyes sticking out，layand stared to see what the result of all the commotionwould be．

The cable lay without moving，but life and thoughtwere in in all the same．The thoughts of men went throughit．

"The thing is cunning！"said the whale．"It is quitecapable of hitting me in the stomach，and that is my tenderspot！"

"Let us feel our way！"said the polypus．"I have longarms，I have supple fingers！I have touched it，I will nowtake hold a little more firmly．"

And it stretched its supple，longest arm down to thecable and round about it．

"It has no scales，"said the polypus，"it has noskin．"

The sea－eel laid itself down beside the cable，andstretched itself out as far as it could．

"The thing is longer than I！"it said，"but it is notthe length that matters，one must have skin，stomach，andsuppleness．"

The whale，the strong young whale，dropped itselfdown deeper than it had ever been before．

"Are you fish or plant？"he asked，"or are you onlysomething from above which cannot thrive down hereamongst us？"

But the cable answered nothing：that is not its way ofdoing．Thoughts went through it；the thoughts of men；theyran in a second，many hundreds of miles from land toland．

"Will you answer or will you be snapped？"asked theferocious shark，and all the other big fishes asked thesame．"Will you answer or be snapped？"

The cable paid no attention，it had its own thoughts；it is full of thoughts．

"Only let them snap me，and I shall be pulled up andput right again；that has happened to others of my kind inlesser channels．"

And so it answered nothing，it had other things to do；it telegraphed and lay in lawful occupation at the bottom ofthe sea．

Up above the sun set，as men say；it looked like thereddest fire，and all the clouds in the sky shone like fire，the one more magnificent than the other．

"Now we will get the red light ！" said the polypus，"and so the thing will perhaps be seen better， if that isnecessary."

" On it， on it！" shouted the cat-fish， and showed allhis teeth．

" On it， on it，"said the sword-fish， the whale， andthe sea-eel．

They hurled themselves forward， the cat-fish first，but just as they were going to bite the cable， the saw-fishdrove his saw with great force into the back of the cat- fish： that was a great mistake， and the cat had no strength to bite. There was a commotion down there in the mud； big fishes and little fishes， sea-cucumbers and snails ran intoeach other，ate each other，mashed each other and squashed each other． The cable lay still and did its workas it ought to do．

Dark night brooded above the sea，but the millions and millions of living sea animals gave out light． Crabs，not so big as pin-heads， gave out light． It is very wonder-ful， but so it is . The sea animals gazed at the cable. " What is the thing， and what is it not？"

Yes， that was the question．"

Then came an old sea-cow． Men call that kind， mermaids or mermen ．This one—a she—had a tail， andtwo short arms to paddle with， hanging breast，and sea-weed and creeping things in her head， and she was very proud of that．

" Will you have knowledge and information ？"said she；"then I am the only one who can give it to you ；butI demand for it ，free grazing on the bottom of the sea for me and mine． I am a fish like you， and I am also a rep-tile by practice．I am the wisest in the sea；I know abouteverything that moves down here， and about all that isabove as well. That thing there which you are puzzling about is from above，and whatever is dumped down from up there is dead or becomes dead and powerless； let it alone for what it is； it is only an invention of man ！"

"I believe there is something more than that about it，" said the little sea-fish．

" Hold your tongue， mackerel，" said the big sea- cow．

"Stickleback，" said the others，and there were stillmore insulting things said. And the sea-cow explained to them that the whole cause of alarm，which did not say a single word itself，was only an invention from the dry land． And it held a little discourse over the tiresomeness of men．

" They want to get hold of us，" it said，"it is the onlything they live for；they stretch out nets and come with baiton a hook to catch us．That thing there is a kind of big linewhich they think we will bite，they are so stupid！We are not that！ Don' t touch it and it will crumble to pieces， thewhole of it．What comes from up there has cracks and flaws， and is fit for nothing！"

"Fit for nothing，" said all the fishes， and adopted thesea-cow 's opinion， so as to have an opinion．

The little sea-fish had its own thoughts． " The enor- mous ， long， thin serpent is perhaps the most marvellous fish in the sea． I have a feeling like that．"

" The most marvellous，" we men say also，and say itwith knowledge and assurance ．

It is the great sea-serpent talked about long before，insong and story． It is conceived and born，sprung from man' s ingenuity and laid at the bottom of the sea， stretch- ing itself from the eastern to the western lands， bearing message as quickly as beams of light from the sun to our earth． It grows，grows in power and extent， grows from year to year， through all the seas，round the earth， under the stormy waters and under the glass- clear water， where the skipper looks down as if he sailed through transparent air， and sees fish swarming like a whole firework show of colours．

Farthest down the serpent stretches itself，a world- serpent of blessing，which bites its tail as it encircles theearth．Fish and reptiles ran against it with their heads， theydo not yet understand the thing from above， the serpent of the knowledge of good and evil， filled with human thoughtsand declaring them in all languages， yet silent itself，themost marvellous of the marvels of the deep， the great sea-serpent of our time．

海蟒

 

从前有一条家庭出身很好的小海鱼，它的名字我记不清楚——只有有学问的人才能告诉你。这条小鱼有1800个兄弟和姊妹，它们的年龄都一样。它们不认识自己的父亲或母亲，它们只好自己照顾自己，游来游去，不过这是很愉快的事情。

它们有吃不尽的水——整个大洋部是属于它们的。因此它们从来不在食物上费脑筋——食物就摆在那儿。每条鱼喜欢做什么就做什么，喜欢听什么故事就听什么故事。但是谁也不想这个问题。

太阳光射进水里来，在它们的周围照着。一切都照得非常清楚，这简直是充满了最奇异的生物的世界。有的生物大得可怕，嘴巴很宽，一口就能把这1800个兄弟姊妹吞下去。不过它们也没有想这个问题，因为它们没有谁被吞过。

小鱼都在一块儿游，挨得很紧，像鲱鱼和鲭鱼那样。不过当它们正在水里游来游去、什么事情也不想的时候，忽然有一条又长又粗的东西，从上面坠到它们中间来了。它发出可怕的响声，而且一直不停地往下坠。这东西越伸越长；小鱼一碰到它就会被打得粉碎或受重伤，再也复元不了。所有的小鱼儿——大的也不例外——从海面一直到海底，都在惊恐地逃命。这个粗大的重家伙越沉越深，越变越长，变成许多里路长，穿过大海。

鱼和蜗牛——一切能够游、能够爬、或者随着水流动的生物——都注意到了这个可怕的东西，这条来历不明的、忽然从上面落下来的、庞大的海鳝。

这究竟是一个什么东西呢？是的，我们知道！它就是无数里长的粗大的电缆。人类正在把它安放在欧洲和美洲之间。

凡是电缆落到的地方，海里的合法居民就感到惊惶，引起一阵骚动。飞鱼冲出海面，使劲地向高空飞去。鲂在水面上飞过枪弹所能达到的整个射程，因为它有这套本领。别的鱼则往海底钻；它们逃得飞快，电缆还没有出现，它们就已经跑得老远了。鳕鱼和比目鱼在海的深处自由自在地游泳，吃它们的同类，但是现在也被别的鱼吓慌了。

有一对海参吓得那么厉害，它们连肠子都吐出来了。不过它们仍然能活下去，因为它们有这套本领。有许多龙虾和螃蟹从自己的甲壳里冲出来，把腿都扔在后面。

在这种惊慌失措的混乱中，那1800个兄弟姊妹就被打散了。它们再也聚集不到一起，彼此也没有办法认识。它们只有一打留在原来的地方。当它们静待了个把钟头以后，总算从开头的一阵惊恐中恢复过来，开始感到有些奇怪。它们向周围看，向上面看，也向下面看。它们相信在海的深处看见了那个可怕的东西——那个把它们吓住，同时也把大大小小的鱼儿都吓住的东西。凭它们的肉眼所能看见的，这东西是躺在海底，伸得很远，相当细，但是它们不知道它能变得多粗，或者变得多结实。它静静地躺着，不过它们认为它可能是在捣鬼。

“让它在那儿躺着吧！这跟我们没有什么关系！”小鱼中一条最谨慎的鱼说，不过最小的那条鱼仍然想知道，这究竟是一个什么东西。它是从上面沉下来的，人们一定可以从上面得到可靠的消息，因此它们都浮到海面上去。天气非常晴朗。

它们在海面上遇见一只海豚。这是一个耍武艺的家伙，一个海上的流浪汉：它能在海面上翻筋斗。它有眼睛看东西，因此一定看到和知道一切情况。它们向它请教，不过它老是想着自己和自己翻的筋斗。它什么也没有看到，因此也回答不出什么来。它只是一言不发，做出一副很骄傲的样子。

它们只好请教一只海豹。海豹当时在潜水。虽然它吃掉小鱼，它还是比较有礼貌的，不过它今天吃得很饱。它比海豚知道得稍微多一点。

“有好几夜我躺在潮湿的石头上，朝许多里路以外的陆地望。那儿有许多呆笨的生物——在他们的语言中叫做‘人’。他们总想捉住我们，不过我们经常逃脱了。我知道怎样逃，你们刚才问起的海鳝也知道。海鳝一直是被他们控制着的，因为它无疑从远古起就一直躺在陆地上。他们把它从陆地运到船上，然后又把它从海上运到另一个遥远的陆地上去。我看见他们碰到多少麻烦，但是他们却有办法应付，因为它在陆地上是很听话的。他们把它卷成一团。我听到它被放下水的时候发出的哗啦哗啦的声音。不过它从他们手中逃脱了，逃到这儿来了。他们使尽气力来捉住它，许多手来抓住它，但是它仍然溜走了，跑到海底上来。我想它现在还躺在海底上吧！”

“它倒是很细呢！”小鱼说。

“他们把它饿坏了呀！”海豹说。“不过它马上就可以复元，恢复它原来粗壮的身体。我想它就是人类常常谈起而又害怕的那种大海蟒吧。我以前从来没有看见过它，也从来不相信它。现在我可相信了：它就是那家伙！”于是海豹就钻进水里去了。

“它知道的事情真多，它真能讲！”小鱼说。“我从来没有这样聪明过！——只要这不是说谎！”

“我们可以游下去调查一下！”最小的那条鱼说。“我们沿路还可以向别人打听打听！”

“我什么都不想知道了，我连鳍都不愿意动一下，”别的鱼儿说，掉转身就走。

“不过我要去！”最小的鱼儿说。于是它便钻到深水里去了。但是这离开“沉下的那个长东西”躺着的地方还很远。小鱼在海底朝各方面探望和寻找。

它从来没有注意到，它所住的世界是这样庞大。鲱鱼结成大队在游动，亮得像银色的大船。鲭鱼在后面跟着，样子更是富丽堂皇。各种形状的鱼和各种颜色的鱼都来了。水母像半透明的花朵，随着水流飘来飘去。海底上长着巨大的植物，一人多高的草和类似棕榈的树，它们的每一片叶子上都附有亮晶晶的贝壳。

最后小鱼发现下面有一条长长的黑条，于是它向它游去。但是这既不是鱼，也不是电缆，而是一艘沉下的大船的栏杆。因为海水的压力，这艘船的上下两层裂成了两半。小鱼游进船舱里去。当船下沉的时候，船舱里有许多人都死了，而且被水冲走了。现在只剩下两个人：一个年轻的女人直直地躺着，怀里抱着一个小孩。水把她们托起来，好像在摇着她们似的。她们好像是在睡觉。小鱼非常害怕；它一点也不知道，她们是再也醒不过来的。海藻像藤蔓似的悬在栏杆上，悬在母亲和孩子的美丽的尸体上。这儿是那么沉静和寂寞。小鱼拼命地游——游到水比较清亮和别的鱼游泳的地方去。它没有游远就碰见一条大得可怕的年轻的鲸鱼。

“请不要把我吞下去，”小鱼说。“我连味儿都没有，因为我是这样小，但是我觉得活着是多么愉快啊！”

“你跑到这么深的地方来干什么？为什么你的族人没有来呢？”鲸鱼问。

于是小鱼就谈起了那条奇异的长鳝鱼来——不管它叫什么名字吧。这东西从上面沉下来，甚至把海里最大胆的居民都吓慌了。

“乖乖！”鲸鱼说。它喝了一大口水，当它跑到水面上来呼吸的时候，不得不吐出一根庞大的水柱。“乖乖！”它说，“当我翻身的时候，把我的背擦得怪痒的那家伙原来就是它！我还以为那是一艘船的桅杆，可以拿来当作搔痒的棒子呢！但是它并不在这附近。不，这东西躺在很远的地方。我现在没有别的事情可干，我倒要去找找它！”

于是它在前面游，小鱼跟在后面——并不太近，因为有一股激流卷过来，大鲸鱼很快地就先冲过去了。

它们遇见了一条鲨鱼和一条老锯鳐。这两条鱼也听到关于这条又长又瘦的奇怪的海鳝的故事。它们没有看见过它，但是想去看看。

这时有一条鲶鱼游过来了。

“我也跟你们一道去吧，”它说。它也是朝这个方向游来。“如果这条大海蟒并不比锚索粗多少，那么我一口就要把它咬断。”于是它把嘴张开，露出六排牙齿。“我可以在船锚上咬出一个印迹来，当然也可以把那东西的身子咬断！”

“它在那儿呢！”大鲸鱼说，“我看见了！”

它以为自己看事情要比别人清楚得多。“请看它怎样浮起来，怎样摆动、拐弯和打卷吧！”

可是它却看错了。朝它们游过来的是一条庞大的海鳗，有好几码长。

“这家伙我从前曾经看见过！”锯鳐说。“它在海里从来不闹事，也从来不吓唬任何大鱼的。”

因此它们就和它谈起那条新来的海鳝，同时问它愿意不愿意一同去找它。

“难道那条鳝鱼比我还要长吗？”海鳗问。“这可要出乱子了！”

“那是肯定的！”其余的鱼说。“我们的数目不少，倒是不怕它的。”于是它们就赶忙向前游。

正在这时候，有一件东西挡住了它们的去路——一个比它们全体加到一起还要庞大的怪物。

这东西像一座浮着的海岛，而又浮不起来。

这是一条很老的鲸鱼。它的头上长满了海藻，背上堆满了爬行动物，一大堆牡蛎和贻贝，弄得它的黑皮上布满了白点。

“老头子，跟我们一块来吧！”它们说。“这儿现在来了一条新鱼，我们可不能容忍它。”

“我情愿躺在我原来的地方，”老鲸鱼说。“让我休息吧！让我躺着吧！啊，是的，是的，是的。我正害着一场大病！我只有浮到海面上，把背露出水面，才会觉得舒服一点！这时庞大的海鸟就飞过来啄我。只要它们不啄得太深，这倒是蛮舒服的。它们有时一直啄到我的肥肉里去。你们瞧吧！有一只鸟的全部骨架还卡在我的背上呢。它把爪子抓得太深，当我潜到海底的时候，它还取不出来。于是小鱼又来啄它。请看看它的样子，再看看我的样子！我病了！”

“这全是想象！”那条年轻的鲸鱼说，“我从来就不生病。没有鱼会生病的！”

“请原谅我，”老鲸鱼说，“鳝鱼有皮肤病，鲤鱼会出天花，而我们大家都有寄生虫！”

“胡说！”鲨鱼说。它不愿意再拖延下去，别的鱼也一样，因为它们有别的事情要考虑。

最后它们来到电缆躺着的那块地方。它横躺在海底，从欧洲一直伸到美洲，越过沙丘、泥地、石底、茫茫一片的海中植物和整个珊瑚林。这儿激流在不停地变动，漩涡在打转，鱼在成群结队地游——它们比我们看到的无数成群地飞过的候鸟还要多。这儿有骚动声、溅水声、哗啦声和嗡嗡声——当我们把大个的空贝壳放在耳边的时候，我们还可以微微地听到这种嗡嗡声。现在它们就来到了这块地方。

“那家伙就躺在这儿！”大鱼说。小鱼也随声附和着。它们看见了电缆，而这电缆的头和尾所在的地方都超出了它们的视线。

海绵、水螅和珊蝴虫在海底飘荡，有的垂挂着，不时沉下来，垂落下来盖在它上面，因此它一忽儿显露，一忽儿隐没。海瞻、蜗牛和蠕虫在它上面爬来爬去。庞大的蜘蛛，背上背着整群的爬虫，在电缆上迈着步子。深蓝色的海参——不管这种爬虫叫什么，它是用整个的身体来吃东西的——躺在那儿，似乎在嗅海底的这个新的动物。比目鱼和鳕鱼在水里游来游去，静听各方面的响声。海盘车喜欢钻进泥巴里去，只是把长着眼睛的两根长脚伸出来。它静静地躺着，看这番骚动究竟会产生一个什么结果。

电缆静静地躺着，但是生命和思想却在它的身体里活动。人类的思想在它身体内通过。

“这家伙很狡猾！”鲸鱼说。“它能打中我的肚皮，而我的肚皮是最容易受伤的地方！”

“让我们摸索前进吧！”水螅说。“我有细长的手臂，我有灵巧的手指。我摸过它。我现在要把它抓紧一点试试看。”

它把灵巧的长臂伸到电缆底下，然后绕在它上面。

“它并没有鳞！”水螅说，“也没有皮！[我相信它永远也养不出有生命的孩子！]”

海鳗在电缆旁躺下来，尽量把自己伸长。

“这家伙比我还要长！”它说。“不过长并不是了不起的事情，一个人应该有皮、肚子和灵活性才行。”

鲸鱼——这条年轻和强壮的鲸鱼——向下沉，沉得比平时要深得多。

“请问你是鱼呢，还是植物？”它问。“也许你是从上面落下来的一件东西，在我们中间生活不下去吧？”

但是电缆却什么也不回答——这不是它的事儿。它里面有思想在通过——人类的思想。这些思想，在一秒钟以内，从这个国家传到那个国家，要跑几千里。

“你愿意回答呢，还是愿意被咬断？”凶猛的鲨鱼问。别的大鱼也都随声附和。“你愿意回答呢，还是愿意被咬断？”

电缆一点也不理会，它有它自己的思想。[它在思想，这是最自然不过的事情，因为]它全身充满了思想。

“让它们把我咬断吧。人们会把我捞起来，又把我联结好。我有许多族人在较小的水道曾经碰到过这类事情。”

因此它就不回答；它有别的事情要做。它在传送电报；它躺在海底完全是合法的。

这时候，像人类所说的一样，太阳落下去了。天空看上去像红彤彤的火焰，天上的云块发出火一般的光彩——一块比一块好看。

“现在我们可以有红色的亮光了！”水螅说。“我们可以更清楚地瞧瞧这家伙——假如这是必要的话。”

“瞧瞧吧！瞧瞧吧！”鲶鱼说，同时露出所有的牙齿。

“瞧瞧吧！瞧瞧吧！”旗鱼、鲸鱼和海鳗一起说。

它们一齐向前冲。鲶鱼跑在前面。不过当它们正要去咬电缆的时候，锯鳐把它的锯猛力刺进鳝鱼的背。这是一个严重的错误：鲶鱼再也没有力量来咬了。

泥巴里现在是一团混乱。大鱼和小鱼，海参和蜗牛都在横冲直撞，互相乱咬乱打，乱挤乱压。电缆在静静地躺着，做它应该做的事情。

海上是一片黑夜，但是成千上万的海中生物发出光来。不够针头大的螃蟹也在发着光。这真是奇妙得很，不过事实是如此。

海里的动物望着这根电缆。

“这家伙是一件东西呢，还是不是一件东西呢？”

是的，问题就在这儿。

这时有一头老海象来了。人类把这种东西叫海姑娘或海人。这是一头母海象，有一个尾巴、两只划水用的短臂和一个下垂的胸脯。她的头上有许多海藻和爬行动物，而她因这些东西而感到非常骄傲。

“你们想不想知道和了解呢？”她说。“我是唯一可以告诉你们的人。不过我要求一件事情：我要求我和我的族人有在海底自由吃草的权利。我像你们一样，也是鱼，但在动作方面我又是一个爬行动物。我是海里最聪明的生物。我知道生活在海里的一切东西，也知道生活在海上的一切东西。那个让你们大伤脑筋的东西是从上面下来的，凡是从上面放下来的东西都是死的，或者变成死的，没有任何力量。让它躺在那儿吧。它不过是人类的一种发明罢了！”

“我相信它还不止是如此！”小鱼说。

“小鲭鱼，住口！”大海象说。

“刺鱼！”别的鱼儿说；此外还有更加无礼的话。

海象解释给它们听，说这个一言不发的、吓人的家伙不过是陆地上的一种发明罢了。她还作了一番短短的演讲，说明人类是如何讨厌。

“他们想捉住我们，”她说。“这就是他们生活的唯一目的。他们撒下网来，在钩子上安着饵来捉我们。那儿躺着的家伙是一条大绳子。他们以为我们会咬它，他们真傻！我们可不会这样傻！不要动这废物吧，它自己会消散，变成灰尘和泥巴的。上面放下来的东西都是有毛病和破绽的——一文不值！”

“一文不值！”所有的鱼儿都说。它们为了要表示意见，所以就全都赞同海象的意见。

小鱼却有自己的看法：“这条又长又瘦的海蟒可能是海里最奇异的鱼。我有这种感觉。”

“最奇异的！”我们人类也这样说，而且有把握和理由这样说。

这条巨大的海蟒，好久以前就曾在歌曲和故事中被谈到过的。它是从人类的智慧中孕育和产生出来的，它躺在海底，从东方的国家伸展到西方的国家去。它传递消息，像光从太阳传到我们地球上一样快。它在发展，它的威力和范围在发展，一年一年地在发展。它穿过大海，环绕着地球；它深入波涛汹涌的水，也深入一平如镜的水——在这水上，船长像在透明的空气中航行一样，可以朝下看，望见像五颜六色的焰火似的鱼群。

这蟒蛇——一条带来幸运的中层界的蟒蛇——向极远的地方伸展，它环绕着地球一周，可以咬到自己的尾巴。鱼和爬虫硬着头皮向它冲来，它们完全不懂得上面放下来的东西：人类的思想，用种种不同的语言，无声无息地，为了好的或坏的目的，在这条知识的蛇里流动着。它是海里奇物中一件最奇异的东西——我们时代的海蟒。

这篇故事最初发表在1871年12月 17日哥本哈根出版的《新闻画报》上。安徒生在他的手记中说：《海蟒》完成于1871年10月1日，情节是由横贯大西洋的海底电缆的下水而诱发的。在1871年10月1 日安徒生写给他的美国出版家斯古德说：“我专门为我的美国读者写了这篇新的故事《海蟒》，现在随信寄出。你接到这篇作品后，我希望你尽快把它在月刊上发表，不要分开。它必须在同一期上一次载完。它将是最先在美国发表，或者最低限度与在丹麦同时发表，因为我已经通知了《新闻画报》，在12月以前它不能刊出。”事实上这篇故事未能即时到达《斯克利布纳尔月刊》，只有在1872年新年号上才刊出，与在丹麦几乎是同时发表。

海底电缆，在安徒生看来，标志着人类文明向前迈进了一大步，惊动了整个世界（故事中以引起海底全体水族的震动为象征）：“人类的思想，用种种不同的语言，无声无息地，为了好的或坏的目的，在这条知识的蛇里流动着。它是海里奇物中（也是我们人类中）一件最奇异的东西——我们时代的海蟒。”安徒生如果活到现在，看到卫星传播语言和形象化的信息，不知会更作如何夸张的歌颂。他永远是一个“现代”和“进步”的讴歌者。