The Little Mermaid / Litla Hafmeyjan

When it grew dark, a number of colored lamps were lighted

egar dimmt var var kveikt á nokkrum lituum lömpum

the sailors and royal family danced merrily on the deck

sjómennirnir og konungsfjölskyldan dönsuu kátir á dekkinu

The little mermaid could not help thinking of her birthday

Litla hafmeyjan gat ekki varist ví a hugsa um afmæli sitt

the day that she rose out of the sea for the first time

daginn sem hún reis upp úr sjónum í fyrsta sinn

similar joyful festivities were celebrated on that day

svipu gleihátí var haldin ann dag

she thought about the wonder and hope she felt that day

hún hugsai um undrunina og vonina sem hún fann ann dag

with those pleasant memories, she too joined in the dance

me essum skemmtilegu minningum tók hún líka átt í dansinum

on her paining feet, she poised herself in the air

á sársaukafullum fótum sínum stillti hún sér upp í lofti

the way a swallow poises itself when in pursued of prey

hvernig svala stillir sig upp egar hún er elt af brá

the sailors and the servants cheered her wonderingly

sjómennirnir og jónarnir fögnuu henni undrandi

She had never danced so gracefully before

Hún hafi aldrei dansa jafn tignarlega áur

Her tender feet felt as if cut with sharp knives

Aumir fætur hennar voru eins og skornir me beittum hnífum

but she cared little for the pain of her feet

en henni var líti um sársauka fótanna