To and fro over the fens go the lepers, and they are cruel to each other. The beggars go up and down on the highways, and their wallets are empty. Through the streets of the cities walks Famine, and the Plague sits at their gates. Come, let us go forth and mend these things, and make them not to be. Wherefore should'st thou tarry here calling to thy love, seeing she comes not to thy call? And what is love, that thou should'st set this high store upon it?'
But the young Fisherman answered it nought (но молодой Рыбак ничего ей не ответил), so great was the power of his love (так велика была сила его любви). And every morning he called to the Mermaid (и каждое утро он звал Русалочку), and every noon he called to her again (и каждый полдень он снова звал ее), and at night-time he spake her name (и ночью он произносил ее имя). Yet never did she rise out of the sea to meet him (и все же она ни разу не поднялась из моря ему навстречу), nor in any place of the sea could he find her (и ни в каком месте в море он не мог найти ее), though he sought for her in the rivers of the sea (хотя он и искал ее в морских реках/потоках;
power ['paVq] sought [sO:t] valley ['vxlI]
But the young Fisherman answered it nought, so great was the power of his love. And every morning he called to the Mermaid, and every noon he called to her again, and at night-time he spake her name. Yet never did she rise out of the sea to meet him, nor in any place of the sea could he find her, though he sought for her in the rivers of the sea, and in the valleys that are under the waves, in the sea that the night makes purple, and in the sea that the dawn leaves grey.
And after the second year was over (после того, как закончился второй год), the Soul said to the young Fisherman at night-time (как-то ночью Душа сказала молодому Рыбаку), and as he sat in the wattled house alone (когда он в одиночестве сидел в /своем/ плетеном доме;
`Surely thou mayest enter (конечно же, ты можешь войти),' said the young Fisherman, `for in the days (потому как в те дни) when with no heart thou didst go through the world (когда без сердца ты ходила по миру) thou must have much suffered (ты, должно быть, много страдала).'
pray [preI] even ['i:v(q)n] before [bI'fO:]