THE SONG THE COCKLE-SHELL SINGS
One day Anna Lucy held a cockle-shell to her ear. She listened and then began to smile.
“Do you hear anything?” asked her little brother Frank.
“Yes,” answered Anna Lucy, “you may hear it too.” She held the shell to Frank’s ear. Frank listened, then he began to smile. “What is it?” he whispered.
“It is the song of the sea,” said Anna Lucy; “the shell sings it in her heart.”
THE WATER-SNAIL’S RIDE
A little water-snail with his house on his back floated on the top of the water. Suddenly he must have thought of something downstairs that he needed, for he drew himself into his house. Down it went to the bottom of the water. The water-snail stuck out his horns and head, and ate up a tiny bit of seaweed. So I suppose that is what he needed. In he drew himself again, and up went his house just as if it were an elevator.
“You must find that house very convenient,” said I to him. But he said nothing to me; he only floated on the top of the water.