"That won't mend my sleeve, King Crab. What right had you to tear it?"
"Oh, please take the pin out of my elbow," begged the tearful Crab King, so frightened that he couldn't tell whether it was his wrist or his elbow that Mary Louise was pricking. "I'll give you two pearls. Oh, please pull out your pin."
As soon as she had put away her breastpin, the Crab King started to dig in the sand and pretty soon he brought up two lovely pearls.
"But what am I to do with my torn sleeve?" asked Mary Louise, for she was still angry with that disagreeable old crab.
Without answering, the King of the Crabs crawled off into the tall sea grass and in a few minutes came back with a little package done up in sea weed, and after he had unwrapped it, what do you suppose Mary Louise saw? Why, a beautiful pale sea green coat made of sea silk. It was very beautiful and looked just like the shimmery green of the waves.
"Here is a coat of the great Crab King,
It's finer than silk or anything,
For none but a merman has ever worn
A coat so beautifully shimmery shorn,"
cried the King Crab, handing it to Mary Louise. Then he crawled away, for he wised to have the doctor see his wounded elbow, I imagine.
Candy City
Just then a little bird began to sing: