In the garden grotto were her horses. These were the gentlest goldfish and turtles.
The ocean fairies loved Clytie and wove her dresses of softest green sea lace.
With all these treasures Clytie should have been happy, but she was not. She had once heard a mermaid sing of a glorious light which shone on the top of the water.
She could think of nothing else, but longed day and night to know more of the wonderful light.
No ocean fairy dared take her to it, and she was afraid to go alone.
One day she was taking her usual ride in her shell carriage. The water was warm and the turtles went so slowly that Clytie soon fell asleep. On and on they went, straight towards the light, until they came to an island.
As the waves dashed the carriage against the shore Clytie awoke. She climbed out of the shell and sat down upon a large rock. She had never seen the trees and flowers.
She had never heard the birds chirping or the forest winds sighing.
She had never known the perfume of the flowers or seen the dew on the grass.