THE PURPLE FISH.
Shall I tell you what happened to Elsie one day? She was sitting on the beach in her green cart, which had lost both wheels, so that it was not of much use as a cart, though very nice to sit in. And presently, a purple fish, with a yellow tail, came and looked at her. And he said,—
“Little maiden fair to see,
Will you take a trip with me?”
Elsie smiled and answered,—
“Yes, I will, without a doubt,
If you will not tip me out.”
Then the purple fish took the string of the cart in his mouth and swam away. The cart bobbed up and down on the waves, and behaved quite like a boat, and Elsie clapped her hands, and laughed and sang. The fish swam on and on, till at length he came to a little island, all covered with purple hyacinths and yellow violets. Here he stopped and bade Elsie get out, saying,—
“Now, if you will marry me,
Here we’ll live and happy be.”