Just over the hedge was a little arbor covered with trailing sea-plants. As the merman spoke, two little white hands parted the broad crimson leaves of a dulse that hung over the door, then there swam out one of the loveliest mermaids in the whole sea. Her yellow hair shone like gold, and was full two yards long as it trailed on the water, for mermaids never wear their hair any other way. Her complexion was like the inside of a pink-and-white shell, and her eyes were like two clear, still pools of water, they were so pure and deep. As for the mer part of her, the dolphin’s tail, I declare it was only an additional beauty, she managed it so gracefully. I can’t begin to tell you how beautiful she was. She was a very intimate friend of the merman’s sister, and he had known her all his life—ever since they used to chase the fishes round the garden and in and out of the rocks, and make baby-houses together.
“Where are you going?” said the mermaid to the merman.
“Only North a little for my vacation trip.”
“Without saying good-bye?” said the mermaid, smiling as though she did not care a bit.
“I didn’t know you’d come home till I heard you singing, I sha’n’t be gone long; what shall I bring you?”
“A tame seal to play with, if you can remember it.”
“Tie a string round my finger,” said the merman.
“You can wear this,” she said, holding up a seal ring of red carnelian. “I found it in the garden; I suppose it belonged to some human being.”
It was a large seal ring, having two interlaced triangles cut in the stone.
“That’s a spell,” said the merman; “it will keep away evil spirits.”