"The tender-hearted sister began to cry; and the other jelly-fish, who were tender-hearted also, began to cry from sheer sympathy.
"'I will go to the fairy, and beg her to change them,' sobbed Elfie.
"'It will do no good,' sobbed the jelly-fish chorus, in reply; 'she is so cruel.'
"Tears made Small, the mackerel, nervous, as they would have done Small, the boy. He determined to find the trumpets, which could alone relieve them from the present trouble; and, accordingly, dived to the bottom, where, of course, he did not find them.
"At last the oysters took compassion upon his sorrow,—for he feared Perke might be taken at any moment by the fishermen,—and opened their shells, when out rolled the trumpets.
"Small did not recognize them: they were covered by a coating of mother-o'-pearl. When it was explained, he was overjoyed at his good fortune in recovering them at all. He also thanked the oysters warmly for their kindness.
"'We have not eaten any thing; we were afraid to open our mouths,' said the grandfather. 'Still a fast, now and then, does one no harm.'
"In less time than it takes to write the fact, Small had taken one trumpet in his mouth, and rejoined Perke, who eagerly seized it, in one claw, through the bars of his cage.
"'Wait five minutes for Elfie and I, then wish yourself out of the water,' advised the zealous little brother, hastening back for his sister's trumpet, which he presented in the same way.
"Simultaneously the children wished themselves out of the water. The desire was gratified certainly, for they were suspended between heaven and earth, held by some invisible chain, the links of which bound them firmly; yet they felt a terrible fear of being dashed headlong on the sharp-pointed rocks below. There they swayed about, the sun laughing at them, the winds tossing them on every breath, and the birds swooping in giddy circles over their heads.