that there were no mermaids: Fancy firmly
believed in them, and was sure she would see one some day. The other
children called the seals mermaids; and were contented with the queer,
shiny creatures who played in the water, lay on the rocks, and peeped at
them with soft, bright eyes as they sailed by. Fancy was not satisfied
with seals,--they were not pretty and graceful enough for her,--and she
waited and watched for a real mermaid. On this day she took a breezy run
with the beach-birds along the shore; she planted a pretty red weed in
her garden; and let out the water-beetles and snails who had passed the
night in her palace. Then she went to a rock that stood near the quiet
nook where she played alone, and sat there looking for a mermaid as the
tide came in; for it brought her many curious things, and it might
perhaps bring a mermaid.

As she looked across the waves that came tumbling one over the other,
she saw something that was neither boat nor buoy nor seal. It was a
queer-looking thing, with a wild head, a long waving tail, and something
like arms that seemed to paddle it along. The waves tumbled it about, so
Fancy could not see very well: but, the longer she looked, the surer she
was that this curious thing was a mermaid; and she waited eagerly for it
to reach the shore. Nearer and nearer it came, till a great wave threw
it upon the sand; and Fancy saw that it was only a long piece of kelp,
torn up by the roots. She was very much disappointed; but, all of a
sudden, her face cleared up, she clapped her hands, and began to dance
round the kelp, saying:

"I'll make a mermaid myself, since none will come to me."

Away she ran, higher up the beach, and, after thinking a minute, began
her work. Choosing a smooth, hard place, she drew with a stick the
outline of her mermaid; then she made the hair of the brown marsh-grass
growing near by, arranging it in long locks on either side the face,
which was made of her prettiest pink and white shells,--for she pulled
down her palace to get them. The eyes were two gray pebbles; the neck
and arms of larger, white shells; and the dress of sea-weed,--red,
green, purple, and yellow; very splendid, for Fancy emptied her garden
to dress her mermaid.

"People say that mermaids always have tails; and I might make one out of
this great leaf of kelp. But it isn't pretty, and I don't like it; for I
want mine to be beautiful: so I won't have any tail," said Fancy, and
put two slender