f pearls; but every one with the same
colourless face, and the same wild light in their eyes.

The mermaids led Civil up one of the marble hills to a great cavern with
halls and rooms like a palace. Their floors were of white marble, their
walls of red granite, and the roofs inlaid with coral. Thousands of
crystal lamps lit the palace. There were seats and tables hewn out of
shining spar, and a great company sat feasting. But what most amazed
Civil was the number of cups, flagons, and goblets, made of gold and
silver, of such different shapes and patterns that they seemed to have
been gathered from all the countries in the world. In the chief hall
there sat a merman on a stately chair, with more jewels than all the
rest about him.

Before him the mermaids brought Civil, saying: "Father, here is our
guest."

"Welcome, noble fisherman!" cried the merman, in a voice which Civil
remembered with terror, for it was that of the great ugly fish; "welcome
to our halls! Sit down and feast with us, and then choose which of my
daughters you will have for a bride."

Civil had never felt himself so greatly frightened in all his life. How
was he to get home to his mother? and what would the old dame think when
the dark night came without bringing him home? There was no use in
talking--Civil had wisdom enough to see that. He therefore tried to take
things quietly; and, having thanked the merman for so kindly inviting
him, he took the seat set apart for him on his right hand.

Civil was hungry with the long day at sea, but there was no want of fare
on that table; meats and wines, such as he had never tasted, were set
before him in the richest of golden dishes, but, hungry as he was, the
fisherman felt that everything there had the taste and smell of the
sea.

If the fisherman had been the lord of lands and castles he would not
have been treated with more respect. The two mermaids sat by him--one
filled his plate, another filled his goblet; but the third only looked
at him in a hidden, warning way when nobody saw her. Civil soon finished
his share of the feast, and then the merman showed him all the fine
things of his cavern.

The halls were full of company, some feasting, some dancing, and some
playing all kinds of games, and in every hall there was a large number
of gold and silver vessels. But Civil was most surprised when the merman
brought him to a marble room full of heaps of precious stones. There
were diamonds there whos