17. Prince Arturo is Praised by His Subjects

     Momo wanted to learn all about Prince Arturo. Not satisfied with peeking through the windows of his castle and watching him as he stood on his balcony, she eavesdropped on people who worked by the sea and along the banks of rivers and creeks.

     She listened to women washing clothes, oyster farmers going about their work, and fishermen at sea—anyone she could overhear without being seen.

    Not surprisingly, most of the conversations she heard were just mindless chatter, uninteresting even to the people for whom they were intended. Once in awhile, though, people’s conversations included talk of the royal family.

     Often, conversation is understood only within the context of the culture in which the conversation is heard. The definition of a word isn’t necessarily the intended meaning of the word. Momo knew that, and she tried to account for it in listening to what the people of Beauteous Kingdom were saying.

      If, for example, someone were described as a salon, Momo knew that he was a wise lawmaker, like the ancient Greek fellow named Salon. If he were described as a Kong-ming, Momo knew that he was considered a clever strategist.

Momo knew a lot of human names that were associated with certain traits; but, when people of Beauteous Kingdom spoke of the royal family, they made an unfamiliar comparison. Momo had never heard of a famous person named Dick Ed—or anyone by that name who wasn’t famous either.

    All along the banks of river and creeks, all along the coast, and on the seas, Momo heard people say of Prince Arturo, “He’s a Dick Ed like his father.” Prince Arturo’s subjects also described him as a twit. Momo had heard that the word twit was used to describe someone of noble birth and regal manner. Sometimes he was called by both terms in the same sentence.  Whoever Dick Ed was, Momo was sure that he must have been as kind and loving and wise as she imagined Prince Arturo to be.

     Momo reflected on the night she first saw Prince Arturo aboard his ship. It was love at first sight. Now Momo was thrilled that the young man she loved was also loved and admired by his subjects.

     Oh, how fortunate these humans must be, she thought. They can quickly sail across the sea in ships and ride across the land in carriages. And how much more fortunate the people of Beauteous Kingdom must be! They’re blessed by having a prince who is a Dick Ed and a twit.

     With each visit to the surface, an idea formed in Momo’s mind. Melusines can form legs like humans, and they can remain human if—and only if—they succeed in marrying a human. If it were possible for mermaids to do the same, Momo wanted to take the chance.  She would follow her heart.