Finally, the first of the mermaid princesses reached proper age. N’Shal’s grandmother prepared her for the occasion by decorating her tail with six scallop shells and adorning her hair with more than a dozen smaller shells: cowries, periwinkles, and wentletraps. She also wore a necklace of even smaller seashells.
Her whole family and many other mermen and mermaids waved farewell as she swam from the palace and rose toward the surface.
When N’Shal reached the surface of the sea, she stopped and looked around. Along the horizon, she was surrounded by darkness. Above her, the sky looked like a dark bowl garnished with pinpoints of light.
When N’Shal reached the surface of the sea, she stopped and looked around. Along the horizon, she was surrounded by darkness. Above her, the sky looked like a dark bowl garnished with pinpoints of light.
She had never seen stars before, and she marveled at how they merrily twinkled. In one direction, a cool ball of light hung dreamily over the horizon; it was the full moon, and N’Shal had never seen the moon before.
Presently, she noticed what appeared to be a ribbon of stars stretched along a small area along the horizon. She knew from her grandmother’s stories that this must be a city—one of those places where humans lived.
Presently, she noticed what appeared to be a ribbon of stars stretched along a small area along the horizon. She knew from her grandmother’s stories that this must be a city—one of those places where humans lived.
Eagerly, she swam for more than an hour and came to rest on a sand bar in a bay. She sat on the sand bar and watched the boats sail to and from the harbor. She listened to the gentle murmur of the ocean waves lapping on the shore. Listening very carefully, N’Shal could hear the sound of horse-drawn carriages as they moved along cobblestone streets.
She could hear the “clop, clop, clop” of the horses’ hooves and the rattling, grinding sound of the carriage wheels bouncing across the cobblestones.
Twice as she sat there watching and listening, she heard the tolling of a brass bell. The first time, it tolled eight times. The second time, it tolled nine times.
Afterward, the sounds of the city gradually grew quieter until not a sound was heard—that is, not a sound except the murmur of the ocean waves lapping against the shore.
Afterward, the sounds of the city gradually grew quieter until not a sound was heard—that is, not a sound except the murmur of the ocean waves lapping against the shore.
N’Shal turned and swam out to sea, toward Marbella. She was filled with excitement and could hardly wait to tell her sisters what she had seen.
No comments:
Post a Comment