and when the young prince came out a myriad of rockets flew
high in the air, with a glitter like the brightest noontide, and the
little mermaid was so frightened that she dived deep down under the
water. She soon rose up again, however, and it seemed as if all the
stars of heaven were falling round her in golden showers. Never had
she seen such fireworks; great, glittering suns wheeled by her, fiery
fishes darted through the blue air, and all was reflected back from
the quiet sea. The ship was lighted up so that one could see the
smallest rope. How handsome the young prince looked! He shook hands
with everybody, and smiled, as the music rang out into the glorious
night. It grew late, but the little mermaid could not turn her eyes
away from the ship and the handsome prince."

Once more Letty's thought wandered from the page. She too would have
watched her handsome prince, no matter what the temptation to look
elsewhere.

"The colored lanterns were put out, no rocket rose in the air, no
cannon boomed from the portholes; but deep below there was a surging
and a murmuring. The mermaid sat still, cradled by the waves, so that
she could look in at the cabin window. But now the ship began to make
more way. One sail after another was unfurled; the waves rose higher;
clouds gathered in the sky; and there was a distant flash of
lightning. The storm came nearer. All the sails were taken in, and the
ship rocked giddily, as she flew over the foaming billows; the waves
rose mountain-high, as if they would swallow up the very masts, but
the good ship dived like a swan into the deep black trough, and rose
bravely to the foaming crest. The little mermaid thought it was a
merry journey, but the sailors were of a different opinion. The ship
strained and creaked; the timbers shivered as the thunder strokes of
the waves fell fast; heavy seas swept the decks; the mainmast snapped
like a reed; and the ship lurched heavily, while the water rushed into
the hold. Then the young princess began to understand the danger, and
she herself was often threatened by the falling masts, yards, and
spars. One moment it was so dark that she could see nothing, but when
the lightning flamed out the ship was as bright as day. She sought for
the young prince, and saw him sinking down through the water as the
ship parted. The sight pleased her, for she knew he must sink down to
her home. But suddenly she remembered that men cannot live in the
water, and that he