THE STAR JEWELS

THE STAR JEWELS

Once upon a time there was a little mermaid who lived down at the bottom of the sea in a cave of pink coral. Her cheeks were as pink as the coral itself; her teeth were like a row of the pearls which hung around her neck; and her hair—which was very long and wavy—was as green as the greenest seaweed you ever saw. And though green hair sounds strange to us, it was accounted a mermaid’s greatest beauty. Her name was Wavilocks. Also she had instead of two rosy feet a funny little scaly tail with which she steered herself through the water. She was a famous swimmer.

Wavilocks was a pretty little mermaid, and old Triton, her father, doted upon her and spoiled her, as foolish papas sometimes do. He gave his little daughter everything that she wanted,—everything in the wide ocean which a sea-child could wish. She had her own little coral playroom, with its toys of shell and sponge; and her pets among the fishes and curious ocean creatures. She had a living flower-garden of beautiful sea anemones, pink and purple, yellow and red. She had a little chariot all her own, in which to ride about the sea, like the grown-up ocean folk. It was of pinky, pearl-lined shell, most beautiful, and it was drawn by a span of sea-horses, the sweetest little fellows in the whole kingdom of Neptune.

She had also the prettiest things for her toilet,—golden combs, with which to comb her long green hair, mirrors of polished pearl, and fans of coral, scarves of silky seaweed, and ornaments of shell. But the thing of which she was most proud was the beautiful necklace of pearls which her father had given her. All the mermaids wore lovely necklaces, but Wavilocks had the most beautiful of any. Old Triton, who knew every cave and corner of the sea, had scoured and scraped the ocean treasuries to find the finest pearls for his little daughter. She wore always about her neck a long rope of them, wound around and around, such as the Sea Queen herself could not match. Some of the pearls were as big as kernels of corn; some were as big as grapes; and a few were like hen’s eggs, as large and smooth, and twice as white as the whitest. Nobody ever saw such pearls as Wavilocks wore about her neck every day of her life. The sea-mothers found fault with doting old Triton, and said he had no business to let a little mermaid wear such gorgeous jewels. But when he told Wavilocks of this, she chuckled and said that they were jealous because they had no such jewels themselves. She may have been partly right about this, but they were right too in what they said.

Now you would think that Wavilocks must have been contented and happy in her lovely home, where she had everything that a little mermaid could wish. And she was happy so long as she could have her own way. But there came a time when she could not have her own way, and then she grew sulky and discontented. For days and days she moped in her coral playroom, and nothing that poor old Triton could do made her smile.

What do you suppose she wanted? She had happened to sit up one night later than a little young mermaid should, and she had seen the diamond stars twinkling in the sky. She wanted them for a necklace! She declared that she must have them for a necklace. She was tired of her beautiful rope of pearls, and vowed that she would not wear it any more unless she could have the starry one to wear with it. This made poor Triton very unhappy, for he had taken great pride in his beautiful gift to his little daughter, but now she cared nothing at all for it, and demanded something which he could not give her.

The naughty little mermaid teased and wept and refused to be good. “I shall cry always, always, until I have those lovely stars. Boo-hoo!” she sobbed. Her father was at his wit’s end. He worried and worried because it would be dreadful to have Wavilocks always crying for something which he could not give her. He worried until his green hair began to turn white, and his poor old eyes looked as wild as those of a cuttle-fish. Then he said to himself:

“I will go to King Neptune and see whether he can help me or no. Perhaps he will tell me how I can get the stars from the sky for Wavilocks, for I am sure I do not know.”

That very night Triton went to the King’s beautiful palace in the deepest, greenest part of the sea, and told him how his little daughter needed a starry necklace which he could not get for her. And he begged the Sea King to tell him what must be done. But Neptune looked very stern.

“Tell your child,” he said, pulling his sea-green beard, which waved to and fro in the water, “tell her that she is an ungrateful daughter, and that I forbid her to think any longer of the far-off jewels. Already she has the most beautiful necklace in the sea,—such a one as not even my Queen can match. A starry necklace is fit only for the Sky Queen to wear. No other may possess those wonderful jewels. There are fair enough gems in the sea for any mermaid’s use. If she cannot be content with them she shall be punished.”

Old Triton was alarmed at these words, for he could not bear to think of his dear daughter being punished. Very sadly he went home, and very sadly he told Wavilocks what the King had said.

“He does not wish me to have the starry necklace, because the Queen has none,” pouted the naughty little mermaid. “But I must have it, I will have it, or I shall cry always and always.”

Instead of spanking her, as he should have done, Triton only shook his head and said sadly,—

“I would gladly give it to you if I might, dear daughter. But the King has spoken. The stars are not for you; you must not even think of them again. Never go out when they are shining in the sky. Be a good girl, and to-morrow I will bring you a beautiful new coral belt, such as no mermaid ever before wore.”

But Wavilocks sulked and sniffed and declared that she did not want a coral belt, and she would not kiss her kind father good-night. He sighed and went away, poor merman, to his thinking-place in a rocky cavern.

Now there was one creature who had overheard the talk between Wavilocks and her father, and his little eyes gleamed wickedly at mention of the starry necklace. The Crab was the most evil of all the sea-creatures, and old Triton had forbidden Wavilocks ever to play with him or listen to his words. The sea-folk hated the Crab because of his mischievousness and because of his wicked history. He had not always been the sneaking nuisance of the sea. Once, long before, he had lived in the sky. He was a cousin of the great Sky Crab, the guardian of the star jewels, and once he too had helped to take care of them. But because he had tried to steal a few for his own use, the big Sky Crab had indignantly cast him out of heaven, down to the lowest depths of the sea. Oh, yes, the Crab knew all about the stars which Wavilocks so longed to own!

Wavilocks had never been told this story, but she knew that she must never have anything to do with the ugly, crawling fellow. And so, when she heard his harsh voice close beside her cradle, she ought not to have listened.

“Hist!” said the voice. “Hist!”

Wavilocks knew who it was, and she knew that sly whisper meant mischief. She herself was feeling very naughty.

“What is it, Crab?” she whispered.

“I have accidentally overheard what you were saying to Master Triton,” he hissed, “and I do not blame you at all. The King is wrong. You, fairest Mermaid, ought to wear the starry necklace,—it is your right. The jewels are said to be even more beautiful when closely seen. But they are hardly fair enough for you!”

So spoke the wicked old Crab with a flattering tongue. Wavilocks was pleased. “I should like to see them closely,” she said.

“One could climb up there, I think,” said the Crab slyly.

“Oh, how? Tell me how it can be done, dear Crab?” cried Wavilocks eagerly. The Crab winked one eye.

“There is a silver staircase that leads up to the moon. Sometimes one can see it, sometimes not. To-night it is very bright. The moon is a round silver doorway through which streams light, and beyond it is a beautiful land where my cousin, the Sky Crab, lives and has charge of the star jewels. I have always wanted to go up there and see him, but I do not care to go alone. If I could find some one to go with me—” The Crab stopped and sighed.

“Oh, how I should like to go with you, Crab!” exclaimed Wavilocks, sitting up on the edge of her cradle. “But my father and the King have forbidden me even to think of the starry jewels.”

“Nonsense!” whispered the Crab. “Come with me to-night, and for my sake my cousin will give you all the stars you wish.”

“Oh, I dare not go!” sighed Wavilocks. “The King will punish me for disobeying him.”

“Pooh!” snorted the Crab. “He would never know. Let us go this very night. I long to see my dear cousin. I can scarcely wait another minute!” (What a wicked story that was!)

Wavilocks slipped out of her cradle. “I can hardly wait another minute to have those star jewels!” she cried. “Yes, I will go. Come then, wise Crab, and show me the way.”

“I will take you upon my back,” said the Crab. “We shall travel faster so, since you have no feet for climbing.”

Wavilocks seated herself upon his broad shell, and away he crawled, the wicked fellow, very stealthily, so as not to be seen by the grown-up sea people, and especially by old Triton.

Up and up they went until they came to the surface of the sea, where the big silver moon was shining upon the water, glorious and bright.

“Look where the flight of silver stairs comes down to the sea,” said the Crab, pointing with his claw. “We will climb up there, Wavilocks, and pay a visit to my dear cousin. How glad he will be to see us!” And he chuckled wickedly to think how he was going to repay the Big Crab for having turned him out of the sky.

Out to the bright spot upon the water where the silver moonbeam staircase touched the sea crept the Crab, with Wavilocks upon his back. And no one saw them go. They reached the foot of the stairs and began to climb,—up and up, step by step, while the little mermaid’s green hair streamed out behind. Her long pearl necklace she used as a bridle, and so she drove her strange steed up the steep way, until they reached the silver gateway of the moon. The door was open, and from the wonderful sky-land beyond the light streamed out, so that Wavilocks was dazzled. But she was even more dazzled when they had passed through the gateway and came out upon the wide sky floor, where burned and flashed, with a thousand rainbow colors, the five-pointed star jewels which she had seen shining from afar.

“Oh, the beautiful diamond stars!” cried Wavilocks. “Let us make haste to find your cousin, the Big Crab, that he may give us some for my necklace.”

But the Crab winked his eye. “We need not wait for that,” he said. “My cousin loves me so well that I am sure of his generosity to you. Let us pick all we wish first, and then we will go to him. But hist! We must be very quiet about it, or the other sky-people will learn what is being done, and will be jealous.”

The two set eagerly to work, gathering up the jewels which lay sprinkled over the velvet sky-carpet like daisies in a meadow. The Crab gathered them star by star with his clumsy claw, as one would pick berries. Wavilocks scooped the five-pointed stars by handfuls, and poured them into the great conch shell which she had brought for the purpose, until it was brimming over with rainbow flashes.

“Oh, what a wonderful necklace I shall have,—grander than any one ever saw before!” cried the greedy little mermaid.

“Oh, how angry the old Crab will be when he sees how we have robbed his treasure!” chuckled her wicked companion to himself; and they went to work even faster than before.

Suddenly there was a loud noise behind them.

“Wooh! Hooh!” cried a terrible voice. “Robbers, wretched robbers, what are you doing with my jewels?”

Wavilocks screamed and the Sea Crab gave a snort of fear. There behind them was the Big Crab, sprawling his enormous ugly shape among the stars. His great claws were snapping viciously, and his goggle eyes were glaring at the pair, as he crawled nearer and nearer.

“It is the Crab!” gasped Wavilocks’ companion. “I am lost!” and away he scuttled as fast as his claws would take him, while the little mermaid clung to his back as well as she could, for he had quite forgotten her. Then began a dreadful race to the shining staircase. The great Sky Crab clattered after them, puffing and blowing out fire.

“Wicked Sea Crab,” he cried, “so it is you who again are seeking to rob me of the precious stars entrusted to my care. You have come up here from your nasty, moist den in the sea, to which I tossed you. Moreover, you have brought this strange sea-creature to help you steal the jewels. Ah! this time I will punish you both.”

They could feel the flaming breath of the Big Crab. It scorched, it sizzled, it melted the hard shell of the Sea Crab until it became soft and useless. It crisped the mermaid’s pretty green hair, which streamed out behind her in their rapid flight. Wavilocks screamed. Her awkward steed hissed with terror, dislodging many stars from their settings as he scrambled among them. At last they were almost safe at the head of the staircase, when Wavilocks felt the great claw of the Big Crab seize the necklace of pearls which hung about her neck. Snap! The string broke, and the pearls went flying helter-skelter over the sky, scattering themselves among the stars.

“My necklace, oh, my necklace!” wailed she, but they could not stop to gather up the lost pearls.

They had reached the stairs. The Crab plunged forward, and they tumbled and rolled and slid down from the sky to the sea, into which they fell with a great splash. Glad enough they were to cool their poor scorched bodies in the wetness. Down, down, they sank together to the bottom of the ocean, two very miserable creatures.

Now the Crab had shriveled and shrunk and become the tiniest, most pitiful little fellow you ever saw. Moreover he was now quite helpless and unprotected.

For his hard shell, which had served him as a shield against his enemies, was now melted and soft, and was no longer of any use to him. He was at the mercy of the whole sea, which was indignant at his new wickedness. Thenceforth he must slink and hide away wherever he could, an outcast thief. He became the Hermit Crab, whom to-day one finds borrowing the shells which other tiny creatures have abandoned, creeping away into dim corners, and always carrying his home upon his back, because he is afraid to venture his poor, unprotected body out of doors.

Neptune decreed that the wicked Crab needed no other punishment worse than this. As for Wavilocks, she also had been punished enough. The beautiful green hair which had been her pride was scorched into an ugly brown. Sobbing with shame, she cut it off—all its splendid length, and tossed it away into the sea. Sometimes you may find strands of it nowadays, washed ashore by the tide. Long, long afterward her green hair grew again; but for months and years she was laughed at and teased about her short mop of brown hair, so unfashionable in the sea-kingdom. A sad little mermaid she was in those days. For not only had she lost her wavy locks, but the lovely rope of pearls was gone forever, scattered among the jewels of the sky. You can see some of them to this day if you look hard among the flashing stars; bright jewels they are, but they do not twinkle like the others. The Big Crab now watches over them also with his other treasures, and it would have to be a sly thief indeed who could steal them back again. Wavilocks must go without any necklace, although the other mermaids wear theirs proudly. Yes, she has no necklace at all. For what do you think became of the stars which she went so far to steal and had so sad a time in gathering?

Wavilocks had clung closely to the conch shell which held her stolen treasure during all the terrible time of her fall down the silver staircase. And when she came to the bottom of the sea she still held it fast. But alas! When the poor little scorched mermaid came to look at the stars which she had hoped to wear about her neck, she found that they had sadly changed. The shell was full of something living, something squirming and cold. One by one she took out the five-pointed stars which had been so beautiful, and they had come alive; they were star-fish! The first star-fish that had ever been seen in the ocean.

How Wavilocks screamed when the moist, writhing feelers touched her hand! So this was the end of the lovely necklace which she had hoped to wear so proudly,—a conch shell full of ugly, wriggling sea-stars. She tossed them away as far as she could, and fled sobbing to her poor old father, who tried to comfort her, and forgot to punish her for disobeying him.

Poor little sea-stars! One cannot help pitying them, who used to be the beautiful jewels of the sky. One sees them sometimes lying in the pools, red and purple, blue, pink and yellow; beautiful colors indeed, such as jewels have, but no longer sparkling and clear, as once they were. They lie and stare up wistfully through the green water, up at the sky which was once their home, up at the other stars of which they were once the shining brothers.

And it was all the fault of the naughty little mermaid, who was not wise enough to know when she was happy.