THE LITTLE BOY from TOWN
by Rodolph Mrs. Stawell · from Fairies I Have Met
Adapted Version
Michael is a small boy. He lives in a big town. One summer, he goes to the sea. It is his first time. Michael sees the sand. He sees the big waves. He meets The Mermaid. She lives in a cave. They become good friends. Michael likes her very much.
The Mermaid tells magic stories. She tells stories of warm seas. She tells stories of ice seas. Michael loves her stories. His eyes are wide. He feels very happy. He does not want to go home. He wants to stay at the sea.
One day, Michael feels sad. He must go home soon. He asks The Mermaid for a present. "I want to think of the sea," he asks. "I want a white horse." He sees foam. It is on the waves. It looks like a horse. "Can you catch one for me?" he asks.
The Mermaid smiles. She dives into the water. She swims very fast. She chases a white horse. The white horse is foam. It plays in the waves. The Mermaid catches it. She rides the white horse. She laughs and rides to shore. Michael claps his hands.
Then a strange thing happens. The wind folk get tired. They go to sleep. The white horse goes away. It dives under the sea. It sleeps too. The Mermaid is alone. Michael feels very sad. His present is gone. "Oh dear," he says.
Michael is still sad. He wants a way to think of. "I go home next day," he says. "I have nothing to keep. I want to think of the sea. I want to think of you always." He looks at her. He hopes for a new idea.
The Mermaid smiles at Michael. "I have a special gift," she says. "I will sing you the Sea Song. It is a magic song. It is very lovely. You will always think of the sea. You will never forget it." He feels happy again.
Michael sits on a rock. He looks at the big sea. The Mermaid sings the Sea Song. Her voice is soft and clear. The song is like the sea's voice. It calls and calls. Michael listens well. The song goes into his heart. He will always hear it.
The next day, Michael goes home. He leaves the sea. He goes back to his big town. But he is not sad now. He has the Sea Song. It is in his heart. He hears it always. It is his happy secret. He thinks of The Mermaid.
Michael grows up. He becomes a sailor. He sails on the big sea. The Sea Song is always in his heart. He is very happy. The Sea Song helps him. He hears the sea call. He loves the sea always. He thinks of The Mermaid. He finds his way. He is now home.
Original Story
THE LITTLE BOY FROM TOWN
IF you spend all the year in a big town it is a fine thing to have a summer holiday near the sea. Otherwise you never have a chance of making friends with the sea-fairies or the mermaids, who are the most delightful playmates in the world. You may know all kinds of other fairies, and be quite intimate with them, but as long as you live nothing can ever make up to you for not knowing the sea-fairies.
Little Michael was eight years old, and he had never met a sea-fairy, for he lived in a great town. Then at last his father and mother and he went off for a whole month to the seaside. There were sands there, very hard and yellow and good to make castles with; and there were lonely caves with dripping walls; and there were heaps of slimy, green seaweed, and shells, and rocks for climbing on. Best of all, there were plenty of fairies. Michael made friends with all the fairies of the sea and shore; but his greatest and best friend was a Mermaid who lived in a cave.
The roof of the cave was wet and green, and its floor was pebbly, with here and there a rock. Every day Michael came and sat on one of the rocks and listened to the Mermaid's stories, and to the soft, lapping sound of the little waves. The Mermaid told him such stories as he had never heard before, for she had not always been in that cave, but had swum in deep seas and lived on many shores. She told Michael of places where the sea was warm and green, and the rocks were made of coral, and palm-trees shaded the mermaids when they played upon the sands. She told him too of bitter seas that were made of ice, so that no mermaid could swim in them; and of towering icebergs shining in the sun; and of white mist-fairies, who turned the hair of mermaids into a shower of icicles. Then she told him of sailors who had been her friends, and how some of them were sailing far away, and some of them were drowned, and how all of them were good playmates.
While Michael listened to these stories his eyes were very round and wide open, and often his mouth was open too. He had never enjoyed anything so much before, and he thought it would be dreadful when the day came for him to leave the dancing sea-fairies and the Mermaid's cave, and go back to the big town where he hardly ever saw any fairies at all. One day he said—
"Mermaid dear, I want something to take back to town with me; something to make me remember the sea-fairies and you, and to make me think of the sea for ever and ever."
"Tell me what you want," said the Mermaid, smiling; "and if I can get it for you, I will."
"Well," said Michael, "it's rather a big thing I was thinking of. Perhaps it's too big to ask for. But you see the Bay is full of white-horses to-day. Do you think you could possibly catch one for me? I think if I could take home a white-horse from the Bay, I should remember the sea for ever and ever."
The Mermaid slipped off her rock and dived into the deep water. A few moments afterwards Michael saw her far out in the Bay, with her hair floating in the wind, and her tail glittering under the waves. There were a great many wind-fairies playing about that morning, and that was the reason that the Bay was full of white-horses, for when the wind-fairies are playing on the sea they always ride white-horses.
Michael climbed a high rock and stood on the very top of it, and watched the Mermaid. It was grand to see her gliding through the water, chasing first one white-horse and then another, diving and darting and dodging, and enjoying herself all the time.
"Quick, quick!" cried Michael. "You nearly had him that time!"
But she was not quick enough, for the white-horse was far out of reach even as she threw out her white arms to catch his mane.
The chase lasted a long time, for though mermaids can swim better than most people, a white-horse on the sea is one of the hardest things to catch. At last, however, Michael clapped his hands and shouted—
"She's got him, she's got him! Hurrah—now I shall have a white-horse to take home with me, and to make me think of the sea for ever and ever!"
If it had been a fine sight to see the Mermaid chasing the white-horse across the Bay, it was far finer to see them come prancing back again. The Mermaid was not swimming this time, but riding on the back of the angry white-horse, who plunged and galloped across the Bay, tossing his long mane. And the Mermaid tossed her golden hair and laughed, because she was enjoying her ride. Michael laughed aloud too, because when the white mane and the golden hair streamed up together upon the wind they were very beautiful to see.
And now a very curious and unfortunate thing happened. The wind-fairies suddenly grew tired and went to sleep, every one of them. Now when the wind-fairies go to sleep, the white-horses always dive down below the sea and go to sleep too. Before the Mermaid had reached the shore she was swimming again, for her white-horse had suddenly disappeared and left her with nothing to ride. He had gone to sleep below the sea until the next time the wind-fairies wanted to play.
"Oh, Mermaid dear," cried Michael, "what have you done with my nice new horse?"
"I am very sorry to tell you," said the Mermaid, lying down on the sand to rest herself, "that he has gone below the sea to sleep. It is really most unfortunate, but when a white-horse wants to sleep you can't stop him."
"Oh dear, oh dear," said Michael piteously, for it was a great disappointment. "I did so much want to have a white-horse to make me think of the sea for ever and ever."
"Wouldn't anything else do instead?" asked the Mermaid, who was very kind.
Then Michael noticed that every time a little wave reached the shore it broke on the rocks in a shower of coloured jewels. He pointed to them.
"Bring me some of those, please, Mermaid dear," he said.
So the Mermaid took a large shell, shaped like a saucer, and waited on a rock till a little wave came in and sprinkled the rock with jewels. She held out her shell to catch the jewels, but as soon as they touched the shell they changed into water.
"Look," she said to Michael, "the jewels have melted."
"Oh dear," said Michael, "what am I to do? I am going back to town to-morrow, and I have nothing to remind me of the sea!"
"Do you really and truly wish to think of the sea for ever and ever?" asked the Mermaid.
"Of course I do," said Michael.
"Then I will sing you the Sea Song," said the Mermaid, "and after that there will be nothing that can make you forget the sea."
So while Michael sat on the rock and looked at the sea, the Mermaid sang him the Sea Song, which mermaids have sung to sailors ever since the first ship was built. It is a song that no one ever forgets. It is like the voice of the sea calling, calling; and there are many people who hear it always, even in their dreams. If they are people who have to live in towns, or in country places far from the sea, they are not very happy.
When the Mermaid had finished singing, she said—
"Now I have given you something that will make you think of the sea for ever and ever."
The next day Michael went back to town. He took with him the sound of the Sea Song; and for ever afterwards he heard the voice of the sea calling, calling, even in his dreams.
That was why he became a sailor when he was old enough.
The Gresham Press,
UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED,
WOKING AND LONDON.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:
In the html version of this ebook blank pages have been removed and full-page illustrations have been moved to the nearest paragraph break. Some page numbers are missing as a result.
Two printer errors have been corrected:
1. On page 26 a missing hyphen was added in the phrase: "Sweet-of-the-Mountain."
2. On page 48 a missing hyphen was added in the phrase: "Then all the sunbeam-fairies shouted...."
In all other cases, the author's original spelling and punctuation have been left intact.
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Story DNA
Moral
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Plot Summary
Little Michael, an eight-year-old town boy, spends a summer holiday by the sea and befriends a wise Mermaid. Fearing he will forget the sea, Michael asks for a 'white-horse' (sea foam) to take home, but it disappears. After a second attempt to capture a sea memory also fails, the Mermaid sings him the ancient 'Sea Song,' an unforgettable melody that imprints the sea's call on his heart. Michael returns to town, but the song stays with him, ultimately leading him to become a sailor when he grows up, forever connected to the sea.
Themes
Emotional Arc
innocence to wisdom
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Reflects a common theme in early 20th-century children's literature of personifying nature and exploring the wonder of the natural world through a child's eyes.
Plot Beats (11)
- Michael, a town boy, goes to the seaside for the first time and befriends a Mermaid.
- The Mermaid tells Michael wonderful stories of the sea, making him dread returning to town.
- Michael asks the Mermaid for something to remember the sea by, specifically a 'white-horse' from the bay.
- The Mermaid joyfully chases and catches a white-horse, riding it back towards shore.
- The white-horse suddenly disappears when the wind-fairies fall asleep, leaving Michael disappointed.
- Michael then asks for the 'jewels' that appear when waves break, but they melt into water when collected.
- Desperate, Michael reiterates his wish to remember the sea forever.
- The Mermaid offers to sing him the 'Sea Song', a powerful melody that imprints the sea's call on one's heart.
- Michael listens to the song, which is described as unforgettable and ever-present.
- Michael returns to town, carrying the sound of the Sea Song within him.
- Years later, driven by the song, Michael becomes a sailor.
Characters
Michael ★ protagonist
A small boy, eight years old, with the typical build of a child of his age. His movements are likely energetic and curious, as he climbs rocks and watches the Mermaid.
Attire: Typical early 20th-century English seaside holiday attire for a boy: likely knickerbockers or short trousers, a simple shirt (perhaps linen or cotton), and sturdy shoes suitable for climbing on rocks and playing on the sand. Colors would be practical and muted, like browns, blues, or creams.
Wants: To find a way to remember the magic of the sea and his new friends, especially the Mermaid, after returning to his mundane town life.
Flaw: His childish naivety and inability to understand the ephemeral nature of magical creatures and elements (like the white-horses or jewel-waves).
He transforms from a town boy unfamiliar with sea magic to a boy who carries the 'Sea Song' within him, ultimately leading him to become a sailor, fulfilling his desire to be forever connected to the sea.
Curious, imaginative, easily delighted, persistent (in his desire for a memento), and somewhat naive. He is deeply appreciative of new experiences.
Image Prompt & Upload
An eight-year-old English boy standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has short, light brown hair, a round face with wide, curious blue eyes, and fair skin with rosy cheeks. He wears knee-length dark blue knickerbockers, a cream-colored linen shirt with a small collar, and sturdy brown leather lace-up boots. His posture is eager and slightly leaning forward, with a look of innocent wonder. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Mermaid ◆ supporting
A graceful, powerful swimmer with a glittering tail. Her form is described as 'gliding through the water' and 'diving and darting and dodging'. Her arms are 'white'.
Attire: Her 'wardrobe' consists of her natural form: a glittering fish-like tail and 'white arms'. No clothing is mentioned, as is typical for mermaids.
Wants: To share the wonders of the sea with Michael and to provide him with a lasting memory of their friendship and the ocean.
Flaw: She cannot control the natural phenomena of the sea, such as the white-horses disappearing when the wind-fairies sleep, or the jewel-waves melting.
She remains consistent throughout the story, acting as a mentor and magical guide for Michael. Her primary arc is in imparting a lasting gift to Michael.
Kind, wise, patient, adventurous, playful, and generous. She enjoys telling stories and fulfilling wishes.
Image Prompt & Upload
A beautiful, ageless female mermaid, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. She has long, flowing golden hair that reaches her waist, a serene face with kind, sea-green eyes, and fair, smooth skin. Her upper body is human-like with white, graceful arms, and her lower body is a magnificent, iridescent fish tail, shimmering with scales of blue, green, and silver. She holds a large, saucer-shaped shell in her hands. Her posture is elegant and slightly curved, as if poised to swim. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
White-Horse ○ minor
A creature made of sea foam, described as 'white' with a 'long mane'. It 'plunged and galloped' across the bay, suggesting a powerful, horse-like form made of frothy water.
Attire: None, as it is a creature of the sea.
Wants: To play and run free across the bay when ridden by wind-fairies, and to sleep below the sea when the wind-fairies rest.
Flaw: Its existence is tied to the wind-fairies; it disappears when they sleep.
Appears, is chased, briefly ridden, and then disappears, demonstrating the ephemeral nature of some sea magic.
Wild, untamed, spirited, and elusive. It is 'angry' when ridden by the Mermaid, indicating a strong will.
Image Prompt & Upload
A majestic, horse-shaped creature made entirely of frothy white sea foam, galloping across water, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. It has a long, flowing mane and tail, both made of churning white foam, and powerful, wave-like legs. Its form is dynamic and fluid, capturing the energy of a breaking wave. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Wind-Fairies ○ minor
Not explicitly described, but they are implied to be small, ethereal beings who 'play about' and 'ride white-horses'. Their presence causes the white-horses to appear.
Attire: Not described, likely ethereal or invisible.
Wants: To play on the sea, which creates the white-horses.
Flaw: They get tired and go to sleep, causing the white-horses to disappear.
They appear, play, and then disappear to sleep, demonstrating the cyclical nature of their magic.
Playful, energetic, and whimsical. Their actions directly influence the state of the sea.
Image Prompt & Upload
A group of small, translucent, ethereal figures, appearing as wisps of air, riding on the crests of foamy white waves, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. Their forms are indistinct, suggesting movement and lightness, with a faint shimmer. They are depicted in a playful, dynamic pose, interacting with the water. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Seaside Town Beach
A wide expanse of hard, yellow sand, perfect for building castles. It is bordered by lonely caves and scattered with heaps of slimy, green seaweed, shells, and climbable rocks. The air is fresh with the scent of the sea.
Mood: Joyful, adventurous, full of wonder and discovery.
Michael arrives for his summer holiday and begins to explore, making friends with the sea and shore fairies.
Image Prompt & Upload
A wide, sun-drenched beach with firm, golden sand stretching towards the horizon. In the foreground, scattered clusters of dark green, glistening seaweed and various seashells lie near the water's edge. Further back, rugged, grey-brown rocks rise from the sand, some with small tidal pools reflecting the bright sky. The sea is a vibrant blue-green, with gentle white-capped waves breaking softly on the shore. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Mermaid's Cave
A secluded, lonely cave with a wet, green roof and a pebbly floor. Several smooth rocks are scattered within, providing seating. The soft sound of lapping waves echoes inside.
Mood: Intimate, mysterious, enchanting, a place for storytelling and quiet companionship.
Michael spends his days here listening to the Mermaid's stories, forming a deep friendship.
Image Prompt & Upload
Inside a cool, damp sea cave, the rough-hewn rock ceiling is covered in a glistening layer of emerald-green moss and algae, with water droplets slowly dripping down. The floor is a mosaic of smooth, grey and brown pebbles, interspersed with larger, water-worn boulders that serve as natural seats. Soft, diffused light filters in from the cave mouth, illuminating the gentle, rhythmic lapping of small waves against the pebbly shore within. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Bay
A wide expanse of open sea, often filled with 'white-horses' (foaming waves) when the wind-fairies are playing. The water can be deep and dynamic, with strong currents.
Mood: Exhilarating, playful, vast, and slightly wild.
The Mermaid attempts to catch a 'white-horse' for Michael, and later rides one triumphantly across the bay.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast, open bay under a bright morning sky, with the deep blue-green water agitated by a strong breeze. Numerous 'white-horses' — foamy, cresting waves — gallop across the surface, catching the sunlight. In the distance, the horizon line is sharp against a clear sky. A tall, rugged, dark grey rock juts out from the shoreline into the bay, offering a vantage point over the dynamic water. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Big Town
A large, bustling urban environment, starkly contrasting with the natural seaside. It is a place where fairies are rarely seen.
Mood: Ordinary, less magical, a place of routine and longing for the sea.
Michael's home, where he returns after his holiday, carrying the indelible memory of the sea.
Image Prompt & Upload
A bustling, grey-toned cityscape with rows of tall, brick and stone buildings lining wide, paved streets. Horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians move through the busy thoroughfares. The sky above is a pale, hazy blue, and the overall atmosphere is one of industry and human activity, devoid of natural wildness. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
