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"I never heard of anything so foolish," remarked Trot as she swam slowly on

through the clear, blue water.

Yes, it is very foolish and very sad," answered Merla. "But if the fish were wise,

men could not catch them for food, and many poor people on your earth make

their living by fishing."

"It seems wicked to catch such pretty things," said the child.

"I do not think so," Merla replied laughingly, "for they were born to become food

for someone, and men are not the only ones that eat fishes. Many creatures of the

sea feed upon them. They even eat one another at times. And if none was ever

destroyed, they would soon become so numerous that they would clog the waters

of the ocean and leave no room for the rest of us. So after all, perhaps it is just as

well they are thoughtless and foolish."

Presently they came to some round balls that looked much like balloons in shape

and were gaily colored. They floated quietly in the water, and Trot inquired what

they were.

"Balloonfish," answered Merla. "They are helpless creatures, but have little spikes

all over them so their enemies dare not bite them for fear of getting pricked."

Trot found the balloonfish quite interesting. They had little dots of eyes and dots

for mouths, but she could see no noses, and their fins and tails were very small.

"They catch these fish in the South Sea Islands and make lanterns of 'em," said

Cap'n Bill. "They first skin 'em and sew the skin up again to let it dry, and then

they put candles inside, and the light shines through the dried skin."

Many other curious sights they saw in the ocean that afternoon, and both Cap'n

Bill and Trot thoroughly enjoyed their glimpse of sea life. At last Merla said it was

time to return to the palace, from which she claimed they had not at any time

been very far distant. "We must prepare for dinner, as it will soon begin to grow

dark in the water," continued their conductor. So they swam leisurely back to the

groves that surrounded the palaces, and as they entered the gardens the sun

sank, and deep shadows began to form in the ocean depths.

The Sea Fairies