Zog The Terrible And His Sea Devils
: The Sea Fairies"The sun must be going under a cloud," said Trot, looking ahead.
They had descended far into the ocean depths again--further, the
girl thought, than they had ever been before.
"No," the Queen answered after a glance ahead of them, "that is a
cuttlefish, and he is dyeing the sea around him with ink so that he
can hide from us. Let us turn a little to the left, for we could see
nothing at all
Following her advice, they made a broad curve to the left, and at
once the water began to darken in that direction.
"Why, there's another of 'em," said Cap'n Bill as the little party
came to a sudden halt.
"So there is," returned the Queen, and Trot thought there was a
little quiver of anxiety in her voice. "We must go far to the right
to escape the ink."
So they again started, this time almost at a right angle to their
former course, the little girl inquired:
"How can the cuttlefish color the water so very black?"
"They carry big sacks in front of them where they conceal the ink,"
Princess Clia answered. "Whenever they choose, the cuttlefish are
able to press out this ink, and it colors the water for a great
space around them."
The direction in which they were now swimming was taking them far
out of their way. Aquareine did not wish to travel very far to the
right, so when she thought they had gone far enough to escape the
inky water, she turned to lead her party toward the left--the
direction in which she DID wish to go. At once another cloud of ink
stained the water and drove them to the right again.
"Is anything wrong, ma'am?" asked Cap'n Bill, seeing a frown gather
upon the queen's lovely face.
"I hope not," she said. "But I must warn you that these cuttlefish
are the servants of the terrible sea devils, and from the way they
are acting they seem determined to drive us toward the Devil Caves,
which I wished to avoid."
This admission on the part of their powerful protector, the fairy
mermaid, sent a chill to the hearts of the earth people. Neither
spoke for a time, but finally Cap'n Bill asked in a timid voice:
"Hadn't we better go back, ma'am?"
"Yes," decided Aquareine after a moment's thought. "I think it will
be wise to retreat. The sea devils are evidently aware of our
movements and wish to annoy us. For my part, I have no fear of them,
but I do not care to have you meet such creatures."
But when they turned around to abandon their journey, another inky
cloud was to be seen behind them. They really had no choice but to
swim in the only streak of clear water they could find, and the
mermaids well knew this would lead them nearer and nearer to the
caves of their enemies.
But Aquareine led the way, moving very slowly, and the others
followed her. In every other direction they were hemmed in by the
black waters, and they did not dare to halt, because the inky fluid
crept swiftly up behind them and drove them on.
The queen and the princess had now become silent and grave. They
swam on either side of their guests as if to better protect them.
"Don't look up," whispered Clia, pressing close to the little girl's
side.
"Why not?" asked Trot, and then she did exactly what she had been
told not to do. She lifted her head and saw stretched over them a
network of scrawny, crimson arms interlaced like the branches of
trees in winter when the leaves have fallen and left them bare.
Cap'n Bill gave a start and muttered "Land sakes!" for he, too, had
gazed upward and seen the crimson network of limbs.
"Are these the sea devils?" asked the child, more curious than
frightened.
"Yes, dear," replied the Queen. "But I advise you to pay no
attention to them. Remember, they cannot touch us."
In order to avoid the threatening arms overhead, which followed them
as they swam, our friends kept near to the bottom of the sea, which
was here thickly covered with rough and jagged rocks. The inky water
had now been left far behind, but when Trot looked over her
shoulder, she shuddered to find a great crimson monster following
closely after them, with a dozen long, snaky feelers stretched out
as if to grab anyone that lagged behind. And there, at the side of
Princess Clia, was another devil, leering silently with his cruel,
bulging eyes at the pretty mermaid. Beside the queen swam still
another of their enemies. Indeed, the sea devils had crept upon them
and surrounded them everywhere except at the front, and Trot began
to feel nervous and worried for the first time.
Cap'n Bill kept mumbling queer words under his breath, for he had a
way of talking to himself when anything "upsot him," as he would
quaintly remark. Trot always knew he was disturbed or in trouble
when he began to "growl."
The only way now open was straight ahead. They swam slowly, yet fast
enough to keep a safe distance from the dreadful creature behind
them.
"I'm afraid they are driving us into a trap," whispered the Queen
softly. "But whatever happens, do not lose courage, earth friends.
Clia and I are here to protect you, and our fairy powers are
sufficient to keep you from all harm."
"Oh, I don't mind so very much," declared Trot calmly. "It's like
the fairy adventures in storybooks, and I've often thought I'd like
that kind of adventures, 'cause the story always turns out the right
way."
Cap'n Bill growled something just then, but the only words Trot
could make out were, "never lived to tell the tale."
"Oh, pshaw, Cap'n," she said. "We may be in danger, right enough,
an' to be honest, I don't like the looks of these sea devils at all.
But I'm sure it's no KILLING matter, for we've got the fairy circles
all around us."
"Ha ha!" laughed the monster beside her. "WE know all about the
fairy circles, don't we, Migg?"
"Ho ho!" laughed the monster on the other side. "We do, Slibb, my
boy, and we don't think much of fairy circles, either!"
"They have foiled our enemies many a time," declared the Princess
with much dignity.
"Ha ha!" laughed one. "That's why we're here now."
"Ho ho!" laughed the other. "We've learned a trick or two, and we've
got you fast this time."
Then all the sea devils--those above and the one behind, and the two
on the sides--laughed all together, and their laughter was so
horrible that it made even Trot shudder.
But now the queen stopped short, and the others stopped with her.
"I will go no farther," she said firmly, not caring if the monsters
overheard her. "It is evident that these monsters are trying to
drive us into some secret place, and it is well known that they are
in league with Zog the Terrible, whom they serve because they are as
wicked as he is. We must be somewhere near the hidden castle of Zog,
so I prefer to stay here rather than be driven into some place far
more dangerous. As for the sea devils, they are powerless to injure
us in any way. Not one of those thousand arms about us can possibly
touch our bodies."
The only reply to this defiant speech was another burst of horrible
laughter; and now there suddenly appeared before them still another
of the monsters, which thus completely hemmed them in. Then the
creatures began interlacing their long arms--or "feelers"--until
they formed a perfect cage around the prisoners, not an opening
being left that was large enough for one of them to escape through.
The mermaids and the girl and sailor man kept huddled close
together, for although they might be walled in by the sea devils,
their captors could not touch them because of the protecting magic
circles.
All at once Trot exclaimed, "Why, we must be moving!"
This was startling news, but by watching the flow of water past them
they saw that the little girl was right. The sea devils were
swimming, all together, and as the cage they were in moved forward,
our friends were carried with it.
Queen Aquareine had a stern look upon her beautiful face. Cap'n Bill
guessed from this look that the mermaid was angry, for it seemed
much like the look Trot's mother wore when they came home late to
dinner. But however angry the queen might be, she was unable to help
herself or her guests just now or to escape from the guidance of the
dreaded sea devils. The rest of the party had become sober and
thoughtful, and in dignified silence they awaited the outcome of
this strange adventure.
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