These they would bring to their queen, or with them richly adorn themselves. Thus the Mermaid Queen and her maidens made a court of beauty -- famed wherever mermaids and merrymen lived. And they often talked of human maids.

"How funny it must be to wear clothes!" said one.

"Well, I should like to be a real woman for a while, just to try it, and see how it feels to walk on legs," said another, rather demurely -- as if afraid the other mermaids might not like her remark.

Out rang a lusty chorus, "No! No! Horrible! What an idea! Who wouldn't be a mermaid?"