Fin Fun Presents a Mermaid Story by Royal Mermaiden Brynn!

I sat up on the jagged rock, watching the sun disappear behind the waves and letting the salty wind whip my red locks around my face. My silky friend, Fergus, hopped up beside me and gave me a friendly lick on the hand. I smiled down at him and patted his head. He has such a bonny wee nose between his big black eyes. I chuckled at his eager expression. “I know you want to play,” I told him. “But it’s starting to get dark. I’ve got to keep an eye out for lost ships.” Merdad gave me a responsibility and it was time to focus.

It was my second time on watch, my first time all by myself. I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. It helped that my merdad, the king, was very confident in my abilities. He had taught me everything I needed to know and even came with me on my first watch the night before. But the storm wasn’t bad then, and even though we watched all night long, no ships came near that needed our help. As we watched for ships and double-checked the most dangerous areas, I asked him all my questions and he helped me practice using my light powers. When the night was over and we reached our home, he looked at me and said, “Brynn, your skill with your light powers has grown. I know you’re ready to take on the storms by yourself.” I remember beaming with pride and feeling excited to watch on my own.

But the next night, as great black clouds began to roll in above the ocean, I wasn’t so sure I was excited anymore. I looked back up at the lighthouse standing on the nearby cliff and saw the rain as it began to come down. I groaned. That wasn’t good news, to me or the incoming ships. Instinct told me I’d have a long night ahead, so I didn’t waste any time. “Come on, Fergus. Let’s get to work,” I said to the little smiling seal before I flipped off of my rock. Fergus happily splashed down beside me and the two of us set off.

Fergus and I swam to the jagged rocks at the base of the cliff and started our lookout for struggling ships. Soon enough, the rain began, starting with a sprinkling and quickly growing into a downpour. Along with it came the lightning and thunder.

“Are you ready for the fun part, Fergus?”

Fergus hopped closer and looked at me expectantly. I laughed at his anticipation and opened my palm right next to his wee face. Just as always, a soft golden light began to shine in the middle of my palm. The orb of light grew bigger and brighter until it was almost the size of my own face, and with a gentle toss, I threw it into the sky. It stopped about 50 feet above me, lighting up the night sky around us.

Just then I heard a foghorn coming from the left. Quick as a flash I was in the water swimming toward the sound, whipping my green tail faster and faster. I had to lead the ship to safety. My light followed high above me where the ship could see it. The ocean current was getting stronger and I swam with all my might. When the foghorn blasted again, it sounded much closer. Where is that ship? I thought.

Suddenly I heard Fergus squeal, followed by the shouts of men on board the ship. I was right beside it! With a flick of my hand, I sent my light higher in the sky just to be sure that the sailors could see it. When I heard yells of awe and wonder, I knew that they had. I smiled a little to myself at their shock. Then I flipped around, swam to the ship’s bow, and began to lead her. I could see the dangerous rocks in the water in front of me, but the seamen couldn’t, so I fought through the churning waves that pushed me back and kept swimming toward the distant bay.

As if he knew that I was starting to feel nervous, Fergus swam up beside me and nuzzled my arm with his wee little nose. He gave me a boost of fresh courage and I knew that I could lead that ship to safety. I had to.

The closer we drew to the bay, the larger and more jagged the rocks became. I knew those rocks could sink even the biggest ship with one wrong turn, so I had to navigate around them with caution and expertise. The first tall rock loomed ahead and I quickly changed my course so that the ship would follow. I heard shouts from the captain and crew. When the ship was narrowly clear of the rock, I sighed in relief and swam a little faster. I guided the ship past the second rock, and then the third, and soon I lost track of how many dangers we had passed. Finally, after slipping past one last rock, the ship was in the bay and had a clear path to the docks.

I heard the men on board cheering and praising my light. I smiled broadly as a warmth filled me from head to tail. Quickly I pulled my light back down to my palm and Fergus and I quietly slipped out of sight and onto a smooth rock. We rested with a sigh of relief. Fergus playfully snapped at my light and I closed my fist around it quickly. He barked and nuzzled my chin, making me chuckle. From our hiding place, we could see the ship dock and the crewmen staggering off one by one. We laughed as we watched them talk, laugh, link arms and dance with each other, even bending down to kiss the wooden planks of the dock. They sang songs of a star that guided them home and I smiled and shook my head. “Phantom!” “A miracle!” I heard them shout.

I smiled. “A gift from a mermaid,” I quietly corrected. Then I turned to Fergus, rubbed his head, and we silently slipped into the night.

Even though we were sleepy and hungry and didn’t want to be late for breakfast, Fergus and I played all the way home, weaving through the rocks and playing tag as we swam. Fergus is good at playing tag, but I’m better! We laughed and frolicked until our beautiful castle cave home was in sight. My merdad met us outside of the castle, and with a great big hug, told me how proud of me he was. I couldn’t stop smiling as I recounted the story, and I was still smiling as I slid into my comfy seaweed bed. I knew I had done a good thing that night. I couldn’t help but feel proud that, even though it would have been easy to give up, I found my courage and it made all the difference.

Fin Fun Presents a Mermaid Story by Royal Mermaiden Crystal

“Pepper, slow down!” I giggled. “You’re going to fall, silly little penguin.” Pepper was waddling as fast as his little feet could take him right on top of the long iceberg next to me. He turned his head to look at me and chirped happily. I couldn’t help but smile and sigh, watching him closer to make sure he didn’t take a tumble.

As Pepper reached the end of the iceberg he was racing across, I flicked my tail and another block of ice appeared. He hopped across the little gap between them and kept zooming forward. Making ice is my mermaiden power. I love it! It’s so handy. The only thing I could think of to make my power better would be the ability to melt ice, too. That way I could free the ships that get stuck in the harbor in the middle of winter, but I’m not complaining.

Pepper and I were on our way to make ice sculptures on our island. We’ve kind of claimed a little island out in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, where I live. It’s nothing special, but sometimes, when we can get away, we like to go there and experiment with my power. I make tons of icy sculptures. It’s like painting, but with ice. I squeeze my eyes shut really tight and think of what I want to make. Then, I flick my tail and there it is! Some sculptures take more time and energy, but others are really easy.

While I was thinking of what I wanted to create, I wasn’t paying as much attention to Pepper as I should have been. See, he thinks that since he’s a bird, he should be able to fly. I try to explain to him that he’s a special kind of bird and that his wings aren’t quite strong enough to lift him up, but he doesn’t understand. So I have to keep him out of trouble. He’s a handful, but he’s my best finfriend and he makes me so happy!

Anyways, Pepper decided just then to try to take a leap off of a high point on one of my icebergs. I looked up at him just as he came free-falling down in front of me, flapping his little wings as vigorously as he could. I quickly dashed forward,barely catching him in my arms in time. He flipped around playfully and I held him closer so he couldn’t escape.

“Pepper, you naughty little penguin, what did I tell you about trying to fly?” I scolded gently. He looked up at me and then focused on a piece of my long, white, wavy hair and started to nibble on it. I couldn’t help but laugh then. He trilled and seemed to laugh with me. I let the troublemaker go and started towards our island again.

We were almost there when Pepper and I heard something in the distance. It sounded like a whimper. I stopped suddenly and motioned to Pepper to be quiet. For a few seconds, everything was silent. Then I heard it again! A faint little whining, like a merbaby. It sounded off to my left, behind the iceberg I had just created for Pepper.

“Quick, Pepper! Climb on my back!” Pepper was all too happy to comply. He jumped onto my back and held onto strands of my hair like reins. Then I swam as fast as I could towards the sound, making sure that Pepper could still be above the water. Penguins can’t breathe underwater like I can. I have to be careful to remember that about Pepper.

As I rounded the iceberg, the whimpering got louder. It was coming from a small bundle of white fur huddled on a little patch of ice about thirty meters away. I was curious! What was it? Then the little bundle cried again and the sound pierced my heart! I quickly covered the distance and flipped up onto the small iceberg. It tipped and wobbled, but it didn’t flip over.

All of a sudden, the little white shape lifted its head and I gasped when I realized what it was. It was a baby polar bear! What was such a tiny thing doing way out here? I scooped the little bear up in my arms and held her gently. I cooed at her and she stared up at me with sleepy eyes.

“Hush, baby girl. What’s your name?” I asked her gently. “I’m going to call you Snowdrop.” Snowdrops are flowers that I see sometimes. They are really beautiful and they grow during the winter. I looked around. “How in the seas did you get all the way out here?” Her mother wouldn’t just leave her here, I was sure of that! Where is she, I wondered.

“You must have been drifting on this ice for quite a while, poor little thing!” I murmured aloud, pondering what to do.

Snowdrop shivered and burrowed deeper into my arms. I gathered her closer and shooed Pepper away from where he had been trying to push his way into Snowdrop’s spot. Pepper gets jealous when I pay too much attention to anyone other than him. He’s such a silly penguin!

The tiny bear made that mewling noise again and I knew that she was calling for her mom. Polar bears that are this young should still be with their moms for a few more months at least! I held the furry little creature even closer and tried to decide what to do. As I cradled Snowdrop in my arms, I rocked back and forth and fluttered my tail under the water, which created a little icy whirlpool at the tip of my fins. Pepper was delighted and dove into the mini storm. He honked and swam around and around. I watched him in amusement.

Then I got an idea. I quickly stopped my swirling, to Pepper’s dismay, and flipped my fin to the other side of our little floating iceberg. I could see the coastline not too far away! Still holding my new little polar bear friend in my arms, I picked up my deep blue fin and swept it across the top of the frigid water. Right in front of me, a pathway of solid ice began to appear, racing toward the far-off snowy coast. I smiled, satisfied.

Snowdrop picked her head up again and watched the ice with curiosity. Then, she raised herself up on my lap and started to crawl warily toward the new path. I beamed when she took her first step onto the ice. She quickly started to run down the icy path with ease. I dove into the water and swam as fast as I could to keep up with her. She was fast! Pepper decided to slide on the ice path on his belly. He let out a high screech of excitement and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Finally, we reached the end of my ice. Our furry friend kept scampering forward. I raised myself up with my hands on the snow to see where she was going. Far ahead I saw a cave in one of the tall glaciers that stood in the rough terrain. Not many humans live here because it’s so cold. That makes it an ideal place for polar bears to live. They don’t like to live where there are a lot of people.

As I watched, a huge white head poked out of the cave. Then the rest of the momma polar bear came out. She was enormous! She was followed by two other little cubs, a little older than Snowdrop. When she reached her momma, Snowdrop launched herself into her mother’s white fur. I gasped and giggled in delight. Her little brother and sister bustled around her excitedly and tackled each other, rolling around in the snow.

Pepper and I sat there and watched the adorable scene for a while, then I let myself be tugged away by my impatient penguin friend and we swam to our island. You remember how I said my ice sculpting is like a painting? Well, I painted my best portrait yet that day. I squeezed my eyes shut and pictured everything as perfectly as I could. When I opened my eyes, I stared in astonishment as I saw a beautiful replica of Snowdrop leaping into her momma’s arms, and her little siblings lumbering around her, delighted to see their baby sister again.

FinFun Presents a Mermaid Story by Royal Mermaiden Zoey

“…Twenty-nine…Thirty! Ready or not, here he comes!” I called out.

Quickly I ducked back into my hiding spot. Cooper, my little turtle finfriend, was seeking for all us hiders. We were in the middle of a pretty intense game of hide-and-seek, my finfriends and I. In all, there were about twelve of us for Cooper to find. There are lots of clown fish playing, along with dolphins, some jellyfish, and a couple other types of fish. I love playing games with all types of finfriends!

My royal Mermaiden power is to control animals. They listen to me and have to do as I say, but I usually don’t make them do much unless they’re fighting. I hate watching animals fight, so I use my powers to calm them down and remind them to be kind to one another! The best way to do that is through games, in my opinion.

Speaking of games, I watched Cooper slowly making his way through the reef’s best hiding places. He sure is a good seeker! I crouched a little lower in my own hiding spot. I was situated in a long patch of seaweed at the bottom of the shallow part of our reefs. The seaweed was long enough to hide me and hidden enough not to be obvious! I was determined to win this game.

As I waited for Cooper to find me, I heard laughing a little ways off. Making sure that no one could see me, I pulled some of the grass out of the way and peered out into the ocean beyond the coral reef. Just then, a group of young mermen passed by my hiding spot. They were laughing and goofing around. I recognized them from around the kingdom. There was one merman in particular that I like to watch. He’s my latest splash. That’s what young merfolk call others our age that we think are cute. I never told anyone but Cooper about my splash, but I figure humans and merfolk need to learn to trust each other, so I’ll start off trusting you with my little secret.

The first time I saw him was while I was playing a different game of hide-and-seek. We were near my coral castle and it was just Cooper and me. I’d picked a really good hiding place and Cooper was having a tough time finding me. I’m not super patient, so after a while I was about to go find him. All of a sudden, I saw a little conch shell whiz past my hiding place in the kelp gardens. Then, there he was, chasing after it. He was so finsome! He was fast, too. Probably almost as fast as me! I wanted to duck out of my hiding place and say hello but suddenly, I got nervous and I couldn’t think of a single thing to say! That was so unlike me! Usually, I have a smart response for anything anyone throws my way. But that day in the gardens, I found myself tongue-tied. By the time I could finally get my thoughts together, he had disappeared as fast as he had come. I still wished I had said something, even now. Then maybe I could be out there playing games and laughing with him, too.

I watched curiously as he laughed with his mermates, joking and throwing conch shells around. I wished that I could join in! But what would I say? And, I reminded myself, the other mermaids and mermen are usually a little intimidated by me because I’m the princess. I sighed and really wished that could change. I love my power but it is a little lonely being me sometimes.

Just then, I felt something hit the back of my head. “Ouch!” I yelled, reaching back to find the culprit. The little shape was twisting through my light brown hair and I had to wrestle with it to get it out. Finally, I yanked the mischievous offender out of my hair and brought him to eye level. Cooper clucked his delight and studied his reflection in my light brown eyes. I chuckled and sat up in the grass, still holding him out in my hands. Above us, I saw all our other finfriends gathered, which meant I was the winner of our hide-and-seek game!

Suddenly, I heard some commotion coming from behind us, back in the direction of my splash and his mermates. As I turned to see what it was, I quickly tried to think of what I would say to him. But when I saw them, they weren’t looking at us at all. They had their backs to us and were staring down two enormous tiger sharks.

The long, hungry fish were making slow circles around the boys, making it impossible for them to swim away without getting caught. Sharks are usually not very interested in us merfolk, and I was surprised at their behavior! Sometimes they will attack if they’re starved or sick, but we’re the faster swimmers. I knew I had to do something… fast.

Quicker than one of those kangaroos on land—which I hear are pretty fast—I dove up and over the circle of mermen and headed right for the sharks. That got their attention alright. They stopped their prowling and glared up at me. I quickly looked right into their eyes and said in a commanding voice, “Behave yourselves, Mates! What’s gotten into you?! Swim away now, and don’t come back!”

The sullen sharks knew they had to obey me, but they didn’t have to be happy about it! I put my hands on my hips and watched them go. They left slowly, and I could see the tension in the mermen’s shoulders leave with them. Soon, they were just dark shadows disappearing into the ocean.

“She’s the Mermaiden,” I heard someone whisper. I turned around and as all three mermen immediately gasped and bowed from the waist. I tried not to groan. I know they have to bow to me because of my title, but sometimes it just feels so awkward.

After a few minutes of their rapid apologies for not recognizing me sooner and oh so many thank yous, I cut them off by raising my hand, just like my mermom had taught me.

“I accept your gratitude, loyal subjects,” I said in my most regal voice. I didn’t know what else to say! Secretly, I wished with all my heart they would just ask me to play their game with them. I glanced wistfully at the conch shell in one of the mermen’s hands.

“Please, Your Highness, what can we do to repay you for saving our lives?” my splash asked, looking at me with those big, dreamy sea green eyes. That was a good enough invitation for me! I grabbed the conch shell from the other boy’s hands and held it up.

“Let me play?” I realized how unprincess-like it sounded, but the shock in all three mermen’s eyes made me laugh instead of fix the sentence as my mermom would have done. Then my splash and his friends started laughing too, and without another word, we began to play.

Working in my little underwater garden is one of my favorite pastimes. To nurture living things and watch them grow  vibrant and colorful  is one of the best feelings I know.

Today, while I was working with the new batches of coral, Akiko came zipping up to me. I smiled at her brightly. “Hello, my lovely little friend. Would you like to help me with this coral? They seem a little melancholy, don’t you think? Why don’t you swim over there and find some glow rocks for me? Maybe that will help to brighten them up!” Akiko whinnied with joy and quickly swam to where I was pointing. I laughed softly to myself and started to hum as I stroked the sickly little corals. The pale branches seemed to shiver and tremble frailly under my hand. They had had a rough few days being transported but I would nurse them back to strength. That is my job: To heal.

I heard Akiko whinny as she returned with three golden glow stones. “Thank you, Akiko!” I told her as I stroked her head. The glow stones are very helpful. They come from the Celtic Sea, way over by Ireland. Brynn, the mermaiden princess there, is a friend of mine, and she lights these stones for us with her magical powers. They glow a beautiful, soft golden light and give off heat that helps the coral grow. “I hope they’ll be enough to help these sick corals,” I said.

After Akiko and I placed the glow stones among the corals, we checked on the seaweeds. They were all doing very well and looked healthier than ever. Akiko was a little restless so we decided to go play tag for a while. Tag is Akiko’s very favorite game to play because she is so fast. I hardly ever win our games, but I love to play them with her anyway because I love to see her happy.

“Well, Akiko, I think those glow stones have had enough time to work their magic,” I said. “Shall we go check on the coral again?” Akiko whinnied her assent and we swam back to the garden. I gasped as I saw that they were still trembling and pale. The light just wasn’t enough! “What are we going to do, Akiko?” I said softly as I stroked one of the corals. “We have to find something stronger to heal them.”

Just then, Akiko dashed off, swimming away from the gardens. “Wait up, Akiko!” I called. She led me to a favorite spot of ours, a cave along the coastline that we call the Blue Cavern. There is a very special type of blue seaweed that grows inside that shimmers in the light. Sometimes we take our glow stones in and let the light hit the seaweed. The whole cave turns magnificent shades of blue! Usually, Akiko wants to play tag as we swim to the cavern, but this time she seemed to be on a mission.

“Akiko, slow down!” I called. The little seahorse whirled back and swam circles around me. I laughed and swung round and round, trying to catch her. She is so fast! She let out a little squeal when my fingers grazed her tail and then swam faster. Finally, I lunged forward and grabbed her tightly. We laughed and I did a little summersault with her in my arms.

All of a sudden, a light caught the corner of my eye. Curious, I quickly let go of Akiko, who beckoned me with her head to follow her. She swam down towards a big, moss-covered boulder that we had passed just a few moments earlier, and I followed with anticipation. As we got closer to the rock, I saw tiny glints of light sparkling in a little alcove by the bottom of the boulder. Always eager to explore, Akiko zoomed past me through the tiny crevice and I followed carefully behind her.

We squeezed through the opening and finally reached the alcove. I was astonished at what I saw: A nest full of bright, gold, shiny pearls! With a huge gasp and smile, I pushed my long black hair from my face, scooped up a handful of the golden treasures and held them up to my eyes. They glittered in the sunlight that shone through the blue ocean above. Akiko nuzzled her face next to mine and we stared at the beautiful orbs together.

I had heard of golden pearls, but I’d never seen any before. Pink and blue pearls are common and help with typical illnesses. There are also green pearls, which were perfect for cuts or bruises. But gold pearls can do so much more! It is said they can even cure misshapen fins or discolored tails.

I looked at Akiko and beamed. Combined with my strong healing powers, these gold pearls would allow me to cure the coral and so much more! I couldn’t wait to get home to tell Mermom and Merdad the amazing news! I reached into the alcove and scooped the pearls into my satchel. I always carry a satchel just in case I find anything to add to my ever-growing healing kit. Then, whirling my purple fin around, I set off for home, swimming as quickly as I could, with Akiko right behind me.

When we reached the garden, I swam up to the sickly corals and knelt in front of them. “Hold on, little ones,” I said soothingly. “You’ll be feeling as good as new soon.”

With that, I reached into my satchel, pulled out the gold pearls, and held them in the palm of my hand. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and blew on the pearls like birthday candles on a cake. As I did so, my magical healing powers turned the pearls into a fine glittery power which drifted in the current and landed gently on the coral. The brittle branches of the coral soaked in the pearl powder and quickly gained back their vibrant color. “It worked!” I exclaimed. “It really worked!” Akiko swam up to me and nuzzled my cheek with her snout, and we rested there, admiring the bright, healthy coral.

The gold pearls are the best healing ingredients I have in my collection. They have opened up a whole world of possibilities for me. Now, I have the chance to help even more of my finfriends! I am so glad that I found those pearls—helping others is how I find true happiness.

A Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Destiny!

Even before I was entirely awake, I could feel someone watching me. I heard scuttling across the wooden planks of the floor of my shipwreck hideout. I come here sometimes to keep my treasures and knick-knacks safe, but also to be closer to the human world with their music and dancing. I love it here. It’s cozier than it sounds and I have Frank to keep me company.

Speaking of Frank, I heard more scuttling on the floor, a little closer to my bed (which was really just an old bench—in what would have been the captain’s quarters—draped in seaweed). I also heard little grumbles and smiled to myself. Frank was always talking to himself. He completely denies it when I tell him, but we both know it’s true.

All of a sudden, I remembered what day it is! Today is the day I get to see the Caribbean Carnival! The carnival is a tradition in the Caribbean, where I live. During the carnival, people from many, many islands all over the Caribbean Sea come out into the streets and have huge parties! They play games and eat scrumptious food and, best of all, they make lots and lots of music! I absolutely adore watching all the humans laugh, sing, and dance through the streets. It almost makes me want to be up there with them!

I flung my seaweed blanket off of me and accidentally startled Frank. “Ahhh!” He shrieked and in one second he was inside of his shell, glaring out at me as I laughed. Frank, or François Crusteau as he likes to be called, is a small French crab. He’s also my best finfriend. He mainly follows me around to find treasure, but I know that he likes me enough to stick around even without it. See, my special power is finding things. It’s easy, really. I just sing a little song and the sound waves from my voice bounce off of the thing I want to find and my tail leads me right to it! It’s a great gift, but sometimes I almost wish I didn’t have it. I mean, I love being a princess and all, and helping people makes me feel great, but all I really care about is music! If I had it my way, I would do nothing but dance and sing all day long!

Anyways, Frank quickly popped right back out of his shell to give me a talking to. “Mademoiselle! I have told you a million times, over and over again! Do. Not. Scare. Ze crab! Ze crab gets scared, ze crab is not happy, and ze crab has pinchers! He will use them!”

“Oh, Frank!” I sighed dramatically with a dimpled smile, “You’re too sweet to pinch me! You couldn’t if you tried! But, since I did startle you, I promise to make it up to you. What do you want to do today?”

Frank still looked doubtful at my too-ready apology. Usually I’m not what you would call a “morning mermaid.” But then he smiled mischievously and I knew exactly what he wanted to do today.

“Treasure hunt again, Frank?” I groaned.

“Yes, Mademoiselle. Treasure hunt! Gold! Silver! Shiny metals all for me!” Frank exclaimed while jumping in place. I smiled a little because I knew I’d made him happy, but it meant missing some of the carnival! I sighed and resolved to find Frank’s treasure as fast as I could.

Soon, Frank and I were on the hunt, speeding up a coastline we hadn’t been to before. I sang as I swam and smiled to myself as Frank danced on top of my head, winding his little legs through my long curly dark hair. I felt my power drawing me closer and closer to my destination. I sped up and zoomed across the water as fast as my orange and gold tail could take me. Finally, I felt my tail point me around a sharp turn in the rocky coastline that we were following.

Excited, I took the turn quickly. All of a sudden, I ran blindly into something. I shrieked as I went tumbling down onto the sandy sea floor. The odd material wrapped around me like a snake and in no time I was tangled in some kind of net! As I frantically twisted and flipped around, I only felt myself getting more stuck. I quickly stopped my thrashing but the damage was done. The ropes were hopelessly tangled all around my tail, arms, and neck. I was too afraid to scream in case the person who left this net here heard me!

Then I heard a familiar scuttling. Frank! I turned my head and saw him scuttling towards me.

“Destiny! Are you hurt, Mademoiselle? I was dancing and you were singing and then all of a sudden the crab was flying off your head and he was seeing you wrapped up in that net like an octopus and he was hoping you were not hurt! Oh, and I found the treasure! You were right again, Mademoiselle! It’s very shiny and…” Frank kept talking but I zoned him out. I needed to find a way out of this net! I was frustrated and a little bit scared. I didn’t know what would happen if I didn’t leave soon! I remembered my mother telling me a long time ago about human men who captured mermaids and used their powers for evil. I was suddenly very afraid that those stories were real.

As Frank kept talking, I glanced over at him and caught sight of his sharp, pointy little claws. I suddenly got an idea.

“Frank! Quick, come closer to me!” I beckoned to him with my head. He glared at me.

“François! Ze crab’s name is François!” He grumbled, but then he scuttled forward. I quickly pulled a rope as far as I could away from myself. “Now, Frank, slip your claw underneath this rope and squeeze down as hard as you can!” The doubtful crab did as he was told. The rope snapped easily! We laughed in relief and quickly Frank began to cut the net away. He slipped from rope to rope, snipping and cutting away as much as he could. In no time, I was pulling the last few ropes from my arms and tail.

Just as I threw away the last rope, I heard something coming from above us. It was a faint buzzing noise. I looked over to my left to see what it was coming from. Frank was behind me, searching through the small pile of treasure he had found hidden in a hole inside the rock wall beside us. I ignored his pleased chattering and looked towards the sound again. Then, I saw it. Way above us, a little figure on top of the pristine water raced along the surface in our direction. The water behind it was churning and swirling. It looked a little like those ships I see sometimes, but this one was much smaller and noisier. The sound grew louder and louder as the little shape got closer.

I didn’t want to wait to find out what the growing shape was. I let Frank gather up his treasure and then I grabbed him and placed him on my head again. We set off for home, too exhausted for any more treasure hunts.

That afternoon, I sat on an empty beach, carefully hidden behind some tall rocks. I smiled and gasped at the amazing display of the carnival. The dancers whirled around and around, whipping their colorful outer layers into the air. It was mesmerizing. And the music! I could have listened to it all night long. I danced and swayed along with the melody and even Frank put on a little show of his own.

We sat there as the golden sun began to sink beneath the waves. I remembered a story my father once told me of the sun. He had spoken of a mermaid who had lived once, whose only dream was to catch the sun and keep him from drowning in the deep ocean each night. Every day she would swim farther and farther in hopes of catching up to the golden orb. Finally, one evening, she set out earlier than she ever had before. Just as the sun was disappearing beneath the waves, she found him. She caught hold of one of his beautiful rays and from then on, to this day, they travel together, neither alone anymore. She carries him on his journey under the sea and he carries her through the sky during the day in a never-ending circuit.

I laughed to myself at the memory of my five-year-old self then wanting to catch the sun. As I gathered a sleeping Frank and his small bundle of treasure, I looked at the last of the disappearing rays of the sun and thought to myself, “Another day, sun. I will come for you another day.”

A Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Waverlee!

“Quick, Bubbles! We need to find the shells before anyone else does!”

Bubbles chirped and quickly caught up to me from where he had veered off to chase a little fish. I was so excited about the new shells on the beach he spotted, I had almost forgotten to keep an eye on him! Bubbles gets distracted easily. Actually, so do I, sometimes. Not this time, though. I was completely focused on getting to the beach to collect shells. It’s one of my favorite hobbies.

See, there are millions of shells in the ocean, but most of those have owners! They’re home to little sea creatures like crabs, oysters, snails and clams. I would never want to harm any of those animals by taking their shelter! So instead, Bubbles and I go up to the beautiful sandy beaches and collect shells there. Most of those are uninhabited and many times I find human things up there too!

I swam a little faster at the thought of all those lovely treasures waiting for me. Bubbles dove through the water alongside me. He loves to go to the beach because of the waves. My dolphin friend has so much fun diving through them! Sometimes I get a little tired of dashing through all those waves so I just sit and look through my collection from that day’s findings. I make sure to flip my tail a bit to keep the waves a little bigger for him.

Finally, we slowed down as we saw the beach. I squealed in excitement at all those shining grains of sand and Bubbles whistled loudly in reply. I laughed and patted his side. Using my magical powers, I sent a few waves rolling off to my right and he went diving into the water in that direction. Then, I headed toward the rocky cove where Bubbles had spied the trove of shells.

On my way I glanced down the coast, hesitating for a moment to watch the crowded part of the beach. There were a lot of humans there! I sighed happily as I watched them all running around on those long legs. I love to look at all the colorful outsides they wear. I spied one human girl that had a yellow polka-dotted outside with a big yellow bow in her hair. I saw another little one that had a lovely shade of pink as her outside that shimmered. I looked down at my own pretty pink tail and decided it was almost the same color, but not quite.

I gasped when I saw a boy human fall off of his long red stick with a tail on the bottom. I think they are called “surfboards.” But then he came back up laughing and I giggled too. I have to be careful not to let the humans see or hear me though, so I always make sure I’m just far enough away that the waves and rocks hide me while I pause to watch them.

I didn’t realize how long I’d been watching when a slippery missile came shooting toward me! I braced myself for impact and then laughed when Bubbles pulled back at the last moment, squealing his delight for all to hear. I shushed him and then patted his head with a fond smile. “Well, Bubbles, let’s go find those shells!”

Turning my back on the land dwellers, we swam past some big rock ledges that stick out into the ocean. Humans didn’t usually stray past those massive things! Then, when we were sure there was not a single person in sight, we swam up towards the sandy cove. It’s hard for both of us to be out on the sand for long, so I had to keep pulling waves up on the sand with us so that our skin stayed hydrated–especially Bubbles. When dolphin skin gets dry, it cracks and it’s really painful for them. I would never want Bubbles to get hurt!

When we were on the tiny beach, we started our hunt. We found a lot of treasures! There were all sorts of big, beautiful shells. I picked up one that was cone shaped, tucked it into my curly gold hair and admired my reflection in a piece of a human looking glass that I keep with me. There were so many shells that I barely had enough room in the little satchel I carry. By the time we left, it was full to the brim with perfect, shiny shells in all shapes and sizes!

Along with the shells, I found some human objects, too! There was another piece of a looking glass, a bottle of something labelled “sunscreen,” and a lovely little contraption that I see humans with all the time. They use it at the beach to shade themselves from the hot sun. It’s big and bright with lots of colors, made out of a funny round-ish material on the end of a long stick. This one was smaller than most of the others that I see humans using. I was thrilled to find this gadget, though. It’s still one of my most favorite human treasures!

Bubbles and I slid back into the water and floated lazily in the cove for a while, watching the sun sink lower in the sky. Bubbles lay on my lap and I stroked his smooth skin. He chirped contentedly.

All of a sudden, Bubbles started to squirm on my tail. He rolled around and took off into the water as fast as he could.

“Bubbles!” I yelled, “Where are you going? Come back!”

The silly dolphin kept swimming as fast he could! I quickly dove into the water and swam after him, trying to catch up. What in the Seven Seas is he doing? I frantically came up out of the water beside one of the rock ledges for a moment to see if I could spot him leaping above the waves.

I scanned the horizon in front of me, and that’s when I saw her. A pretty, dark-haired mermaid sitting up on a cluster of rocks in plain sight, just a few yards in front of me! What are you doing? I wanted to scream. So many humans could spot her! It felt like I was frozen for a moment, just staring open-mouthed at the young mermaiden perched on a rock, smiling down at her purple tail.

Suddenly, a call came from behind her, farther down the rock ledge. My brain kicked my tail into gear and suddenly I ducked below the water, fearing for my fellow mermaid but unsure whether I should show myself yet! So I watched from below the water as the mermaiden looked behind her and then slowly pulled her fin out of the water. What is happening!? I thought, completely and thoroughly confused.

Suddenly, an older human appeared behind the mermaid. She didn’t seem in the slightest bit surprised to see the tail on the younger girl. In fact, she smiled at the mermaid, held out her hand, and let the girl hold onto her arm for support as she stood up straight. Then, to my complete shock and horror, the girl began to pull at her tail, rolling it down to her knees and taking it completely off to reveal two long white legs beneath! I nearly fainted at the sight!

As I watched the two humans retreat down the rock ledge, my thoughts raced for an explanation. What in the deep blue ocean is going on here? I thought, running my fingers through my gold curls as I surfaced just a little to watch the mermaid imposter go. Could humans actually be dressing up as mermaids? The thought made my face split in a gigantic grin.

All at once, I remembered Bubbles. “Oh Poseidon! Where did that creature get off to?” I pursed my lips and slapped my hand down on the top of the water, smiling a little at the sound it made. Without warning, Bubbles erupted from the water behind me and cackled urgently in my ear, half scaring me to death before speeding back into the water and off again! I groaned a little before quickly dashing off in pursuit.

Bubbles led us all the way back to the rocks where we had stopped to watch the humans before he finally paused to let me catch up.

I swam up to him, breathing hard and took a deep breath to start lecturing. “Bubbles! What were you thinking? I–”

But he wasn’t listening. He was clicking and shivering in alarm and swimming around me in circles. I started to roll my eyes at his dramatics – then I saw what made him so upset. Only about twenty feet above us, something was struggling and bobbing in the water. I gasped. It was a human! A little human girl who was crying and clawing the water, trying to gasp air in the brief moments when she surfaced. She must have been caught in an unexpected wave and pulled out to sea!

Swiftly, I started toward her and then stopped myself as I remembered the rules. Merfolk are forbidden from letting humans see us. But she looked so tired! If I didn’t help her, she was going to drown!

Then I had an idea. Quietly, I used my powers to push waves toward the little girl. The water was strong and could help her back to the beach, where I could see what must be her family running around looking for her. The little girl started to move with my waves, slowly at first, then faster and faster as I sent more and more powerful water surging toward her. Soon the little human was cruising toward the sand, riding on top of my waves without a surfboard! I sighed in relief when she finally made it to her parents’ arms. They scooped her up in a big hug and waded back to the beach.

I beamed with pride and Bubbles chirped happily over and over again, finally relaxing from his frenzy. But as I turned to go home, I remembered the pretend mermaid from the rocks. Taking a deep breath and straightening my satchel strap, I headed toward home, knowing what I’d have to do. “Come on Bubbles. I need to talk to my father.”