It was a queer-looking thing , with a wild head , a long waving tail , and something like arms that seemed to paddle it along . The waves tumbled it about , so Fancy could not see very well : but , the longer she looked , the surer she was that this curious thing was a mermaid ; and she waited eagerly for it to reach the shore . Nearer and nearer it came , till a great wave threw it upon the sand ; and Fancy saw that it was only a long piece of kelp , torn up by the roots . She was very much disappointed ; but , all of a sudden , her face cleared up , she clapped her hands , and began to dance round the kelp , saying : `` I 'll make a mermaid myself , since none will come to me . '' Away she ran , higher up the beach , and , after thinking a minute , began her work . Choosing a smooth , hard place , she drew with a stick the outline of her mermaid ; then she made the hair of the brown marsh-grass growing near by , arranging it in long locks on either side the face , which was made of her prettiest pink and white shells , -- for she pulled down her palace to get them . The eyes were two gray pebbles ; the neck and arms of larger , white shells ; and the dress of sea-weed , -- red , green , purple , and yellow ; very splendid , for Fancy emptied her garden to dress her mermaid . `` People say that mermaids always have tails ; and I might make one out of this great leaf of kelp . But it is n't pretty , and I do n't like it ; for I want mine to be beautiful : so I wo n't have any tail , '' said Fancy , and put two slender white shells for feet , at the lower edge of the fringed skirt . She laid a wreath of little star-fish across the brown hair , a belt of small orange-crabs round the waist , buttoned the dress with violet snail-shells , and hung a tiny white pebble , like a pearl , in either ear . `` Now she must have a glass and a comb in her hand , as the song says , and then she will be done , '' said Fancy , looking about her , well pleased . Presently she found the skeleton of a little fish , and his backbone made an excellent comb ; while a transparent jelly-fish served for a glass , with a frame of cockle-shells round it . Placing these in the hands of her mermaid , and some red coral bracelets on her wrists , Fancy pronounced her done ; and danced about her , singing : `` My pretty little mermaid , Oh ! come , and play with me : I 'll love you , I 'll welcome you ; And happy we shall be . '' Now , while she had been working , the tide had crept higher and higher ; and , as she sung , one wave ran up and wet her feet . `` Oh , what a pity I did n't put her farther up ! '' cried Fancy ; `` the tide will wash her all away ; and I meant to keep her fresh , and show her to Aunt Fiction . My poor mermaid ! -- I shall lose her ; but perhaps she will be happier in the sea : so I will let her go . '' Mounting her rock , Fancy waited to see her work destroyed .
But the sea seemed to pity her ; and wave after wave XXXXX up , without doing any harm .
Mounting came crept cried emptied looked put ran reach torn