look ! what is that bright thing that is moving so swiftly towards us ? ' And the queen started up , and stood on her tail , so excited was she . A silence fell on all the crowd , and even the grumblers held their peace and gazed like the rest . On and on came the fish , holding the crown tightly in her mouth , and the others moved back to let her pass . On she went right up to the queen , who bent and , taking the crown , placed it on her own head . Then a wonderful thing happened . Her tail dropped away or , rather , it divided and grew into two legs and a pair of the prettiest feet in the world , while her maidens , who were grouped around her , shed their scales and became girls again . They all turned and looked at each other first , and next at the little fish who had regained her own shape and was more beautiful than any of them . ` It is you who have given us back our life ; you , you ! ' they cried ; and fell to weeping from very joy . So they all went back to earth and the queen 's palace , and quite forgot the one that lay under the sea . But they had been so long away that they found many changes . The prince , the queen 's husband , had died some years since , and in his place was her son , who had grown up and was king ! Even in his joy at seeing his mother again an air of sadness clung to him , and at last the queen could bear it no longer , and begged him to walk with her in the garden . Seated together in a bower of jessamine -- where she had passed long hours as a bride -- she took her son 's hand and entreated him to tell her the cause of his sorrow . ` For , ' said she , ` if I can give you happiness you shall have it . ' ` It is no use , ' answered the prince ; ` nobody can help me . I must bear it alone . ' ` But at least let me share your grief , ' urged the queen .
` No one can do that , ' XXXXX he . '
answered became came give grew grouped looked said started turned