The Little Merman

Chapter 3: Rescue from the storm

One by one, the brothers reached fifteen and were allowed to swim above the waves. The little merman watched them rise up, hand in hand, longing for the day he could join them.
As time dragged on, the little merman spent hours with his statue. "I can't wait to see what dry land looks like," he told her.
Finally, the year.... then the month... then the day of his fifteenth birthday arrived. As soon as the celebrations were over, he set off for the surface.
"Goodbye!" he called to his brothers, rising up like a bubble of air. With each swish of his tail, the water felt lighter.
His head broke through the waves and he gasped. The sun was setting, just as his brother had described. And there, ahead, floated a ship.
The little merman swam closer. Lanterns hung from the masts and lively music filled the air. Closer still, he saw people dancing on deck.
He stared in delight as their two legs carried them back and forth. A beautiful young geisha appeared, wearing a hairpin.
"Happy birthday, Princess Mirei!" the people shouted, as a hundred rockets exploded in the sky.

The little merman watched the princess, enchanted. It was as if his statue had come to life.
Suddenly, the weather turned stormy and everyone ran below deck. Waves rose up like mountains around the creaking ship and a streak of lightning split the dark clouds.
The little merman rode the surf with glee, but then he heard cries from the ship. The wind and waves were battering it apart, tossing terrified people into the foaming sea.

The merman was horrified. "They'll never survive without tails," he thought. "Oh, the poor princess. I must find her..."

He searched everywhere, diving between beams and planks.
At last he saw her, clinging to a broken mast.
He pulled the princess to a sheltered cove and let the waves wash her ashore.
"Thank you," she murmured.

The little merman watched from a clump of seaweed. As the dawn light warned the sky, a pretty boy came and helped the princess to her feet. Smiling, she looked out to sea, then walked away.