human
Welcome, friends! said Anko, pleasantly.
gpt
How do you like my home?
human
It's very grand,
gpt
Just the place for a sea serpent, seems to me,
human
I'm glad you admire it, said the King.
gpt
Perhaps I ought to tell you that from this day you four belong to me.
human
How's that?
gpt
It is a law of the ocean, declared Anko,
human
Do you mean Captain Kidd? asked Trot,
gpt
Give him his full name, said Anko.
human
Captain Kid Glove was--
gpt
There's no glove to it, protested Trot.
human
I ought to know, 'cause I've read about him.
gpt
Didn't it say anything about a glove?
human
Nothing at all. It jus' called him Cap'n Kidd,
gpt
She's right, ol' man,
human
Books, said the Sea Serpent,
gpt
Oh! you told me to remind you of that third pain,
human
Which proves my friendship for you, returned the Sea Serpent, blinking his blue eyes thoughtfully.
gpt
No one likes to be reminded of a pain, and that third pain was--was--
human
What was it?
gpt
It was a stomach ache,
human
What made it?
gpt
Just my carelessness, said Anko.
human
I'd been away to foreign parts, seeing how the earth people were getting along. I found the Germans dancing the german, and the Dutch making dutch cheese, and the Belgians combing their belgian hares, and the Turks eating turkey, and the Sardinians sardonically pickling sardines. Then I called on the Prince of Whales, and--
gpt
You mean the Prince of Wales,
human
I mean what I say, my dear. I saw the battlefield where the Bull Run but the Americans didn't, and when I got to France I paid a napoleon to see Napoleon with his bones apart. He was--
gpt
Of course, you mean--
human
He was very hungry for Hungary, he continued,
gpt
But the pain--
human
On the way home, continued Anko, calmly,
gpt
I was a little absent-minded and ate an anchor. There was a long chain attached to it; and as I continued to swallow the anchor I continued to eat the chain. I never realized what I had done until I found a ship on the other end of the chain. Then I bit it off.
human
The ship?
gpt
No; the chain. I didn't care for the ship, as I saw it contained some skippers. On the way home the chain and anchor began to lie heavily on my stomach. I didn't seem to digest them properly, and by the time I got to my palace, where you will notice there is no throne, I was thrown into throes of severe pain. So I at once sent for Dr. Shark--
human
Are all your doctors sharks?
gpt
Yes; aren't your doctors sharks?
human
Not all of them,
gpt
That is true, remarked Cap'n Bill.
human
But when you talk of lawyers--
gpt
I'm not talking of lawyers, said Anko, reprovingly;
human
I'm talking about my pain. I don't imagine anyone could suffer more than I did with that stomach ache.
gpt
Did you suffer long?
human
Why, about seven thousand four hundred and eighty-two feet and--
gpt
I mean a long time.
human
It seemed like a long time, answered the King.
gpt
Dr. Shark said I ought to put a mustard poultice on my stomach; so I uncoiled myself and summoned my servants, and they began putting on the mustard plaster. It had to be bound all around me, so it wouldn't slip off, and I began to look like an express package. In about four weeks fully one-half of the pain had been covered by the mustard poultice, which got so hot that it hurt me worse than the stomach ache did.
human
I know, said Trot.
gpt
I had one, once.
human
One what?
gpt
A mustard plaster. They smart pretty bad, but I guess they're a good thing.
human
I got myself unwrapped as soon as I could, continued the King,
gpt
You're lucky, sir, to have escaped so easy, said Cap'n Bill.
human
But you seem pretty well now.
gpt
Yes, I'm more careful of what I eat, replied the Sea Serpent.
human
But I was saying when Trot interrupted me, that you all belong to me, because I have saved your lives. By the law of the ocean you must obey me in everything.
gpt
The law of the ocean isn't _our_ law, 'cause we live on land.
human
Just now you are living in the ocean, declared Anko,
gpt
What are your commands?
human
Ah; that's the point I was coming to, returned the King, with his comical smile.
gpt
The ocean is a beautiful place, and we who belong here love it dearly. In many ways it's a nicer place for a home than the earth, for we have no sunstrokes, mosquitoes, earthquakes or candy shops to bother us. But I am convinced that the ocean is no proper dwelling place for earth people, and I believe the mermaids did an unwise thing when they invited you to visit them.
human
I don't, protested the girl.
gpt
We've had a fine time; haven't we, Cap'n Bill?
human
Well, it's been diff'rent from what I expected,
gpt
Our only thought was to give the earth people pleasure, your Majesty,
human
I know; I know, my dear Queen; and it was very good of you, replied Anko.
gpt
But, still it was an unwise act, for earth people are as constantly in danger under water as we would be upon the land. So, having won the right to command you all, I order you to take little Mayre and Cap'n Bill straight home, and there restore them to their natural forms. It's a dreadful condition, I know, and they must each have two stumbling legs instead of a strong, beautiful fishtail; but it is the fate of earth dwellers, and they cannot escape it.
human
In my case, your Majesty, made it _one_ leg,
gpt
Ah, yes; I remember. One leg, and a wooden stick to keep it company. I issue this order, my friends, not because I am not fond of your society, but to keep you from getting into more trouble in a country where all is strange and unnatural to you. Am I right, or do you think I am wrong?
human
You're quite correct, sir,
gpt
Well, I'm ready to go home, said Trot.
human
But in spite of Zog, I've enjoyed my visit, and I shall always love the mermaids for being so good to me.
gpt
We shall escort you home at once,
human
But before you go, said King Anko,
gpt
I will give you a rare treat. It is one you will remember as long as you live. You shall see every inch of the mightiest sea serpent in the world, all at one time!