(1836)
Far out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest
cornflower, and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed,
that no cable could fathom it: many church steeples, piled one upon another,
would not reach from the ground beneath to the surface of the water above.
There dwell the Sea King and his subjects. We must not imagine that there
is nothing at the bottom of the sea but bare yellow sand. No, indeed; the
most singular flowers and plants grow there; the leaves and stems of which
are so pliant, that the slightest agitation of the water causes them to stir as if
they had life. Fishes, both large and small, glide between the branches, as
birds fly among the trees here upon land. In the deepest spot of all, stands
the castle of the Sea King. Its walls are built of coral, and the long, gothic
windows are of the clearest amber. The roof is formed of shells, that open
and close as the water flows over them. Their appearance is very beautiful,
for in each lies a glittering pearl, which would be fit for the diadem of a
queen.
