42 A Day with the Sea Urchins.

 

of-pearl, and were piled with what appeared to be fruit,
jellies, creams, and ices of all shapes and colours ; raised
pies too I saw—but how they were made or of what
they were made, I do not know, there they were, and
the sight of them made me quite hungry. Just as the
finishing touch was given, a stranger Sea Urchin hurried
in, exclaiming,—

“ Brothers—sisters—hasten to appear,
Form up your ranks, for the great Queen draws near !”

And then, when the Urchins were gathered in two
closely packed lines, stretching from the entrance of the
hall, a wonderful procession was seen advancing. As
the foremost two trumpet-fish—of which six formed the
advance guard—came within their lines, Jasper gave a
signal, and they all struck up what I found was really
their substitute for our ‘God save the Queen.” Jasper,
who was the poet laureate at this time, had composed
and set it himself to the air to which they sang it. I
write it down here word for word as I heard it, and I
wish I could tell you how sweetly it sounded, as one by
one the two long lines of Sea Urchins took it up, and
how their bell-like voices rang it out :—

“ All hail! Aphrodite! .
Sole Queen of the Sea;
Most potent and mighty
We own thee to be!