“Oh, no, no,” cried the Star Princess. “Let me die! I will never be your wife.” “It is far too noble a fate for her,” grumbled the cruel mermaid. “Such as she should not have honors like that. Will you be my son’s bride or will you not?” she demanded. “Oh, no, never, never!” answered the Star Princess, with a shudder. “Then you shall be tormented with such tortures as you never dreamed of,” cried the mermaid angrily; and she caught hold of the Star Princess to drag her away. “Not yet,” interposed the merking. “You know how to give hard tasks. Give her a task or two, and she will be glad enough to be free from you and come to me.” “Tasks she shall have,” declared the mermaid, “and such ones that she will plead and beg to come to you. Come, earth creature,” she called; and, clutching her prisoner, she dragged her away to a horrible cavern full of sea-monsters. To one of them she said, “Go with the earth creature and do not let her out of your sight.” Then she turned to the Star Princess. “My son’s throne needs jewels,” she said. “Go, and within three days bring me ten thousand pearls.” The Star Princess was in despair; but it was worse, she thought, to be the bride of the merking than even to have the dreadful sea-monster for a jailer, and she followed him meekly. “Where do you intend to go?” he asked. “Indeed, I do not know,” she replied. “Then you may as well stay here,” the sea-monster said, with a horrible grin. “Oh, I don’t dare,” moaned the Star Princess. “What shall I do! what shall I do!” Even the sea-monster could not help being just a little sorry for her, and he said grimly:-- “You can come this way if you like. It is better than staying there.” And she followed him gladly, for anything was better than staying with the merking and his mother. As they went on through the water, she noticed a little sculpin that seemed determined to go with them. It was ugly, indeed, but it kept between her and the sea-monster, and she was grateful. Somehow she felt that the little creature was her friend; and when it came nearer and even touched her hand, she did not draw back, but was glad of its company. After a long, long while, the sea-monster stopped before a bank of jagged rocks. “There are the pearl oysters,” it said, “thousands of them. Perhaps you can get them to give up their treasures.” The creature laughed scornfully and added, “You can’t get away very well, and I shall take a nap. Wake me when you get your pearls.” The Star Princess was in despair, but as soon as the monster was fairly asleep, the little sculpin had something to say.