The reef was very wide, made of pink and white stone, with tall corals rising from the sea-bottom. Clumps of sea-trees and bushes of sea-flowers grew about the base of the corals, and fish darted in and out of their branches, or sat and watched the mer-folk go by.

The sea-tides were strong on the reef, and the water foamed and swirled with the tide, and in great patches of sea-weed or corals there was hardly any water at all, only the weeds and corals rising up out of the foam.

Everywhere the long stems, and great fans, and beautiful bells of the corals were swaying gently in the water, but above the foam the long branches of the sea-trees and sea-weeds waved slowly to and fro.

In and out of the coral, or through the clumps of weeds, and among the clusters of sea-flowers moved the silvery-tailed sea-people; talking together and laughing, or swimming alone, or dancing in groups. Often they stopped to watch the great fishes go by, like shadowy ships moving slowly and quietly though the transparent water.