`` Not I ; for I 've been very careful all my life to keep out of the way of danger : I 'm not like one of my relations , who attacked a ship , gave it such a dreadful blow that he made a great hole , the water rushed in , and the vessel was wrecked . But he paid dearly for that prank ; for a few months afterward another ship harpooned him very easily , finding two spears still in him , and a wound in his head . I forgot to mention , that the Sperms have fine ivory teeth , and make ambergris , -- a sort of stuff that smells very nice , and costs a great deal . I give you these little facts about my family , as you seem interested , and it 's always well to improve the minds of young people . '' `` You are very kind ; but will you be good enough to tell about yourself ? '' said Freddy again ; for the bone seemed to avoid that part of the story , as if he did n't want to tell it . `` Well , if I must , I must ; but I 'm sorry to confess what a fool I 've been . You know what coral is , do n't you ? '' `` No , '' said Freddy , wondering why it asked . `` Then I must tell you , I suppose . There is a bit in the house there , -- that rough , white , stony stuff on the table in the parlor . It 's full of little holes , you know . Well , those holes are the front doors of hundreds of little polypes , or coral worms , who build the great branches of coral , and live there . They are of various shapes and colors , -- some like stars ; some fine as a thread , and blue or yellow ; others like snails and tiny lobsters . Some people say the real coral-makers are shaped like little oblong bags of jelly , closed at one end , the other open , with six or eight little feelers , like a star , all around it . The other creatures are boarders or visitors : these are the real workers , and , when they sit in their cells and put out their feelers , they make all manner of lovely colors under the water , -- crimson , green , orange , and violet . But if they are taken up or touched , the coral people go in doors , and the beautiful hues disappear . They say there are many coral reefs and islands built by these industrious people , in the South Seas ; but I ca n't go there to see , and I am contented with those I find in the northern latitudes . I knew such a community of coral builders , and used to watch them long ago , when they began to work . It was a charming spot , down under the sea ; for all manner of lovely plants grew there ; splendid fishes sailed to and fro ; wonderful shells lay about ; crimson and yellow prawns , long , gliding green worms , and purple sea-urchins , were there .
When I asked the XXXXX what they were doing , and they answered , ` Building an island , ' I laughed at them ; for the idea that these tiny , soft atoms could make any thing was ridiculous .
Freddy ambergris coral-makers fro lobsters months polypes prawns sea-urchins spears