Farewell , poor mother , you shall see your little child again , if Fairy power can win him back . '' And with these cheering words Ripple sprang into the sea ; while , smiling through her tears , the woman watched the gentle Spirit , till her bright crown vanished in the waves . When Ripple reached her home , she hastened to the palace of the Queen , and told her of the little child , the sorrowing mother , and the promise she had made . `` Good little Ripple , '' said the Queen , when she had told her all , `` your promise never can be kept ; there is no power below the sea to work this charm , and you can never reach the Fire-Spirits ' home , to win from them a flame to warm the little body into life . I pity the poor mother , and would most gladly help her ; but alas ! I am a Spirit like yourself , and can not serve you as I long to do . '' `` Ah , dear Queen ! if you had seen her sorrow , you too would seek to keep the promise I have made . I can not let her watch for ME in vain , till I have done my best : then tell me where the Fire-Spirits dwell , and I will ask of them the flame that shall give life to the little child and such great happiness to the sad , lonely mother : tell me the path , and let me go . '' `` It is far , far away , high up above the sun , where no Spirit ever dared to venture yet , '' replied the Queen . `` I can not show the path , for it is through the air . Dear Ripple , do not go , for you can never reach that distant place : some harm most surely will befall ; and then how shall we live , without our dearest , gentlest Spirit ? Stay here with us in your own pleasant home , and think more of this , for I can never let you go . '' But Ripple would not break the promise she had made , and besought so earnestly , and with such pleading words , that the Queen at last with sorrow gave consent , and Ripple joyfully prepared to go . She , with her sister Spirits , built up a tomb of delicate , bright-colored shells , wherein the child might lie , till she should come to wake him into life ; then , praying them to watch most faithfully above it , she said farewell , and floated bravely forth , on her long , unknown journey , far away . `` I will search the broad earth till I find a path up to the sun , or some kind friend who will carry me ; for , alas ! I have no wings , and can not glide through the blue air as through the sea , '' said Ripple to herself , as she went dancing over the waves , which bore her swiftly onward towards a distant shore . Long she journeyed through the pathless ocean , with no friends to cheer her , save the white sea-birds who went sweeping by , and only stayed to dip their wide wings at her side , and then flew silently away . Sometimes great ships sailed by , and then with longing eyes did the little Spirit gaze up at the faces that looked down upon the sea ; for often they were kind and pleasant ones , and she gladly would have called to them and asked them to be friends . But they would never understand the strange , sweet language that she spoke , or even see the lovely face that smiled at them above the waves ; her blue , transparent garments were but water to their eyes , and the pearl chains in her hair but foam and sparkling spray ; so , hoping that the sea would be most gentle with them , silently she floated on her way , and left them far behind .
At length green hills were seen , and the waves gladly bore the little Spirit on , till , rippling gently over soft white sand , they XXXXX her on the pleasant shore .
Fire-Spirits Queen Ripple besought happiness left ocean promise sea sea-birds