I have never come across one . ' And the men answered that it was the name given to the fairy that dwelt in the lake , and that she was rich -- oh ! richer than all the kings in the world put together . Many had gone to the island to try and get possession of her treasures , but no one had ever come back . As he listened Houarn 's mind was made up . ' I will go , and return too , ' he said to the muleteers . They stared at him in astonishment , and besought him not to be so mad and to throw away his life in such a foolish manner ; but he only laughed , and answered that if they could tell him of any other way in which to procure a cow and a pig to fatten , he would think no more about it . But the men did not know how this was to be done , and , shaking their heads over his obstinacy , left him to his fate . So Houarn went down to the sea , and found a boatman who engaged to take him to the isle of Lok . The island was large , and lying almost across it was a lake , with a narrow opening to the sea . Houarn paid the boatman and sent him away , and then proceeded to walk round the lake . At one end he perceived a small skiff , painted blue and shaped like a swan , lying under a clump of yellow broom . As far as he could see , the swan 's head was tucked under its wing , and Houarn , who had never beheld a boat of the sort , went quickly towards it and stepped in , so as to examine it the better . But no sooner was he on board than the swan woke suddenly up ; his head emerged from under his wing , his feet began to move in the water , and in another moment they were in the middle of the lake . As soon as the young man had recovered from his surprise , he prepared to jump into the lake and swim to shore . But the bird had guessed his intentions , and plunged beneath the water , carrying Houarn with him to the palace of the Groac ` h. Now , unless you have been under the sea and beheld all the wonders that lie there , you can never have an idea what the Groac ` h 's palace was like . It was all made of shells , blue and green and pink and lilac and white , shading into each other till you could not tell where one colour ended and the other began . The staircases were of crystal , and every separate stair sang like a woodland bird as you put your foot on it . Round the palace were great gardens full of all the plants that grow in the sea , with diamonds for flowers . In a large hall the Groac ' h was lying on a couch of gold .
The pink and white of her face reminded you of the shells XXXXX her palace , while her long black hair was intertwined with strings of coral , and her dress of green silk seemed formed out of the sea .
In as at beneath from of on over till under