`` The sea nymphs are good creatures , and will never lead you into any harm . But you must take care not to stray away from them , nor go wandering about the fields by yourself . Young girls , without their mothers to take care of them , are very apt to get into mischief . '' The child promised to be as prudent as if she were a grown-up woman ; and , by the time the winged dragons had whirled the car out of sight , she was already on the shore , calling to the sea nymphs to come and play with her . They knew Proserpina 's voice , and were not long in showing their glistening faces and sea-green hair above the water , at the bottom of which was their home . They brought along with them a great many beautiful shells ; and sitting down on the moist sand , where the surf wave broke over them , they busied themselves in making a necklace , which they hung round Proserpina 's neck . By way of showing her gratitude , the child besought them to go with her a little way into the fields , so that they might gather abundance of flowers , with which she would make each of her kind playmates a wreath . `` O no , dear Proserpina , '' cried the sea nymphs ; `` we dare not go with you upon the dry land . We are apt to grow faint , unless at every breath we can snuff up the salt breeze of the ocean . And do n't you see how careful we are to let the surf wave break over us every moment or two , so as to keep ourselves comfortably moist ? If it were not for that , we should look like bunches of uprooted seaweed dried in the sun . `` It is a great pity , '' said Proserpina . `` But do you wait for me here , and I will run and gather my apron full of flowers , and be back again before the surf wave has broken ten times over you . I long to make you some wreaths that shall be as lovely as this necklace of many colored shells . '' `` We will wait , then , '' answered the sea nymphs . `` But while you are gone , we may as well lie down on a bank of soft sponge under the water . The air to-day is a little too dry for our comfort . But we will pop up our heads every few minutes to see if you are coming . '' The young Proserpina ran quickly to a spot where , only the day before , she had seen a great many flowers . These , however , were now a little past their bloom ; and wishing to give her friends the freshest and loveliest blossoms , she strayed farther into the fields , and found some that made her scream with delight .
Never had she met XXXXX such exquisite flowers before -- violets so large and fragrant -- roses with so rich and delicate a blush -- such superb hyacinths and such aromatic pinks -- and many others , some of which seemed to be of new shapes and colors .
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