Part 3
Sir Patrick spent a lot of time with the mermaid, hiding her inside his boat. She didn’t speak except to sing at the fishes, but she was clearly intelligent enough to understand him.
One day, Sir Patrick had some serious business to attend to in the mainland.
The shopkeeper caught him mumbling in front of his gift shop, “What should I get her?”
“Daughter or niece?” the shopkeeper asked, sizing him up.
Sir Patrick was caught unaware. “Ugh… I dunno. I mean, she’s my niece, but I don’t know what to get her.”
“What does she like?” the shopkeeper said, trying to be helpful.
“Well, the sea, definitely. And fish. And music.”
“I see. Well, my niece likes this snow globe very much. She finds it very pretty,” the shopkeeper said, picking said snow globe from the shelf.
Sir Patrick ac
