Wet Magic
Reuben took the tail and hastened away.
"Now," said the Princess. And they all began putting on their tails. It was like putting both your feet into a very large stocking. Then came the mail coats.
"Don't we have swords?" Francis asked, looking down at his slim and silvery extremity.
"Swords? In the Crustacean Brigade? Never forget, children, that you belong to the Princess's Own Oysters. Here are your weapons." She pointed to a heap of large oyster shells, as big as Roman shields.
"See," she said, "you hold them this way as a rule. A very powerful spring is released when you hold them that way."
"But what do you do with it?" Mavis asked.
"Nip the feet of the enemy," said the Princess, "and it holds on. Under Folk have no tails. You wait till they are near a rock; then nip a foe-man's foot with your good weapon, laying the other end on the rock. The oyster shell will at once attach itself to the rock and . . ."
A terrible shout rang out, and the Princess stopped.
"What is it; oh, what is it?" said the children. And the Princess shuddered.
Again that shout—the most terrible sound the children had ever heard.
"What is it?" they said again.
The Princess drew herself up, as if ashamed of her momentary weakness, and said:
"It is the war cry of the Under Folk."
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