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You have lived here by yourself until you don't know what is real from what isn't. Now, I will make this bargain with you. If you will let me put my finger on this Theeda of yours, and I thereby prove to my own satisfaction that she exists, I will let you use me for your servant the rest of my life. Do you agree? Oscar waited a little while before answering.
'Oh, she has gone into her shell; it is late she must be asleep by this time, answered Oscar. 'You must wait until to-morrow. 'That won't do! said Kanker. 'The agreement was for this evening. If you back out, you become my servant. 'It shall be this evening, then, replied Oscar; 'but you will regret it more than I! And stooping over the vase, he called, 'Theeda! Theeda! wake up! come out!
Then Oscar used to hope that, some day, Theeda would grow up to be as tall, or nearly as tall, as himself, and then come out of the water, and live with him in the cottage. But that did not seem very likely to happen either. And perhaps, after all, they were as near together as many people who live in the same house, and are separated by neither water nor crystal.
Oscar's only regret was that Theeda could not be with him when he took his walks upon the shore. He enjoyed his walks, however, more than he had ever before done, because now the earth and the sea and the sky not only said to him, 'We are like you, Oscar, but also, 'Theeda loves you!
'It is you who have done harm to me, replied Kanker, 'by giving me a box of gunpowder to make a fire with. The explosion has cracked my spectacles. However, I bear no malice. What do you keep that jar of sea-water for? 'Ah! that is where Theeda lives, exclaimed Oscar, rising, with some cheerfulness in his face. 'I had forgotten her. 'Theeda? what is Theeda? demanded Kanker.
And, finally, why should Oscar trouble himself about how anything happened, as long as it did happen, and was agreeable? Probably it was because he already loved this exquisite fairy so much, that he was able to understand what was passing in her mind. He named her Theeda he did not know why, except that that sounded as if it must be her name, and she seemed to be perfectly satisfied with it.
But, in the pearl shell, where formerly Theeda had lived, sat a great ugly crab, twiddling its huge red claws, and peering this way and that with its malicious little eyes, which stuck far out of its head. Oscar was not in the cottage, nor on the shore, nor has he, from that day to this, ever reappeared there.
They waited a moment. There was no movement in the great pearl shell, and Theeda did not appear. 'Come! there's enough of this nonsense! Kanker exclaimed. 'You may as well make up your mind at once to being my servant. 'Not yet! said Oscar, scornfully, and he called in a louder voice, 'Come out, Theeda! Come out I want you! The shell stirred slightly, but still Theeda did not appear.
He never had a pleasant word for anybody; but, if any came near him, he either pettishly hitched himself back into his shell, or else made a vicious snap at the visitor with his claws. He even snapped at Theeda two or three times, and then Oscar wanted to take him out and throw him back into the sea. But Theeda was very forgiving, and would not let this cross little crab be punished.
'I think, now, he said, 'that the wanderer in the forest must have been myself; and the precious pearl that was given to him out of the fountain was you. But who was the blind and dumb man with the onion? At that Theeda's head dropped, and she sank slowly down on the sand, and she hid her face in her hands. 'What is the matter, Theeda? cried Oscar; 'dearest Theeda, what has happened?
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