In the Enchanted Commons, where soft green sea-grass grew beside little blue pools, lived Leemarie the mermaid. Leemarie had a shiny turquoise tail, warm kind eyes, and a tiny pearl bag.
Leemarie was gentle. She liked helping. She helped baby crabs find their holes. She helped sleepy fish find their schools. She even helped a snail turn around when it was going the wrong way.
One bright morning, Leemarie heard a small sound.
“Peep! Peep! Oh, dear!”
It was Phoenix, a little bird with orange, red, and gold feathers. Phoenix could fly very high, but today his wings were droopy.
“What is wrong?” asked Leemarie.
“My lucky shell is gone,” said Phoenix. “It is small. It is round. It has a gold swirl. I keep it in my nest. Now it is not there.”
Leemarie put one hand on Phoenix’s wing. “We can look together.”
Phoenix blinked. “Together?”
“Together,” said Leemarie.
They looked by the splashy pool.
“Shell, shell, where are you?” called Leemarie.
A frog jumped up. “Ribbit! Not under my lily pad!”
They looked behind a tall purple flower.
“Shell, shell, where are you?” called Phoenix.
A sleepy turtle lifted his head. “Not under my nap rock,” he said.
They looked near the giggly reeds. The reeds went swish, swish, swish.
Then they saw Crystal Guardian.
Crystal Guardian was very tall. His body was made of clear, sparkling crystal. His feet went clink, clink on the stones. His bright crystal arms were folded.
“Stop,” said Crystal Guardian in a deep voice.
Phoenix hid behind Leemarie’s tail.
Leemarie felt a little scared. But she took a slow breath. In. Out.
“Hello, Crystal Guardian,” she said softly. “We are looking for Phoenix’s lucky shell.”
Crystal Guardian’s eyes flashed pale blue. “No one may search near the Crystal Bridge,” he said. “The bridge is clean and quiet.”
Phoenix gave a tiny peep. “But my shell may be there.”
Crystal Guardian looked down. He saw Phoenix’s droopy wings. He saw Leemarie’s kind face.
“Why is this shell special?” he asked.
Phoenix held his chest. “My mama found it when I was a baby. When I feel small, I hold it. Then I feel brave.”
Crystal Guardian was quiet. Clink. Clink. His crystal shoulders went down.
“I know about feeling alone,” he said. “I guard the bridge all day. I thought everyone who came near would make a mess.”
Leemarie smiled. “We can be careful. We can look with gentle eyes and gentle hands.”
Crystal Guardian thought for one long moment.
“All right,” he said. “I will help.”
They went to the Crystal Bridge. It shone over a silver stream. Under the bridge, little bubbles popped: plop, plop, plop.
Phoenix flew low. Leemarie swam slowly. Crystal Guardian bent down carefully.
“There!” cried Phoenix.
Something gold glimmered in the reeds.
But it was too far under a little rock.
“I can reach it,” said Leemarie. She wriggled under the bridge. Her tail went swish. Her hair floated like dark seaweed.
“Be careful,” said Phoenix.
“I am careful,” said Leemarie.
She reached one hand toward the golden glimmer. It was Phoenix’s shell! But a tiny baby fish was sleeping on it.
“Oh,” whispered Leemarie. “The baby fish needs a bed.”
Phoenix looked sad, but he nodded. “We can wait.”
Crystal Guardian had an idea. He picked up a smooth crystal leaf. He placed it beside the fish.
“A new bed,” he whispered.
Leemarie made a soft water bubble. The bubble lifted the baby fish, very slowly, very gently. The fish floated onto the crystal leaf and kept sleeping.
Then Leemarie picked up the little shell.
“Your shell!” she said.
Phoenix flapped both wings. “My shell! My lucky shell!”
He held it close. Its gold swirl sparkled. Phoenix’s wings lifted high again.
“Thank you, Leemarie,” he said. “Thank you, Crystal Guardian.”
Crystal Guardian made a small smile. It looked like sunshine in ice.
“I am sorry I said stop,” he said. “You were careful. You were kind.”
“That is okay,” said Leemarie. “Now we are friends.”
Crystal Guardian opened his crystal hand. Inside was a round treasure box, no bigger than an apple.
“For Leemarie,” he said. “For brave, gentle helping.”
Leemarie opened the box. Inside was a beautiful pearl comb with tiny gold stars. When she put it in her hair, it glowed soft blue.
Phoenix danced in the air. “A treasure for our mermaid friend!”
The frog croaked. The turtle clapped his little feet. Even the reeds went swish, swish, swish.
Leemarie smiled. She had helped Phoenix. She had made a new friend. And she had a shining pearl comb to take home in her tiny pearl bag.
As the moon rose over the Enchanted Commons, Phoenix tucked his lucky shell under one wing. Leemarie swam home with her sparkling comb. Crystal Guardian stood by the bridge, not lonely now.
“Good night, friends,” called Leemarie.
“Good night,” said Phoenix.
“Good night,” said Crystal Guardian.
And the silver stream went plop, plop, plop all through the happy night.