Now that it was light out, the road gradually filled with more pedestrians and carriages. Since the princess had rarely set foot outside the palace in the past, people did not recognize her. She was also wearing a veil so that only her eyes showed, but anyone who saw her still exclaimed at her beauty. The people also admired the handsome young carriage driver and chuckled at the sight of the silly old mother holding up the umbrella for her pretty daughter—and what a strange way to keep the umbrella up! It was a bright, sunny day, and everyone thought it was a parasol.
It was noon, and the captain shot two hares with his bow. The three ate by the side of the road in an open space between some trees. Princess Dewdrop caressed the soft grass next to her, inhaled the fragrance of herbs and wildflowers, watched the sunlight dappling the ground, and listened to the birds singing in the woods and some distant shepherd playing his flute—she was curious and delighted by this new world.
But Auntie Wide sighed. “Oh, Princess, I’m so sorry you have to be away from the palace, suffering.”
“I think being outside is better than being in the palace.”
“Silly girl, how can out here be better than the palace? You don’t know what it’s like out here. Right now, it’s spring. But in winter, it’s cold, and in summer, it’s hot. There are gales, and rainstorms, and all kinds of different people out here—”
“I never knew anything about the outside before. In the palace, I studied music, painting, poetry, mathematics, and two languages that no one speaks anymore. But no one told me what was outside. How am I supposed to govern this kingdom?”
“Princess, your ministers will help you.”
“The ministers who would have helped me have all been painted into pictures…. I still think the outside is better.”
A day’s journey lay between the palace and the sea. But the princess’s party avoided the major roads and towns, so they didn’t reach the sea until midnight.
Dewdrop had never seen such a wide, open sky full of stars, and for the first time she felt how
“Listen! What is that? It sounds like a giant breathing.”
“It’s the sound of the sea, Princess.”
They went on a bit farther, and the princess could see vague shapes on both sides—giant bananas?
“What are these?”
The captain stopped, hopped down, and took the torch close to one of the objects. “Princess, you should recognize these.”
“Boats?”
“Yes, boats.”
“Why are the boats… on land?”
“Because the sea has glutton fish.”
The light from the captain’s torch revealed a long-abandoned boat. The sand buried half of it, and the exposed part seemed like the skeleton of some beast.
“Look over there!” The princess pointed ahead. “A big white snake!”
“Don’t be scared, Princess. That’s not a snake, but the surf. We’ve reached the sea.”
The princess and Auntie Wide, who kept the umbrella over her, climbed down from the carriage. She had only seen the sea in pictures before, and those painted seas were blue waves under a blue sky. But the sea she saw now was a black ocean at night, filled with the grandness and mystery of starlight, like another sky in liquid form. The princess advanced toward the sea, as if compelled by some force. The captain and Auntie Wide stopped her.
“It’s dangerous to get too close,” said the captain.
“I don’t think the water is very deep. Will I drown?”
“The glutton fish will tear you apart and eat you!” said Auntie Wide.
The captain picked up a loose plank lying nearby and walked ahead, tossing it into the sea. The plank bobbed over the water a few times before a black shadow surfaced and headed for it. Since most of the shadowy creature was underwater, it was hard to tell how large it was. The scales on its body flickered in the torchlight. Then, three or four more shadows surfaced and also swam for the plank. The shadows fought over the plank, and as the water splashed, the sound of sharp teeth sawing through and crunching the wood could be heard. In a few moments, the shadows and the plank all disappeared.
“They could make short work of even a large ship,” said the captain.
“Where’s Tomb Island?” asked Auntie Wide.
“In that direction.” The captain pointed at the horizon. “But we can’t see it now. We’ll have to wait until daylight.”
They camped on the beach. Auntie Wide handed the spinning umbrella to the captain and retrieved a small wooden basin from the carriage.
“Princess, I’m afraid you won’t be able to bathe tonight. But at least you can wash your face.”
The captain handed the umbrella back to Auntie Wide and took the basin to go find water. His figure disappeared in the night.
“What a good young man.” Auntie Wide yawned.
