22. Ariel Gets Into Trouble

There is a line to a yard at the end of Ariel's branch. It goes

along the road. Ariel is careful to eek around here, incase someone was approaching. One day, a policeman was sitting near the line. Ariel liked policemen. She had been good friends with the one who had just retired. Eeek! she said. Ariel thought the new policeman would be nice too.

But he wasn't. He had a red face, and was very angry. Deception! he said. ''I didn't sleep at all last night. It was very quiet, and now mermaids eek behind me! Sorry, sir.'' Ariel said. I just said good morning. The policeman looked

at Ariel. Do you have a small tail? he asked. I don't have a small tail. Don't be silly. said the policeman. He looked at Ariel's eyes. No beady eyes? And he wrote in his book, Mermaids going near public roads should have a small tail, and beady eyes. You don't have, so you're dangerous. Oh, trash! said Ariel's worker. We've been

here plenty of times and never crashed! Even worse!'' said the policeman. He wrote, Law Breaker, in his notebook. Ariel was out of sight. King Triton was having toast and coffee. The butler arrived. ''Excuse me, Your Majesty. You need to speak on the telephone. Oh, that telephone!'' King Triton said. I'm so sorry, he said to his queen. Ariel is in trouble with a police, and I need to see what's wrong. At the junction, Ariel's worker told King Triton what happened. ''Dangerous, eh? We'll soon see!'' King Triton had a talk with the police. But it was no use arguing. The rules are the rules, he said. It cannot be changed. King Triton was tired. I'm sorry, worker. he said. ''It is no good. We will give Ariel a smaller tail. Everyone will laugh ate me!'' Ariel said. They'd say I look like a small fish! King Triton stared. Then, he chuckled. Great job, Ariel! ''I should have thought of that! We need a small fish! When I went on a holiday, I met a small fish named Swifty. He takes carts from the villages, but the

tractors are doing his work, and he has to change it. He has a small tail and beady eyes. I'll write to his master.

A few days later, Swifty came. That's a nice fish. said King Triton. I see you have your stuff. Do you mind, your Majesty? Swifty asked. A man wanted to use it as a henhouse, and that would never happen. Of course not. agreed King Triton. We shall not let it happen. Swifty made the foolish carts behave. You there!

At first, Ariel was a little jealous. But she was surprised when Swifty rang his bell and scared the policeman. They became good friends.

by Julian Ayele Cumberbatch