And yet _why_ it seemed to her so strange and unnatural I cannot well explain; if I could, my words would be as good as pictures, which I know they are not.
After all, it was only the sea she saw; but such a great, strange, silent sea, for there were no waves.

Griselda was seated on the shore, close beside the water's edge, but it did not come lapping up to her feet in the pretty, coaxing way that _our_ sea does when it is in a good humour.

There were here and there faint ripples on the surface, caused by the slight breezes which now and then came softly round Griselda's face, but that was all.

King Canute might have sat "from then till now" by this still, lifeless ocean without the chance of reading his silly attendants a lesson--if, indeed, there ever were such silly people, which I very much doubt.
Griselda gazed with all her eyes.

Then she suddenly gave a little shiver.
"What's the matter ?" said the cuckoo.