There couldn't be half mermaids." "I don't know about that," replied the cuckoo.

"They might have been here once and have left their tails behind them, like Bopeep's sheep, you know; and some day they might be coming to find them again, you know.

That would do for 'not exactly,' wouldn't it ?" "Cuckoo, you're laughing at me," said Griselda.

"Tell me, are there any mermaids, or fairies, or water-sprites, or any of those sort of creatures here ?" "I must still say 'not exactly,'" said the cuckoo.

"There are beings here, or rather there have been, and there may be again; but you, Griselda, can know no more than this." His tone was rather solemn, and again Griselda felt a little "eerie." "It's a dreadfully long way from home, any way," she said.