The restless sea made a noise, the strong wind blew and high, impetuous waves flooded the coast. A small boy, straining his every nerve, tried to swim and called for help, but fast flow took him away to the sea. The boy liked the sea very much. He did not obey his mother and father, who warned him of the storm’s coming, and ran to bathe.
Now the young swimmer found himself in a terrible situation. The unfortunate boy was tired of his fight with water and could faint at that very instant. However, as the saying goes, while there is life, there is hope. It was heard the boy’s shout and the huge seal hurried to him for help.
The boy’s rescuer lived in a beautiful palace, decorating the sea bottom. The seal was the sea lord and ruled the fish kingdom. He felt lonely in his coral palace. The sea lord liked the handsome, nice boy and he swam away with the child to his kingdom. The king brought the boy to a room of the palace and put him to bed carefully.
The sea lord hid and became to wait, when the child would wake up after a long sleep. At last baby, who slept in a glass bed, opened his eyes, half-rose and took a look round. He saw a crystal table near the bed and beautiful, fascinating toys of amber on it. However, having remembered about his wonderful parents and native land, the boy began to cry bitter tears.
“Why are you crying, my dear?” having swum nearer, the seal asked with sympathy.
“I want to come back home,” the baby answered.
“Is your ordinary house indeed better than my palace in the depth of the sea?”
“I want to my family, to my home,” and again the boy cried inconsolably.
The sea lord tried to calm the child, but could do nothing. Then the seal left the room and, when the boy slept as before, he took the baby to another room and put him to a gold bed. This was very rich room, there were tables and chairs made of gold, silver toys of various forms in it. At first the child rejoiced and admired of all this beauty, however soon he remembered his younger brother and sister. Having heard the baby’s loud weeping, the seal came to the room.
“Why are you so unhappy, my boy?” the sea lord was surprised.
“I want to my parents, to my home.”
Then the king collected all the pearls of his palace. He called the boy and showed this miracle. The wonderful pearls sparkled very brightly and blinding, even it seemed to the boy that it became hot.
“Lord, your efforts are for nothing,” the boy said. “What for this treasure? My mother, father, younger brother and sister are dearer for me than the riches of all the world.”
After these words the sea lord understood that the boy made his choice. As soon as the child fell into a doze the seal took the boy from the sea and put him on the coast. Having decided to help the boy’s family, the king put gold coins and pearls in the pockets of the baby’s shirt and trousers. It was a great happiness for his mother, father, younger brother and sister, when the safe and sound boy came back home. Since that time these people did not live in want, they saw their better days, but never forgot about the sea lord and his kindness.
