The president spoke as tears fell profusely.
The two sisters told their parents that they had not interfered in saving them from the king, and that it was the mermaid who had rescued them.
The father was perplexed by their words. He sat looking down at the valley and said:
"The mermaid… she is bewildering. When I was asleep, I felt something carrying me. Did she carry us?"
He asked his daughters:
"Where is the mermaid?"
The two sisters pointed to the middle of the valley.
"She's there, our vanished sister."
Father: "Rather, say our friend."
Sisters: "Yes, father, she is our sister. We saw her, spoke to her, and she promised to save you."
Father: "If that is true, we will not go home until your sister appears."
Everyone sat on the edge of the valley, waiting for something to emerge. Suddenly, the water rose and the captain of the ship appeared, shouting:
"Why didn't you leave this place? We must go with the mermaid before the valley dries up!"
Everyone stood, crying and shouting:
"We want the mermaid to go with us!"
The captain's tears fell as he heard their voices. He rushed into the water, searching for the mermaid.
Captain: "Mermaid, you are here, and your family is crying for you!"
Mermaid: "I am crying too… I am in trouble. I want to return to them, but I cannot."
Captain: "I will call all the fish. Let them sing a farewell hymn. Let their voices rise like the spray of departure. They will gather around you, carry you to the edge of the valley, and you shall walk out to them."
The captain of the ship called out to the fishes, who gathered around him, and he told them to sing together.