The Sea Fairies

Written by L. Frank Baum

Trot" Griffiths is a small girl living on the coast of California, her close friend and companion is Cap'n Bill, formerly her father's employer and now a retired seaman with a wooden leg. As they walk along the beach one day, Trot wishes that she could see a mermaid. Nearby mermaids overhear her, and grant her wish, appearing to her and the Cap'n the next day. The mermaids explain that they are "sea fairies," and offer the girl a chance to experience their world. Trot is eager to go; Bill is not, but is too loyal to let Trot go by herself. Magically transformed, the two embark on an underwater adventure.

The two see amazing sights in the domain of King Anko and Queen Aquareine, including an octopus who is mortified to learn that he is the symbol of the Standard Oil Company. They also encounter a villain called Zog the Magician, a monstrous hybrid of man, animal, and fish. Zog and his Sea Devils capture Trot and Cap'n Bill and hold them prisoner. The two protagonists discover that many sailors who are thought to have drowned have actually been transformed into zombie-like gilled slaves by Zog. Trot and the Cap'n survive Zog's challenges, and the villain is eventually defeated by the forces of good. Trot and Cap'n Bill are returned to human form at the end of their undersea adventure.