HOW THE SEA BECAME SALT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 144, 19 June 1926, Page 26

HOW THE SEA BECAME SALT.

Probably you have often wondered why the water iv the sea is salty, w_] B the water in most creeks and rivers is quite fresh. This is the reason why Down in the depths of the sea lire hundreds of little sea fairies, and the most mischievous of them all is Tinkle a merry little sea-elf. One of lis worst faults is his curiosity, which is continually getting him into trouble. One afternoon Tinkle felt very mischievous, indeed: and after "playing several tricks on different people, he decided to visit a cavern on the seashore, in which Stormere, a wizard, lived! Stormere happened to be visiting a fellow wizard that day, and Tinkfe knew that. He hastened into the cavern and gazed around him in some bewilderment.'for it was very dark inside. As his eyes grew aeeustomed to the gloom he managed to discern several casks and boxes. . One cask had "salt" printed on it, and when Tinkle saw that he began to laugh/for he had never heard of salt before. He nimbly hopped on to the edge of the cask, and rather timidly tasted the salt Just as he did so a voice roared, "Who is in my cavern?" It was the wizard! Tinkle rushed to the edge of the cavern and tumbled into the sea. The wizard tried to stop him, but he merely succeeded in knocking over the cask containing the salt, which all fell into the sea. The wizard was very angry, but as he lost his power when off land he could not hurt naughty Tinkle. But from that day the sea has been salt.