A long time ago, just before World War 1 began, a family of four moved to a place called Sun Valley. The couple had two children Sally and Jack. Jack was ten and sally was six.

They built a small hut made out of thick straw. Sun Valley was a desert. There was only one living tree. That one tree had lush leaves a dark brown, bumpy bark. Out of that whole desert there were two water holes. The couple and the children lived near the deepest one.

One day Jack went down to the waterhole to get some water. Just when he puts the pail into the water something grabbed it, he saw the tail flick up and Jack knew it was a mermaid.

He ran all the way home. "Sally!" Jack called. "There is a mermaid in the waterhole and it won’t let me get any water."
"I know what to do," Said Sally "get some of mother’s jewellery and we will take it to the mermaid."

Lucky Sally said that because it worked!