Sukey and the Mermaid Author:Robert D. San Souci Storyteller say, — This happened oncet upon a time, — on a little island off the coast — of South Carolina. A girl named Sukey lived with her ma and new step-pa. Sukey called her step-pa "Mister Hard-Times." Every day, while he watched, she hoed the weeds in the garden and every day, she sang: Mister Hard-Times, — Since you come — My ma don't like me... more »,
My work never done. But one morning, when her step-pa wasn't looking, Sukey ran away to her secret hiding place by the sea and unwittingly called up Mama Jo, a beautiful black mermaid. The adventures that followed changed her life forever. In this dream-woven story, artfully retold by Robert D. San Souci from an American folktale, a poor girl finds her wishes answered not by treasure, or the sea's magic, but by goodness and love.« less