【TheMermaidBalloon"Mum！"littleDesireesaid，"It'smydaddy'sbirthday．HowwillIsendhimabirthdaycard？"Hermotherlookedatherandsighed．Shedidn'tknowwhattosay．Desiree'sfatherhaddiedninemonthsearler】

　　TheMermaidBalloon

　　"Mum！"littleDesireesaid，"It'smydaddy'sbirthday．HowwillIsendhimabirthdaycard？"Hermotherlookedatherandsighed．Shedidn'tknowwhattosay．Desiree'sfatherhaddiedninemonthsearler．Desireedidn'tunderstand．Shewasonlyfouryearsold．

　　"Ihaveanidea，"hermothersaid．"Let'swriteyourdaddyaletter．Wecantiethelettertoaballoonandsendituptoheaven（天堂）．Whatshouldwewrite？"

　　Desireetoldhermothertowrite，"HappyBirthday，Daddy．Iloveyouandmissyou．PleasewritemeonmybirthdayinJanuary．"

　　Desiree'smotherwrotethemessageandtheiraddressonasmallpieceofpaper．Thentheywenttoastoretobuyaballoon．Desireelookedquicklyattheballoonsandsaid，"Thatone!Theonewiththemermaid（美人鱼）！"

　　Theyboughtthemermaidballoonandtiedthelettertoit．ThenDesireelettheballoongo．

　　DesireereleasedtheballooninCalifornia．Thewindcaughttheballoonandcarriediteast．Fourdayslater，itcamedown3，000milesaway，nearalakeineasternCanada．ThenameofthelakewasMermaidLake．

　　WadeMacKinnon，aCanadianman，washuntingducksatMermaidLakewhenhefoundDesiree'sballoonandletter．Hetookthemhometohiswife．ShedecidedtosendDesireeabirthdaypresent．Shealsowroteheraletter．Thelettersaid：

　　DearDesiree，

　　HappyBirthdayfromyourdaddy．Iguessyouwonderwhoweare．Well，myhusband，Wode，wentduckhunting，andguesswhathefound？Amermaidballoonthatyousentyourdaddy．Therearenostoresinheaven，soyourdaddywantedsomeonetodohisshoppingforhim．IthinkhepickedusbecauseweliveinatowncalledMermaid．Iknowyourdaddylovesyouverymuchandwillalwayswatchoveryou．

　　Lotsoflove，

　　TheMacKinnons

　　Desiree'smotherwrotetheMackinnonstothankthem．Duringthenextfewweeks，sheandtheMacKinnonstelephonedeachotheroften．ThenDesireeandhermotherflewtoCanadatomeettheMacKinnons．TheMacKinnonstookthemtoMermaidLakeandshowedthemwheretheballoonlanded．

　　Now，wheneverDesireewantstotalkaboutherfather，shecallstheMacKinnons．Aftershetalkstothem，shefeelsbetter．

　　Peopleoftensay，"