Beneath the vast, endless ocean, where the water shimmered like liquid sapphire and strange creatures glowed in the darkness, there lived a young mermaid with hair like spun gold and eyes as deep as the sea. She was the youngest daughter of the mighty Sea King, and while her five sisters were content with their undersea world, her heart longed for something more.
The Little Mermaid spent her days listening to stories of the world above, imagining the warmth of the sun, the rustle of wind through trees, and the laughter of humans. When she turned fifteen, she was finally allowed to rise to the surface and see it all for herself.
That night, as the moon cast silver ribbons across the waves, she swam up and beheld a grand ship sailing across the water. Lanterns glowed, music played, and men and women danced in elegant gowns. But her eyes fell upon one man—a prince. He stood at the bow, smiling as the wind tousled his dark hair. The moment she saw him, her heart was lost.
Then, without warning, a violent storm crashed over the sea. The waves roared, lightning split the sky, and the ship was torn apart like a fragile toy. The prince was thrown into the churning water, sinking into the abyss.
The Little Mermaid acted without thinking. She dove through the storm, caught him in her arms, and carried him to shore. He lay there, unconscious, as she gazed at him with love and sorrow. But before he could wake, she heard footsteps—humans approaching! Frightened, she slipped beneath the waves, watching as a princess found him. When he opened his eyes, he saw the princess and believed she had saved him.
Heartbroken, the Little Mermaid returned to the sea, but she could not forget the prince. She longed to be with him, to walk on land and tell him the truth. And so, in desperation, she sought out the Sea Witch, a powerful sorceress who lived in a cave of swirling shadows.
“I can give you legs,” the Sea Witch purred, her black eyes glinting. “But there is a price.”
“What is it?” the Little Mermaid asked.
“You must give me your voice,” the witch said. “You will never speak again. And if the prince marries another, you will dissolve into sea foam at dawn.”
The Little Mermaid hesitated. Her voice was the most beautiful in the ocean. But for love? She would give anything.
She drank the potion and pain wracked her body as her tail split into two slender legs. Crawling onto the shore, she was found by the prince, who marveled at her beauty and took her to his palace. Though she could not speak, he was enchanted by her gentle ways, and she stayed by his side. But he did not love her as she loved him. His heart belonged to the princess who had found him.
One day, the prince announced his wedding—to the other princess. The Little Mermaid watched, silent and sorrowful, as they celebrated their love. That night, her sisters rose from the sea, their hair shorn and their faces pale.
“We traded our hair for this,” they whispered, handing her a gleaming dagger. “If you kill the prince before sunrise, you can return to the sea.”
The Little Mermaid took the dagger and crept into the prince’s chamber. There he lay, peaceful in sleep, his bride beside him. The blade trembled in her hands. But she could not do it. She loved him too much.
As the sun rose, she stepped onto the deck of the ship and cast the dagger into the sea. A single tear slipped down her cheek as she let the waves take her. Her body dissolved into foam, but she did not vanish. Instead, she rose into the sky, joining the spirits of the air, who whispered, Because you chose kindness, you have been granted a new fate.
The Little Mermaid had lost her love, but she had gained something greater—a soul that would one day reach heaven. And with that, she soared, free at last.