The Little Mermaid

Once upon a time, deep in the sea, there lived a young mermaid named Ariel. She was the youngest daughter of the Sea King, and though her underwater world was beautiful and vast, Ariel was fascinated by the human world above the waves. Unlike her sisters, who were content with their lives in the sea, Ariel would often explore shipwrecks and collect human objects like forks and trinkets. She dreamed of living among the humans, though she knew it was forbidden by her father.

One day, Ariel swam to the surface and saw a grand ship sailing by. On board was a handsome young prince, whom she instantly fell in love with. As she watched the ship from afar, a sudden storm erupted, and the ship was tossed by huge waves. Ariel watched in horror as the prince was thrown overboard.

Without hesitation, Ariel swam through the storm and rescued him, bringing him to shore. She stayed by his side until he was safe, gazing at him with love and longing. As the prince began to wake up, Ariel heard people approaching and quickly dived back into the sea. The prince, dazed, caught only a glimpse of her before she disappeared, but he remembered her beautiful voice.

Ariel could not stop thinking about the prince. She longed to be human and live on land with him, but she knew it was impossible—at least, until she thought of the Sea Witch.

The Sea Witch, a powerful and dangerous sorceress, lived in a dark cave far from the kingdom. Though Ariel was warned to stay away from her, she was determined to find a way to be with the prince. So, Ariel swam to the Sea Witch’s lair.

"Well, well," the Sea Witch cackled when she saw Ariel. "What brings the little mermaid to my home? I suppose you want something from me."

Ariel gathered her courage. "I want to be human. I want legs so I can live on land and be with the prince."

The Sea Witch grinned slyly. "I can grant your wish, but it comes at a price. I will give you legs, but in return, I want your voice. You will never be able to speak again."

Ariel hesitated. Her voice was beautiful, and the prince had heard it when she saved him. But her desire to be with him was stronger than anything else.

"I’ll do it," Ariel said.

"Ah, one more thing," the Sea Witch added. "You must win the prince’s heart within three days, or you will turn back into a mermaid and belong to me forever."

Ariel agreed, and the Sea Witch cast her spell. Pain surged through Ariel’s body as her tail split into two legs. She swam to the surface and washed ashore, now fully human, though her voice was gone.

On the shore, the prince found her and recognized her as the girl who had saved him, though he could not be sure, as she could not speak. He took her to his palace, where she was treated with kindness, and the prince grew fond of her. Ariel enjoyed her time with the prince, but she could not tell him that she was the one who had saved his life.

As the days passed, Ariel grew worried. She was running out of time, and the prince was growing closer to another woman whom he believed had saved him—the daughter of a neighboring king.

On the last day, the prince prepared to marry this woman, believing she was his true savior. Heartbroken, Ariel watched, knowing that her time was nearly up. But before the wedding could take place, the prince heard a beautiful melody on the wind. It was Ariel’s voice, which the Sea Witch had taken and hidden inside a shell. The shell was broken during the wedding celebration, and Ariel’s voice was returned to her.

Hearing the voice he remembered from the day he was saved, the prince realized the truth. He rushed to Ariel and declared his love for her. Ariel, with her voice restored, was able to tell him everything.

The Sea Witch, furious that her plan had failed, tried to stop them. But with the help of the prince and Ariel’s friends from the sea, they defeated her, breaking her spell forever.

Ariel and the prince were married, and the Sea King, seeing his daughter’s happiness, blessed their union. Ariel remained on land with the prince, but she never forgot her family and the magical world beneath the sea.

And so, Ariel’s dream came true. She lived happily ever after, united with her true love, and free to live in both the human and the mermaid worlds.