TheLittleMermaidlivesinautopianunderwaterkingdomwithherfathertheseaking;hergrandmother;andherfiveeldersisters,bornoneyearapart.Whenamermaidturns15,sheisallowedtoswimtothesurfacetowatchtheworldabove,andasthesistersbecomeoldenough,oneofthemvisitsthesurfaceeveryyear.Aseachofthemreturns,theLittleMermaidlistenslonginglytotheirdescriptionsofthesurfaceandofhumanbeings.

　　Savingtheprince,anillustrationbyEdmundDulac

　　WhentheLittleMermaid'sturncomes,sheventurestothesurface,seesashipwithahandsomeprince,andfallsinlovewithhimfromadistance.Agreatstormhits,andtheLittleMermaidsavestheprincefromanear-drowning.Shedelivershimunconscioustotheshorenearatemple.Hereshewaitsuntilayounggirlfromthetemplefindshim.TheprinceneverseestheLittleMermaid.

　　TheLittleMermaidaskshergrandmotherwhetherhumanscanliveforeveriftheydonotdrown.Thegrandmotherexplainsthathumanshaveamuchshorterlifespanthanmerfolk's300years,butthatwhenmermaidsdietheyturntoseafoamandceasetoexist,whilehumanshaveaneternalsoulthatlivesoninHeaven.TheLittleMermaid,longingfortheprinceandaneternalsoul,eventuallyvisitstheSeaWitch,whosellsherapotionthatgivesherlegs,inexchangeforhertongue(astheLittleMermaidhasthemostintoxicatingvoiceintheworld).Drinkingthepotionwillmakeherfeelasifaswordisbeingpassedthroughher,yetwhensherecoversshewillhavetwobeautifullegs,andwillbeabletodancelikenohumanhaseverdancedbefore.However,itwillconstantlyfeellikesheiswalkingonsharpswords,andherfeetwillbleedmostterribly.Inaddition,shewillonlygetasouliftheprincelovesherandmarriesher,forthenapartofhissoulwillflowintoher.Otherwise,atdawnonthefirstdayafterhemarriesanotherwoman,theLittleMermaidwilldiebrokenheartedanddisintegrateintoseafoam.

　　TheLittleMermaiddrinksthepotionandmeetstheprince,whoisattractedtoherbeautyandgraceeventhoughsheismute.Mostofallhelikestoseeherdance,andshedancesforhimdespiteherexcruciatingpain.Whentheprince'sfatherordershissontomarrytheneighboringking'sdaughter,theprincetellstheLittleMermaidhewillnot,becausehedoesnotlovetheprincess.Hegoesontosayhecanonlylovetheyoungwomanfromthetemple,butaddsthattheLittleMermaidisbeginningtotakethetemplegirl'splaceinhisheart.Itturnsoutthattheprincessisthetemplegirl,whohadbeensenttothetempletobeeducated.Theprincelovesherandtheweddingisannounced.

　　Theprinceandprincessmarry,andtheLittleMermaid'sheartbreaks.Shethinksofallthatshehasgivenupandofallthepainshehassuffered.Shedespairs,thinkingofthedeaththatawaitsher,butbeforedawn,hersistersbringheraknifethattheSeaWitchhasgiventheminexchangefortheirlonghair.IftheLittleMermaidslaystheprincewiththeknifeandletshisblooddriponherfeet,shewillbecomeamermaidagain,allhersufferingwillendandshewillliveoutherfulllife.

　　TheLittleMermaidcannotbringherselftokillthesleepingprincelyingwithhisbrideand,asdawnbreaks,throwsherselfintothesea.Herbodydissolvesintofoam,butinsteadofceasingtoexist,shefeelsthewarmthofthesun;shehasturnedintoaspirit,adaughteroftheair.Theotherdaughtersoftheairtellhershehasbecomelikethembecauseshestrovewitha