The Little Mermaid
The youngest princess at the bottom of the sea is curious about the world of humans and trades her voice for a pair of legs.
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Deep down in the sea, where the water is bluest, stood the palace of the sea king. The king had six daughters; the youngest was the most beautiful and the most curious of them all. Their grandmother told them about the world above: the ships, the cities, the forests, the "fish" they called birds. Each princess was allowed to rise to the surface for the first time when she turned fifteen.
The youngest princess's turn came. She rose to the surface and saw a ship. On the ship a prince's birthday was being celebrated. The prince was so kind and laughed so beautifully that the little mermaid could not take her eyes off him. Suddenly a storm broke. The ship was wrecked and the prince fell into the water. The mermaid took him in her arms, swam all night, and toward dawn laid him on the beach below a convent. A young girl found the prince; when he opened his eyes it was her he saw, not the mermaid.
The little mermaid returned to her palace, but now everything seemed silent to her. She missed the prince and longed to be human. Her grandmother explained: "Humans have a soul; we live three hundred years and then become sea foam. If a human loves you more than anything, you will gain a soul too."
The mermaid went to the sea witch. "I'll give you legs," said the witch, "but every step will feel like a knife. And in return I take your voice." The mermaid agreed. She drank the potion and woke on the beach; she had legs, but no voice.
The prince found her and took her to the palace. The mermaid could not speak, but she danced; every step hurt, yet she smiled. The prince loved her dearly; he called her his "little foundling." But he always thought of the girl he believed had saved him on the beach. One day they went to a neighboring kingdom; that girl was a princess. When the prince saw her he said, "It was you who saved me!" and the wedding was arranged.
On the wedding night the mermaid's sisters rose to the surface; their hair had been cut off. "We gave the witch our hair; take this knife, plunge it into the prince's heart before sunrise, and you will be a mermaid again." The little mermaid took the knife and entered the tent where the prince slept. She looked at him. In his sleep the prince whispered his bride's name. The mermaid threw the knife into the sea.
The sun rose. The mermaid let herself fall into the water. But she did not become foam. Light, transparent beings lifted her up: "We are the daughters of the air. You gave up out of love; so you will work with us to earn a soul. For three hundred years you will carry warm breezes, cool the sick and bring scent to the flowers."
The little mermaid rose toward the sun and smiled. On the ship the prince looked at the sea and sighed, as if he had lost something. And to this day, if a soft breeze touches your cheek, know that the little mermaid is passing by.
The tale ends here. Sleep well.
The Little Mermaid is a children's tale from Hans Christian Andersen, suitable for ages 6-11 and about 3 minutes long. Read it free on Masal Merkezi, play a lullaby or nature sound in the background, tap any word to see its Turkish meaning and save it to your favorites. For similar tales browse the Andersen Fairy Tales category.
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