The Little Mermaid
Vilhelm Pedersen illustration
Author	Hans Christian Andersen
Original title	Danish: Den lille havfrue
Country	Denmark
Language	Danish
Genre(s)	Fairy tale
Publisher	C.A. Reitzel
Publication date	7 April 1837
Media type	Print

"The Little Mermaid" (Danish:Den lille havfrue) is a fairy tale by the Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen about a young mermaid willing to give up her life in the sea and her identity as a merperson to gain a human soul and the love of a human prince. The tale was first published in 1837 and has been adapted to various media including musical theater and animated film. The Little Mermaid is a 1989 animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and first released on November 15, 1989 by Walt Disney Pictures. ... The word The Little Mermaid has several definitions: A fairy tale about a young mermaid by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen; see The Little Mermaid A statue in Copenhagen; see The Little Mermaid A movie by Disney; see The Little Mermaid (movie) A series by Disney; see The Little... For other uses, see Hans Christian Andersen (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Denmark. ... A fairy tale is a story, either told to children or as if told to children, concerning the adventures of mythical characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and others. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... See also: 1836 in literature, other events of 1837, 1838 in literature, list of years in literature. ... A fairy tale is a story, either told to children or as if told to children, concerning the adventures of mythical characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and others. ... Sappho and Alcaeus of Mytilene, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1881). ... For other uses, see Author (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hans Christian Andersen (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mermaid (disambiguation). ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... Animation refers to the process in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model (see claymation and stop motion), and then photographing the result. ...

Plot

The Little Mermaid lives at the sea bottom with her father the sea king; her grandmother; and her five elder sisters, born one year apart. When a mermaid turns 15, she is allowed to swim to the surface to watch the world above, and as the sisters become old enough, one of them visits the surface every year. As each of them returns, the Little Mermaid listens longingly to their descriptions of the surface and of human beings.

When the Little Mermaid's turn comes, she ventures to the surface, sees a ship with a handsome prince, and falls in love with him from a distance. A great storm hits, and the Little Mermaid saves the prince from a near-drowning. She delivers him unconscious to the shore near a temple. Here she waits until a young girl from the temple finds him. The prince never sees the Little Mermaid.

H.C. Andersen.

The Little Mermaid asks her grandmother whether humans can live forever if they do not drown. The grandmother explains that humans have a much shorter lifespan than merfolk's 300 years, but that when mermaids die they turn to sea foam and cease to exist, while humans have an eternal soul that lives on in Heaven. The Little Mermaid, longing for the prince and an eternal soul, eventually visits the Sea Witch, who sells her a potion that gives her legs, in exchange for her tongue; the Little Mermaid has the most intoxicating voice in the world. Drinking the potion will make her feel as if a sword is being passed through her, and walking on her feet will feel like walking on knives. And she will only get a soul if the prince loves her and marries her, for then a part of his soul will flow into her. Otherwise, at dawn on the first day after he marries another woman, the Little Mermaid will die brokenhearted and turn to sea foam. 1881 Young Folks Cyclopedia of Persons and Places This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... 1881 Young Folks Cyclopedia of Persons and Places This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... For other uses, see Soul (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Heaven (disambiguation). ...

The Little Mermaid drinks the potion and meets the prince, who is attracted to her beauty and grace even though she is mute. Most of all he likes to see her dance, and she dances for him despite her excrutiating pain. When the prince's father orders his son to marry the neighboring king's daughter, the prince tells the Little Mermaid he cannot, because he does not love the princess. He goes on to say he can only love the young woman from the temple, but adds that the Little Mermaid is beginning to take the temple girl's place in his heart. It turns out that the princess is the temple girl, who had been sent to the temple to be educated. The prince loves her and the wedding is announced.

The prince and princess marry and the Little Mermaid's heart breaks. She thinks of all that she has given up and of all the pain she has suffered. She despairs, but before dawn her sisters give her a knife that the Sea Witch has given them in exchange for their hair. If the Little Mermaid slays the prince with the knife, she will become a mermaid again and live out her full life.

The Little Mermaid cannot bring herself to kill the sleeping prince lying with his bride and, as dawn breaks, throws herself into the sea. Her body dissolves into foam, but instead of ceasing to exist, she feels the warmth of the sun; she has turned into a spirit, a daughter of the air. The other daughters of the air tell her she has become like them because she strove with all her heart to gain an eternal soul. She will earn her own soul by doing good deeds, and will eventually rise into the kingdom of God.

Publication

"The Little Mermaid" was written in 1836, and first published by C.A. Reitzel in Copenhagen 7 April 1837 in Fairy Tales Told for Children. First Collection. Third Booklet. 1837. ( Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. Første Samling. Tredie Hefte. 1837.). The story was republished 18 December 1849 as a part of Fairy Tales. 1850. (Eventyr. 1850), and again 15 December 1862 as a part of Fairy Tales and Stories. First Volume. 1862. (Eventyr og Historier. Første Bind. 1862.).^[1] This article needs cleanup. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A male Caucasian toddler child A child (plural: children) is a young human. ... For the game, see: 1850 (board game) 1850 (MDCCCL) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about 1862 . ...

Debate over ending

Original manuscript, last page

Some scholars consider the last episode with its happy ending to be an unnatural addition. Jacob Bøggild and Pernille Heegaard point out:

Adaptations

Classics Illustrated Junior comic

• Antonin Dvorak's opera Rusalka was inspired in part by The Little Mermaid.
• It was first translated into English by H. P. Paull in 1872.
• In 1957, the French composer Germaine Tailleferre wrote a three-act opera version of The Little Mermaid (called La Petite Sirène in French) on a libretto adapted by Philippe Soupault.
• Classics Illustrated Junior, a 1950s American comic book series, published a version of the tale as issue #525.
• One of the earliest animated films based on the story was the Soviet Union's 29-minute Rusalochka (The Little Mermaid), released in 1968. In 1976, a live-action Rusalochka, a joint production by the USSR and Bulgaria, was released.
• In 1961, Shirley Temple Theatre broadcast a television version of "The Little Mermaid", starring Shirley Temple as the Mermaid.
• There are several anime adaptations of the story, including Anderusen Dowa Ningyo Hime (Andersen's Story: The Mermaid Princess), a feature film directed by Tomoharu Katsumata (1975); and the 1991 NHK TV series Saban's Adventures of the Little Mermaid.
• In 1987, Shelley Duvall produced a version of the story for Faerie Tale Theatre.

One-sheet for Disney's 1989 adaptation of The Little Mermaid

• In 1989, the fairy tale was adapted into an animated film by the Walt Disney Company called The Little Mermaid.
• Golden Films adapted the story in 1992; the production was distributed by GoodTimes Entertainment.
• In the late 1990s, the HBO series, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, did an episode based on The Little Mermaid.
• The Broadway musical Once on This Island is a retelling of The Little Mermaid set in the French Antilles.
• Japanese artist Junko Mizuno adapted The Little Mermaid as Mermaid Princess, the third and final part of her "fractured fairy tales".
• In 2004, the animated TV series Hans Christian Andersen The Fairytaler had an episode telling the story of The Little Mermaid.
• The Royal Danish Ballet commissioned Russian-American composer Lera Auerbach to create a modern rendition of this fairy tale. It was choreographed by John Neumeier and premiered on April 15, 2005.^[3]
• On July 28, 2007, the premire of Lior Navok's version for actress, two pianos and chamber ensemble/orchestra.
• On January 10, 2008, the stage version of the Disney film opened on Broadway.
• On March 6, 2008, Malaysia released the fantasy comedy film called, Duyung, which means Mermaid and actor, Maya Karin portrays the Duyung(Mermaid).

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák  listen (September 8, 1841 – May 1, 1904) was a Czech composer of classical music. ... For an opera of the same name by Alexander Dargomyzhsky, see Rusalka (Dargomyzhsky). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Germaine Tailleferre (April 19, 1892 - November 7, 1983) was a French composer and the only female member of the famous Group Les Six. ... Philippe Soupault (August 2, 1897 – March 12, 1990) was a French writer and poet, novelist, critic, and political activist. ... Classics Illustrated were comic book adaptations from classic literature, a series that Russian-born Albert Lewis Kanter (1897-1973) began in 1941 for Elliot Publishing. ... Rusalochka (Русалочка) is an alternative adaptation of Andersens tale, The Little Mermaid. It is a darkly romantic, haunting animated film reminiscent of a similar Russian fantasy cartoon, The Magic Horse. However, in this animated film, the mermaid does not have to give up her voice to the sea witch, but... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... State motto (Russian): Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Translated: Workers of the world, unite!) Capital Moscow Official language None; Russian (de facto) Government Federation of Soviet republics Area  - Total  - % water 1st before collapse 22,402,200 km² Approx. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shirley Jane Temple (born April 23, 1928) is an iconic American child actor of the 1930s. ... Animé redirects here. ... -Japanese Title Anderusen Dowa Ningyo Hime- US Title Hans Christian Andersens The Little Mermaid- is a Japanese movie based on Hans Christian Andersens The Little Mermaid. ... Tomoharu Katsumata (born in 1938 in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese film director best known for his work on various anime works. ... NHK NHK (日本放送協会, Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai), or Japan Broadcasting Corporation, is Japans public broadcaster. ... Sabans Adventures of the Little Mermaid was an animated series produced by Saban in the early 1990s, probably to cash in on the success of the Disney movie adaptation based upon the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Little Mermaid. This 26-episode TV series was originally a Japanese... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Shelley Alexis Duvall (born July 7, 1949) is an award winning American film and television actress. ... The Little Mermaid is the 26th episode of the television anthology Faerie Tale Theatre. ... Faerie Tale Theatre, fully Shelley Duvalls Faerie Tale Theatre, is a live action childrens television series created by Shelley Duvall that ran from 1982 to 1987 retelling popular fairy tales. ... The Little Mermaid, movie poster This work is copyrighted. ... The Little Mermaid, movie poster This work is copyrighted. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Disney may refer to: The Walt Disney Company and its divisions, including Walt Disney Pictures. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Animation refers to the process in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model (see claymation and stop motion), and then photographing the result. ... Disney redirects here. ... The Little Mermaid is a 1989 animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and first released on November 15, 1989 by Walt Disney Pictures. ... Golden Films produced the 1992 version of The Little Mermaid and was distributed by GoodTimes Entertainment. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ... Once on This Island is a one-act musical with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Hans Christian Andersen (disambiguation). ... The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet troupes in Europe. ... Lera Auerbach (Russian: ; b. ... John Neumeier (February 24, 1942 - ) is a well-known American ballet dancer, choreographer, and director. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Little Mermaid is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based upon the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name, which was based on the classic story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Maya Karin (birth name Maya Karin Roelcke, born on 29 October 1979) is a movie actor and singer in Malaysia. ...

The Young Nereid and the Prince

In 2008, a film was made by Lucas INC. Theatres, called The Young Nereid and the Prince, that was based on the Little Mermaid story.

Differences from the book

• Instead of a mermaid the main character is a nereid

For other uses, see Mermaid (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, the Nereids (NEER-ee-eds) are sea nymphs, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris. ...

Plot

A fifteen-year-old nereid named Amathia is doing her hair, when her grandmother enters, and gives her a crown of pearls. Poseidon enters, and congratulates his daughter on her first journey to the surface world. The Nereid gazes upon the surface world, and sees a ship afloat. She looks through the cabin window to see the attractive Prince Andrew asleep on a couch. The Nereid falls in love and as she watches, he begins to awake, and starts to eat his dinner on the table, when he notices the Nereid staring at him. Prince Andrew hurries to the window, but the Nereid dives away, and he does not catch her. When he looks away, she jumps back into the sea and hurries to her older sister, Ploto. Amathia tells Ploto of the Prince, and goes back to the top to show her the Prince (in the backround, the song "You're the Storm" by the Cardigans begins to play). Suddenly, a large wave arises and hits the ship, as the sky starts to darken. Andrew, now at the foot of the ship, is hit by the crashing wave, and plummets to the sea below. Amathia rushes to his unconscious body, and drags it over the waves to the nearby shore. She tries to revive him until morning, and kisses his cheek as he awakes. Meanwhile, a young woman from a nearby castle was walking on the beach, and sees the Prince on the beach. The frightened Nereid flees, and as the Prince opens his eyes, he sees the young woman, Mary, instead of Amathia. Amathia visits Andrew's seaside castle the next day, and watches him as he admires the warm day. Amathia wishes to be with Andrew, but alas, if she leaves the water and becomes dry, she will die, and she is too shy to call him over. So Amathia goes to the Sea Witch, Hraeay. Hraeay gives Amathia a livid potion, in return for her voice. For other uses, see Pearl (disambiguation). ... Neptune reigns in the city of Bristol. ... See: Look up Attractive in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The term prince, from the Latin root princeps, is used for a member of the highest ranks of the aristocracy or the nobility. ... For other uses, see Couch (disambiguation). ... Youre The Storm This single is the 2nd song from the album Long Gone Before Daylight CD Single Youre The Storm - Hold Me - Maxi Single Youre The Storm - Hold Me - Youre The Storm (Sandkvie Session) - Youre The Storm (First Demo) - Categories: | ... The Cardigans are a Swedish band formed in the town of Jönköping in 1992. ... Livid was an Australian alternative rock music festival, which was held annually from 1989 to 2003. ... A potion (from Latin potio, potionis, meaning beverage, potion, poison) is a drinkable medicine or poison. ...

The Little Mermaid statue

The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen

Main article: The Little Mermaid (statue)

A statue of the Little Mermaid sits on a rock in the Copenhagen harbor in Churchill Park. This small and unimposing statue is a Copenhagen icon and a major tourist attraction. Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1435 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1435 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen A statue of The Little Mermaid sits on a rock in the Copenhagen harbour in Churchill Park. ... The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen A statue of The Little Mermaid sits on a rock in the Copenhagen harbour in Churchill Park. ... For other uses, see Copenhagen (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The statue was commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen, son of the founder of Carlsberg, after he had been fascinated by a ballet about the fairytale. The sculptor Edward Eriksen created the statue, which was unveiled on 23 August 1913. His wife Eline Eriksen was the model. Year 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Carl Christian Hillman Jacobsen (March 2, 1842 - January 11, 1914) son of Jacob Christian Jacobsen, founder of the brewery Carlsberg. ... Note: Carling beer is not produced by the Carlsberg brewery. ... Edweard Eriksen was a sculptor. ... {| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 235th day of the year (236th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Eline Eriksen was the model for the Litte Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark Category: ...

References

1. ^ Hans Christian Andersen Center: Hans Christian Andersen: The Little Mermaid
2. ^ Bøggild, Jacob, & Pernille Heegaard, "Ambiguity in Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid", published in Andersen og Verden, Odense, 1993. Via Summaries of papers from previous international HCA conferences, Hans Christian Andersen Center, Institute of Literature, Media and Cultural Studies at the University of South Denmark
3. ^ Britannica Book of the Year 2006, "Performing Arts, Europe: Dance"

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

The Little Mermaid

• "The Little Mermaid" Jean Hersholt's English translation
• Den lille havfrue Original Danish text
• Den lille Havfrue Original Danish text from the Danish Royal Library
• Den lille havfrue Original manuscript (Odense City Museum)
• Surlalune: Annotated "The Little Mermaid" Paull's translation, with annotations, scans from six illustrated editions, bibliography.