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Once the Sea King had six daughters. The youngest had a wonderful voice and was the most beautiful. She was called the Little Mermaid. At the age of 15, each daughter was allowed to go to the ocean's surface and observe the world beyond the water.
When the Little Mermaid had her turn, she saw a beautiful prince in a boat and fell in love. When the prince's boat was wrecked, she saved him. She returned to the bottom of the sea and told her grandmother about the prince. The grandmother said it was useless to love him, because mortals have immortal souls and that sea people turn to foam when they die.
This made the Little Mermaid want to become human to be with the
prince. She went to the Sea Witch, who told her she could change the Little Mermaid to look like a human, but it would be painful. The witch would take the fishtail away and give the Little Mermaid legs, but they would hurt like swords each time she walked. The witch would also take the beautiful Little Mermaid's voice and she would never be able to talk. But, the only way she would receive an immortal soul was if the prince loved her enough to make her his wife.
The Little Mermaid agreed to all these conditions, and became the most beautiful young woman there ever was.
She was washed to the shore where the prince found her and fell in love with her, but she could not talk. Although he loved her and promised to always care for her, he was to marry a princess from another country. That meant the Little Mermaid would turn to sea foam when she died.
On the prince's wedding day, the Little Mermaid was given a chance to save herself, but only if she killed the prince. She loved him so, and she could not do it. Because she was so good, she did not die and turn to foam. Instead, she became a "daughter of the air." By her good works she raised herself to the world of spirits. This meant that she could gain an immortal soul after 300 years of such good works.
She would always love the prince, and she would live happily ever after-doing good for others.
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