Long ago, the waves whispered a tale that traveled from port to port, changing each time it was told. Amid songs and murmurs, its truth was slowly lost in the sea foam.
Perhaps you have heard one of those versions, embellished with fantasy and forgetfulness...
Today I am going to tell you what truly happened... in the story of the Little Mermaid.
The waters of the open sea are blue as lily petals, and so deep that many church towers would have to be stacked one upon another to reach the bottom.
That is where the sea folk live.
There is more than white sand below. Trees and sea plants sway with the currents, and fish of every size swim among their branches like little birds through the air.
In the deepest waters stands the palace of the Sea King, a widower for many years: spiral towers rising like giant petals and a rippling roof that seems to breathe with the current.
—Come along, girls. Show me your garden.
Three princesses led their grandmother into the palace garden. They were mermaids, so their legs ended in fish tails rather than feet.
The garden belonged to them alone, and each had arranged a corner according to her own taste.
The eldest had drawn a whale in the sand, and the second, a mermaid. Both were decorated with remnants of shipwrecks: a ship's wheel, a sail, a cup.
—And what have you made, little one?
The grandmother asked the youngest Little Mermaid.
—Mine is round, like the sun.
And I have put a statue in the middle.
In her corner, the Little Mermaid had traced a circle like the sun in the sand and placed at its center the figure of a young man carved from white stone.
—What a beautiful statue you have found.
—I would like to see the surface, Grandmother.
—And you will! But the time has not yet come. When you turn sixteen, you may swim up and discover the wonders of the world above.
—But Grandmother, I am the youngest. I still have so long to wait!
—I know, little one, but it will be worth the wait.
—Well, at least tell us what is up there.
—Let me see... the world above is full of mountains, forests, castles...
—What is a castle, Grandmother?
The eldest sister reached the appointed age and swam up to the surface.
She marveled at the city she found there, with its lights, its bell towers, and the lives of the people who called it home.
Then she swam upriver to see castles and vineyards up close.
She heard birds singing and children playing.
When she drew near, a dog spotted her and began to bark. Startled, she dived beneath the water again.
The second sister went up the following year and gazed in wonder at the fiery sunset, with gulls crossing the sky in the distance.
Suddenly, dolphins leaped from the water and plunged back in with cheerful cries. Then whales surfaced and sent great spouts of water high into the sky.
In time, her sisters lost interest in the surface and preferred to remain in the palace in the depths.
But the Little Mermaid still dreamed of going up, and at last she reached the appointed age.
When she raised her head above the water, the clouds glowed gold and pink. The sun had just set.
The air was soft and cool, and the water rocked a great three-masted ship not far away.
Night was beginning to fall, so she swam closer and heard music and singing.
The Little Mermaid swam to a cabin window and saw many finely dressed people. Yet the one who drew her gaze was a young prince with large dark eyes.
He could not have been much older than sixteen. It was his birthday, and the celebration was being held in his honor.
The sailors danced on deck, and when the prince came out, they raised their glasses to him with great joy.
Suddenly, more than a hundred rockets shot into the sky and burst overhead.
They were fireworks. Their light shimmered on the water and lit the Little Mermaid's astonished face. She had never seen anything like them: spinning suns and fiery fish darting through the air.
But again and again, her attention returned to the prince, so handsome and elegant. He shook hands with his companions and shared warm words and laughter.
Time passed as she rocked upon the water, while the scene slowly faded until all was dark and silent.
Then the Little Mermaid sensed a murmur in the sea. The ship began to gather speed, the waves grew higher, and far away a flash of lightning revealed a sea of clouds drawing near.
The wind shifted without warning. The ship's bell gave a single hollow toll by itself.
—Reef the mainsail!
—the boatswain shouted—
Lower the jib! Batten down the hatches! Man the bilge pump!
The water rose like black mountains that seemed ready to crash over the mast. Even so, the ship climbed and plunged across them, still afloat.
The bow climbed the crests and then fell with heavy blows.
Men raced in a line, passing buckets from hand to hand. Water swept back over their feet and knocked them off balance.
Suddenly, the mainmast snapped in two.
—Cut the halyard! Secure the boom!
The Little Mermaid understood the danger they were in. She, too, had to protect herself from the floating beams and planks.
A torn sail covered her face like a black cloud. She pushed it aside with both hands and dived to avoid a plank driven toward her by the waves.
She could barely see in the deepening darkness. Only the lightning showed her fleeting pictures with every flash: one sailor praying, his knuckles white upon the rail; another hurriedly tying a rope.
—Man overboard off the bow!
—The helm won't answer!
Aboard the ship, the men clung to whatever they could, struggling against the fury of the sea. Again and again, she searched those fleeting images for the prince.
Suddenly, she found him. She looked into his face, and for a moment she thought he saw her too.
At that very instant, the ship capsized and sank beneath the waves.
Remembering that humans cannot live underwater, she swam toward him. Beams and planks drifted all around, but she pressed on without a thought that they might crush her. She dived and surfaced again, searching for the young man.
At last she saw him among the waves. He could barely stay afloat; his arms and legs were failing, and his eyes were beginning to close.
With one final burst of strength, she reached him and caught him before he sank.
She held the unconscious young man and let the waves carry them wherever they would.
The sun rose red, bringing color back to the prince's face.
The Little Mermaid caught sight of land: tall blue mountains with snowy peaks; vast green forests at their feet; and, beside a small bay of fine white sand, a church or perhaps a convent.
As she drew closer, she saw a garden of lemon and orange trees, with tall palms before the door. She laid the prince upon the sand.
Young women came out through the garden.
The Little Mermaid quickly swam away and hid behind some rocks.
Before long, a young woman arrived and called for others.
The Little Mermaid saw the prince regain consciousness and smile at everyone around him, but not at her. He did not know who had saved him from the storm.
Heartbroken, she dived into the sea and made her way back to her father's palace.