No, Tofu

Mummy has asked me to stay home with you tonight

because she and Papa will be returning home late

Oh, no!

I am sorry Tia. Because of me you can’t go to your party

Its okay Tofu

Sometime, we have to sacrifice things for the ones we love.

Just like the Little Mermaid.

Little Mermaid?

Is it a story?

Tell me, Tia! Please!

Once upon a time

there was a sea kingdom at the bottom of the sea

The King of the Seas had six beautiful daughters who were mermaids

They were all very beautiful

But the youngest of them was the prettiest of them all

She had a gentle face, big round eyes

and a voice sweeter than anyone else’s in the world

When the little mermaid turned 15 years old

her grandmother called her to her room.

Come, my darling

Today you have turned 15.

And from now onwards, you can go to the world above

Just remember

the people above are very different from us

They do not have a beautiful fishtail like us, instead they have two legs.

Thank you Grandmother

I have waited for this day for so long

When I return, I will tell you about everything I see above

That night the little mermaid went to the surface of the water

The sight of the stars and the cool breeze that touched her face, took her breath away

She was just getting used to the feeling

when she saw a big ship cross in front of her

Aboard it were many men

and they were celebrating the birthday of the young Prince who had just turned 16

The little mermaid was mesmerized with the handsome looks of the prince

She couldn’t take her eyes off him as the ship sailed past her.

She was so lost in him

that she did not notice the storm build up in the sky and the sea begin to rage

The ship had only sailed a little further when the storm shook it up.

The sailors tried to steer it to safety

but many men including the Prince fell into the sea.

The little mermaid rushed to him

and saved him from drowning

She took him ashore.

Don’t worry! You are safe. Open your eyes

But the Prince lay unconscious. The mermaid decided to get help

When she couldn’t get any, she came back to where the Prince was.

She saw him surrounded by many people.

A beautiful Princess was kneeling by him as others worked to awaken him.

The Prince opened his eyes

and the little mermaid was relived that her Prince will be saved now

You save my life, thank you

The Prince knew nothing about the little mermaid

He didn’t even know that it was she who had actually saved his life

This broke the mermaid’s heart

She went back to her father’s home

She told her sisters and grandmother, what had happened.

Forget him child

Humans and we are very different. To be with him forever

you will have to get him to love you more than anything else he loves in the world

Even more than his own parents.

How will that ever happen?

Think about it

But the little mermaid could not forget the handsome Prince

Every night she visited the spot where she had laid him after saving his life

One day she decided to visit the witch in her father’s kingdom

Maybe she knew a way that the mermaid could be with the Prince.

Yes, there is a way!

I can send you to the land above the sea

You will lose your fishtail and have legs

If, by the second sunset

you can get the Prince to love you more than he loves his parents

then you can be with him forever

Otherwise you will die and become foam in the sea

But, in return you must give me your voice.

But without my voice, how will I make the Prince fall in love with me?

You still have your pretty face and eyes.

You will also be the most beautiful dancer any one has ever seen.

Now go!

In a flash

the mermaid found herself on the land

Her fishtail turned into human legs

It caused her pain but she could not even scream

because the witch had taken her voice away

Somehow the mermaid made her way to the Prince’s castle

There was a big celebration going on there

But the guards would not let the mermaid enter

because they didn’t know who she was

and she couldn’t answer them when they asked her about it.

So she was not allowed to enter.

Somewhere in the castle, music started playing

Remembering what the witch had said about dancing

little mermaid started dancing.

Oh! I have never seen anyone dance so beautifully

Maybe she has come to dance for the Royal family in the celebrations.

Oh! She is a dancer, let me take her to the court

Once the mermaid reached the royal court

she saw that the celebration was for the wedding of the Prince

Little mermaid was heart broken

She thought the only way of meeting the Prince

now would be to dance and draw his attention towards her

And so, she performed a beautiful dance for the Royal family

When the Prince saw her, he came up to her

Hello young lady, I have seen you in my dreams.

Who are you?

In his heart, the Prince hoped that she would be the one

who had saved him from drowning

He longed to hear the voice that had saved him when he was dying.

But no sound came out when the little mermaid tried to reply.

Forgive me. I think I am confused between you and someone else

But, please do join us.

The Prince led her to the ship on which the wedding was going to take place

Many people spoke to her but she could not answer anyone

The Princess was especially kind to her and took special care of her.

I know you saved the Prince that day

Thank you, because of you, I have found the love of my life

Please always stay with us

The little mermaid saw that the Princess and the Prince loved each other

and were very happy together

She decided not to pursue the Prince anymore

he belonged to another woman

Although her heart ached to let him go

she happily attended the wedding

and all the celebrations that went on throughout the next day

Soon it was evening

The second sunset was about to happen

The little mermaid knew, she would die and become foam on the sea.

As she stood there looking at the Prince and his Princess

she heard some voices behind her

She turned around to see.

Her sisters were there in the water

But all of them had very short hair now

instead of the long flowing locks they used to have earlier.

Sisters! What are you doing here?

We have come to save you!

We went to the witch. In exchange of our hair

she gave us this knife.

If you stab the Prince through his heart before sunset, you can be saved.

Handing the knife to the youngest sister

all the other sisters vanished under the water once again

The little mermaid stood there, holding the knife to her heart

she looked at the newlyweds once again. She knew what she had to do

As the sun set, she tossed the knife into the sea

Goodbye, my love.

And so, for the happiness of her beloved Prince

the little mermaid sacrificed her own life and joined the sea as foam.

Tia! That is such a beautiful story.

It shows how much the little mermaid loved the Prince.

Thank you for not going to the party and staying with me

That’s because I love you! my little brother

I love you too! my darling sister, Tia