Based Upon: 'The Little Mermaid' by Hans Christian Andersen Is anyone surprised? It has been well documented in many places due to creating Disney's least credible love story but The Little Mermaid, another Hans Christian Andersen tale, is the biggest deviation from the source material. First the small, much loved Rastafarian crustacean Sebastian was originally Clarence, an English butler crab. Now the big one, the actual plot of the film. In Anderson's tale there was a second motivation for Ariel's desire to be human. They have eternal souls, whereas mermaids become sea foam. The stakes of her deal were also higher. Unlike the film where she will simply turn back into a mermaid if she fails to get the prince's kiss, originally she would die. And as a human, every step she took on legs felt like walking on sharp shards of glass. As for the oft-maligned love story, the prince doesn't see Ariel after she saves him from drowning. Instead awakening to believe he was saved by the young woman inside the temple. He confesses to Ariel that he cannot marry the princess next door because he loves the woman who saved his life, and the mute Ariel cannot correct him. It turns out they are the same and the two wed, leaving Ariel heartbroken. Ariel is brought a knife by her sisters and inform her that she can save herself and return to being a mermaid. If she slays the prince with the knife and lets the blood drip on her feet. She cannot bring herself to do so and instead throws herself into the sea at dawn. Her body turns into sea foam but she becomes an immortal soul instead of ceasing to exist. No wonder The Little Mermaid's love story feels a bit off. Like this article? Let us know in the comments section below.
