The little mermaid

The little Mermaid

Once upon a time, deep down in the ocean was living the royal family. The king of the ocean had three daughters: Merliah the youngest and her two sisters Selena and Oceana. Merliah dreamed to go to the surface and to live with humans, but this was impossible because of her tail. The only thing that she could do was waiting to be eighteen years old to go to the surface and observe humans. She had few hours to wait but she was waiting only that all her life. Her two sisters had already seen humans and told her what they saw. Merliah was always delighted to listen to them and can’t wait her time. At eighteen years, she could also make a wish like all mermaid at this age, a fairy will appear and asked what was her wish and with a magic wand she granted it.

At the same time, at the surface, in a castle was living a prince who was preparing a marine expedition since many years. However, a storm was brewing and came at the same time, but the prince really wanted to do it so he can’t convince himself to cancel it. Her father tried to stop and convince him, but he did not listen to him and still decided to do it. The marine expedition was as the same date as the birthday of Merliah, at night.

At nightfall, Merliah started swimming at the surface waiting patiently midnight. The flow of water was stronger than usually, she knew that a storm was coming but she did not come back home and she continued swimming. By taking her head out of the water, she saw a big boat and she was filled with wonder because her sisters told her about it. It was exactly like they said: “A big machine that floated on the water”. She was entertaining jumping like a dolphin near the boat when one of the man of the prince saw her and screamed : “There was something in the water ! I think it as a mermaid!”, the crew laughed. They tell him that this was impossible because mermaid did not exist. Hearing this, Merliah got sad because her dream was to live with humans and made humans knew the existence of mermaid to live in peace together. She saw her dream drew away, but she did not want to give up and remembered that in few minutes she could do her wish. Daydreaming, she totally forgot that the boat was in danger because of the storm and judging by the flow, it will a dangerous and strong one. She was thinking how she could help them while the wind started being powerful and the boat began lost control.

“Heading north-east!” yelled the prince at his crew.

“Is too dangerous! The rocks of Nave are there! The boat risk to not come out unscathed!” replied one of the man on the boat, panicked.

The captain of the ship tried to make him hear reason and came back now before the storm being stronger again but the prince Eric not listen him. The wind became more violent and the sailor had difficulty to manage the boat. Merliah felt weak to could not help. Besides the wind, a heavy rain fell. The boat was out of control and was rocking in all directions. The crew tried to grab to something, but the storm was too strong. A thunder struck on the ship and destroyed it. Many fragments were ejected from the boat and ended up meters way. Merliah moved back for fear of getting hurt. The largest part of the ship was on fire, several fragments of it were scattered around while some men did not survive, others were clinging to the pieces, wounded. The little mermaid came closer to see the damage hiding behind fragments so as not to be seen. While swimming she found a man who was unconscious, but he was breathing.

“How charming you are.” whispered Merliah touching his beautiful face. The prince opened his eyes small and asked whispering where he was.

“And you, who are you?” asked Eric to Merliah, stunned. Merliah did not answer. The heart of the prince was beating more and more slowly. Panicked, she cried: “I want to save him ! Can someone help me?” no answer.

• Fairy godmother where are you? Please come, I want to save him.” After few seconds she appeared by magic.

• Hi there! Sorry for being late I was busy and…but now I am here! So, you want to save him? Are you sure of your choice? There is no return. You only have one wish, sweetie.

• Yes, this is my only wish, I think I just fell in love… I want you to save him… please ! she said, crying.

• Adorable…! Well may it be so! By my wand that was bestowed upon me your wish is granted!

A luminous spark illuminated the ocean. The prince was lying at the water’s edge when members of the royal guard saw him while making a round, they rushed to help him. The little mermaid, reassured, went back to the deep of the water to not be seen.

The day after, the weather was better, Merliah asked her grandmother how it was possible that humans could die so quickly. Her love for humans was getting stronger than before since she saved the prince. She wanted to know more about them.

• Oh my little girl, humans lived less longer than us, explained her grandmother; us, we can live more than three hundred years. Then we turn in foam because in the deep of the ocean we do not have grave to receive inanimate bodies corpse. Our soul is not immortal, when we die is finish. Quite the contrary, humans have an eternal soul that live after that their bodies turn into dust.

• Why don’t we have an eternal soul? insist the little mermaid, upset ; I would gladly give the hundreds of years I have left to live to be a human, just one day, and discover the world.

• Don't think of such nonsense, replied the old woman; we are much happier here down than humans above.

• Is there then no way for me to acquire an immortal soul?

• Only one, but almost impossible. A man should have infinite love for you, that you should become dearer to him than his father and mother. Then, clinging to you with all his soul and with all his heart, if he had a priest join his right hand to yours, promising eternal fidelity, his soul would be communicated to your body, and you would be admitted to the happiness of humans. But such a thing can never be done! What passes here in the sea for the greatest beauty, your fishtail, they will find it detestable on earth. Poor humans! To be beautiful, they imagine that they need two coarse supports, which they call legs! »

The little mermaid sighed sadly as she looked at her fish tail. She decided to not going at the ball tonight and went to the roaring whirlpools behind which lived the witch. She thought that only her can help her to have an immortal soul. The road was dark and sinister. Not a flower or a blade of grass grew there. The little mermaid, seized with fear, would have wanted to turn away; but thinking of the prince and the soul of the man, she armed herself with all her courage. Merliah arrived in front of her house.

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