i n f o . m e d i a . s i t e . r e w i n d

Fairytale

Far out in the ocean the water is as blue as the petals of the loveliest cornflower, and as clear as the purest glass.
- Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid

Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch is loosely based off of the fairytale The Little Mermaid. The Little Mermaid is a fairytale written in the early 1800s by Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen. Although Andersen wrote many notable tale, The Little Mermaid tale is probably his most popular work. In fact, this tale has received many adaptions in the media, such as children's story books, movies (including the Disney movie), comic books, and TV shows.

The basic plot of the tale revolves around a young mermaid, said to be around fifteen. She is the daughter of the sea king and lives underwater with her father, grandmother, and her five older sisters. On her fifteen birthday, the mermaid explores the world above the ocean; she spots a ship and falls in love with the prince aboard. A sudden storm interferes and sinks the ship, along with the prince. However, the prince is saved by the mermaid. The mermaid takes him to the shore, nearby a temple. She waits patiently until she spots a young woman, who then tends to the unconscious prince. The mermaid leaves without a single trace.

The mermaid's (one-sided) first love continues to linger, and through a sea witch, she is granted the opportunity to meet this prince. This opportunity comes as her transformation to a full-fledged human. This comes at a price, though - the mermaid cannot speak. In addition, each footstep she takes will give her immense pain, as if she's stepping on broken glass.

From there, the mermaid stays with the prince as a human girl. The problem is, the mermaid cannot speak. Also, the prince begins to love as a little sister, not as a lover. In fact, the prince ends up falling in love with a maiden at the temple. The prince even decides to marry this woman, much to the disappointment of the mermaid.

In the meanwhile, the mermaid's sisters are desperate to find their youngest sister. They go the sea witch, who, with their hair, forges a knife. The mermaid will be able to turn back into a mermaid if she stabs the heart of the prince and allows his blood to drip on her feet. When the knife is delivered to the mermaid, she hesitantly approaches the prince and his bride in their sleep. Unfortunately, she is unable to do so; instead, she dives back into the sea and consequentially turns into foam.

As tragic as the tale sounds, the mermaid's fate is not completely doomed. The mermaid does not completely cease to exist; instead, she is turned into a spirit, more specifically a daughter of the air. As a daughter of the air, she can gain an eternal soul and eventually reach the kingdom of God.