There are several adaptations of The Little Mermaid, but the most well-known are the 1989 Disney animated classic and the 2023 live-action adaptation. Here's a summary and detailed story incorporating elements from both:
Summary:
Ariel, a spirited and adventurous young mermaid princess, is fascinated by the human world above the sea. Ignoring her father King Triton's strict rules against interacting with humans, she makes a dangerous deal with the sea witch Ursula. In exchange for her voice, Ursula grants Ariel human legs for three days, during which she must receive a "kiss of true love" from Prince Eric to remain human permanently. If she fails, she will belong to Ursula. Ariel succeeds in meeting Eric, but Ursula's manipulations and Ariel's voicelessness make it difficult to win his heart. Ultimately, with the help of her friends and her father's sacrifice, Ursula is defeated, Ariel regains her voice, and after Triton witnesses their genuine love, he allows Ariel to become human and live happily ever after with Eric.
Detailed Story:
In the underwater kingdom of Atlantica, King Triton rules over his mermaid subjects and seven daughters. The youngest, Ariel, is a curious and headstrong mermaid with a deep fascination for the human world. She collects human artifacts with her best friend Flounder, a timid yellowfish, and often seeks the insightful (though sometimes misguided) advice of Scuttle, a quirky seagull who misinterprets human objects.
Triton, having lost his wife to a human ship, harbors a deep-seated hatred and fear of humans, strictly forbidding his daughters from venturing to the surface. However, Ariel's longing for the human world only intensifies.
One stormy night, Ariel and Flounder surface and witness a ship celebrating the birthday of Prince Eric, a charming human prince. A violent storm capsizes the ship, and Ariel rescues the drowning Eric, pulling him to shore. She sings a beautiful melody to him before retreating beneath the waves as he regains consciousness, leaving him with a lingering memory of her enchanting voice and a desire to find her.
Ariel becomes obsessed with Eric and the human world. Ignoring Triton's warnings and the concerns of Sebastian, a loyal and musical crab tasked with watching over her, Ariel decides to seek a way to become human.
Her desire leads her to the lair of Ursula, a powerful and manipulative sea witch banished by Triton. Ursula agrees to help Ariel, but at a steep price: Ariel must trade her beautiful voice for a pair of human legs for three days. During these three days, if Ariel receives a "kiss of true love" from Eric, she will remain human permanently. If she fails, she will belong to Ursula forever. Desperate, Ariel agrees and signs Ursula's magical contract.
Ursula performs the transformation, and Ariel is washed ashore near Eric's castle, now voiceless and with human legs that are initially clumsy and difficult to use. Eric finds her and, intrigued by her mysterious presence and captivated by her beautiful eyes, takes her in.
Ariel spends the next three days in Eric's castle, learning about the human world and developing a strong connection with the Prince. Despite her inability to speak, her expressive eyes and kind nature charm Eric. Sebastian and Flounder, who followed Ariel to the surface, along with Scuttle, try various comical and often disastrous methods to encourage Eric to kiss Ariel.
As the deadline approaches, Ursula, realizing Ariel might succeed, takes matters into her own hands. She disguises herself as a beautiful human woman named Vanessa and uses Ariel's stolen voice to enchant Eric. Under Ursula's spell, Eric believes Vanessa is the one who saved him and announces his intention to marry her.
Devastated, Ariel and her friends realize Ursula's treachery. Scuttle discovers Vanessa's true identity and alerts Ariel and her friends. With the help of her underwater companions, Ariel races to the wedding ship.
Chaos ensues as Ariel confronts Ursula (in her Vanessa disguise), and her true identity is revealed to Eric. Just as they are about to kiss, the sun sets, and Ariel's transformation back into a mermaid begins. Ursula then reveals her true form and drags Ariel back to the sea, claiming her as payment for the failed contract.
King Triton arrives, furious at Ursula's deception and heartbroken for his daughter. Ursula, seizing the opportunity, offers Triton a deal: he can take Ariel's place as her prisoner. To save his beloved daughter, Triton agrees and transforms into a polyp, losing his power and freedom to Ursula.
Empowered by Triton's trident, Ursula unleashes her full power, growing to an enormous size and creating a violent storm. Ariel, with the help of Eric, confronts the monstrous sea witch. In a climactic battle, Eric impales Ursula with the broken bow of a ship, destroying her and breaking her hold on Atlantica.
With Ursula defeated, Triton is restored to his former self and regains his trident and power. Witnessing the depth of Ariel's love for Eric and realizing that their happiness lies in two different worlds, Triton makes the ultimate sacrifice. He uses his magic to permanently transform Ariel into a human.
Ariel and Eric are finally reunited, sharing a true love's kiss. They marry in a beautiful ceremony on the shore, bridging the gap between the human and mermaid worlds. Ariel embraces her new life as a human princess, and she and Eric sail off into the sunset, ready to embark on their life together. While Ariel misses her family, she knows she has made the right choice, and the film often ends with a sense of harmony and acceptance between the two worlds.
