Concept: Angst & Fantasy 

Min Hyun: ‘Ariel and Prince Eric married and lived happily in a castle by the sea. The end.’

A Ra: Daddy! Again!!

Min Hyun: Alright princess. I’ll read the book again just for you.

A Ra: Yay!!!!

//It was a routine for them. They would always come back to this beach on the every 19^th of August. Sitting on the rock, by the sea. Reading the little mermaid book. It has been the 4^th year they did this. And A Ra was 7 years old this year//

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*10 years later*

Min Hyun: ‘Ariel and Prince Eric married and lived happily in a castle by the sea. The end.’

A Ra: Daddy. Why do we always come back to this beach every year on the 19^th of August?

//He got a little surprise, but he knew he had it coming. When A Ra started to talk, he feared the day she would ask him this. But he knew she has the rights to know why and what actually happen//

Min Hyun: A Ra. Did I ever tell you why your name was A Ra?

A Ra: No daddy. Why?

Min Hyun: It’s your mum’s name.

//Widen her eyes in shocked. It was the first time he ever talked about her birth mother. Growing up, she was always curious of who and where her birth mum went. But he wouldn’t answer any of it and strike it off. Sje had little memory of her birth mum. Only remembering bits and parcel, of her. As she knew her birth mum was gone when she was only 3 years of age. It’s not that she was not enjoying the company of her step mum. She treats her like an own daughter. And filled in her birth mum place for her since she was young. But she felt like something was always out of place. They way her dad and step mum would avoid the questions about her birth mum. And how they do not even have any picture of her at home. As if she didn’t exist at all //

A Ra: My birth mum?

Min Hyun: Yes darling. Your birth mum.

//Smiling at her sweetly//

A Ra: Dad. I always wanted to ask you this. But am I adopted?

Min Hyun: Hahaha! A Ra. I could have guaranteed that you’re 100% my daughter. Why did you even doubt that?

A Ra: It’s just that growing up, you never talk about mum. Like my birth mum. And I thought she abandon me and you adopted me pretending to be my dad.

Min Hyun: You’re my daughter A Ra. I can confirm that. Hmm… A Ra. Do you want to know what actually happened to the little mermaid?

A Ra: She married the prince?

Min Hyun: That’s not how the real story goes about.

A Ra: Really? But the book says so.

Min Hyun: Well, it’s a story for kids. The author needs to write a happy ending for the kids, they can’t possibly write a sad one. Hence, the stories written was not always the actual case. And it’s not what actually happened. Do you want to know?

A Ra: Ya.

Min Hyun: Sit back. It’s going to be a long one.

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Ariel was not the real name of the mermaid. It was just a cover up to hide the identity of the real mermaid in this story. So, the story goes like this.

Far out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower, and as clear as crystal. It was hidden from everyone and everyone thinks that there was nothing in the deep sea but bare yellow sand. But in fact, there was a castle deep down the sea. A castle where the sea king lives, in this case where “king triton” (Ariel’s dad) lives. The castle walls were made of coral and the roof was formed by shells. The sea king was a widower, he lives there with his 6 beautiful children. But the youngest one was the prettiest of them all. Her skin was as clear and delicate as a rose leaf. And her eyes were as blue as the deepest sea. But like no other, she had no feet. Instead she has a tail just like all of them. All day long, all she does was played in the great hall of the castle. Or among the living flowers that grew out of the walls. Outside the castle was a beautiful garden, which grew bright red and dark blue flowers. In calm weather, the sun could be seen and over everything lay a peculiar blue radiance. As if it were surrounded by the air from above, through which the blue sky shone, instead of the dark depths of the sea.

Each of the young princesses had a little plot of ground in the garden, where she might dig and plant as she pleased. The youngest of them all planted flower in a round shape like the sun, and it contained flowers as red as the rays at sunset. She was a strange child, quiet and thoughtful. She cared for nothing but her pretty red flowers, like the sun, and a beautiful marble statue. It was the representation of a handsome boy, carved out of pure white stone, which had fallen to the bottom of the sea from a wreck. Nothing gave her so much pleasure as to hear about the world above the sea. She made her old grandmother tell her all she knew of the ships and of the towns, the people and the animals. To her it seemed most wonderful and beautiful to hear that the flowers of the land should have fragrance, and not those below the sea. And that the trees of the forest should be green.

She remembers a sentence that her old grandmother had said to all of them. “When you have reached your fifteenth year. You will have permission to rise up out of the sea, to sit on the rocks in the moonlight. While the great ships are sailing by. And then you will see both the forests and the towns as you pleased.” The sister each promised to tell the others what she saw on her first visit, and what she thought the most beautiful. But none of them longed as much for their turn to come, as much as the youngest. At last the youngest turned fifteen. She rose as lightly as a bubble to the surface of the water. The sun had just set as she raised her head above the waves. The sea was calm, and the air was mild and fresh. She saw a large ship, lay calming on the water. She decided to swim close to the cabin windows, look in through clear glass window-panes. She saw a number of well-dressed people. Among them was a young prince, the most beautiful of all, with large black eyes. He was sixteen years of age, and his birthday was being kept with much rejoicing.

She stayed there observing them as she couldn’t take her eyes off from the ship, most importantly the beautiful prince. It was very late, and the waves rose higher, heavy clouds darkened the sky, and lightning appeared in the distance. A dreadful storm approached, it broke over the deck making the ship part. She could see everyone who had been on board except the prince. But soon notice the prince was sinking into the deep waves. She remembered that human beings could not live in the water. So, she swam among the beams and planks, which strewed the surface of the sea. Forgetting that they could crush her to pieces. Then she dived deeply under the dark waters, rising and falling with the waves, till she managed to reach the young prince, who was fast losing the power to swim in that stormy sea.

His limbs were failing him, his beautiful eyes were closed, and he would have died. If it wasn’t for the little mermaid that came to his assistance. She held his head above the water, and let the waves drift them where they would. In the morning the storm had ceased, the sun rose up red and glowing from the water. The mermaid kissed his high, smooth forehead, and back his wet hair. She kissed him again and wished that he might live. She swam with the handsome prince to the beach, which was covered with fine, white sand. The sawm out further from the shore, hiding her head and neck with the sea foam. And placed herself between some high rocks that rose out of the water. She did not wait long before she saw a young girl approach the spot where the prince lay. And saw that the prince came to life again. With that she dived down into the water and returned to her father’s castle. After that day, she would swim much nearer the shore than any of the others would and sit and watch the young prince.

She was glad she had saved his life when he had been tossed about half-dead on the waves. And she remembered how heartily she had kissed him. But he knew nothing of all this and could not even dream of her. She grew more and more fond of human beings and wished to be able to wander about with those whose world seemed to be so much larger than her own. She went back into the deep water and asked her old grandmother. “If human beings are not drowned, can they live forever? do they never die as we do here in the sea?” Which replied “They must also die, and they live shorter than ours. We sometimes live to three hundred years, but when we cease to exist here we only become the foam on the surface of the water. We do not have a grave down here of those we love. Human beings, on the contrary, have a soul which lives forever, that lives after the body has been turned to dust. It will rise up through the clear, pure air beyond the glittering stars. As we rise out of the water, they rise to an unknown and glorious regions which we shall never see.”

To that the little mermaid said, ““I would gladly give all the hundreds of years that I have to live, to be a human being only for one day. And to have the hope of knowing the happiness of that glorious world above the stars. Is there anything I can do to win an immortal soul?” Which the old grandmother replied, “Unless a man were to love you so much that you were more to him than his father or mother. And all his thoughts and love were fixed upon you, where the priest would placed his right hand in yours, and he promised to be true to you here and hereafter. Then his soul would glide into your body and you would obtain a share in the future happiness of mankind. He would give a soul to you and retain his own as well, but this can never happen. Your fish’s tail, which amongst us is considered so beautiful, is thought on earth to be quite ugly.”

The little mermaid sighed and looked sorrowfully at her fish’s tail. But she decided on her own that she will venture all for him, and to win an immortal soul. Hence, while her sisters were dancing in her father’s palace, she went to the sea witch. Whom she have always been so much afraid of. “I know what you want. It is very stupid of you, but you shall have your way. And it will bring you to sorrow, my pretty princess. You want to get rid of your fish’s tail, to have two supports instead, like human beings on earth. So that the young prince may fall in love with you, and that you may have an immortal soul.” said the sea witch. “I will prepare a draught for you, with which you must swim to land tomorrow before sunrise, and sit down on the shore and drink it. Your tail will then disappear and shrink up into what mankind calls legs. And you will feel great pain, as if a sword were passing. But at every step you take it will feel as if you were treading upon sharp knives. If you will bear all this, I will help you.” She continued “Once your shape has become like a human being, you can no more be a mermaid. You will never return through the water to your sisters, or to your father’s palace again. And if you do not win the love of the prince, then you will never have an immortal soul. The first morning after he marries another your heart will break, and you will become foam on the crest of the waves.”

“I will do it” said the little mermaid. To that the sea witch replied “But I must be paid. You must give me the best thing you posses as the price of the drought. You’ll have to give me your sweet voice.” The sun had not risen when she came in sight of the prince’s palace, but the moon shone clear and bright. The little mermaid drank the magic draught, and it seemed as if a two-edged sword went through her delicate body. Making her fell like a dead person. But when the sun arose and shone over the sea, she recovered, and felt a sharp pain. But just before she took a step up, she saw the handsome young prince. Which had fixed his coal-black eyes upon her so earnestly. The prince asked her who she was, and where she came from, and she looked at him mildly and sorrowfully with her deep blue eyes. Because she couldn’t speak. But the prince said she should remain with him always.

As the days passed, she loved the prince more fondly, and he loved her as he would love a little child, but it never came into his head to make her his wife. Becuase he only thought of the one who saved her. But they had a child together, it was a little girl and she was already 3 years of age. But very soon it was said that the prince must marry, the beautiful daughter of a neighbouring that would be his wife. The little mermaid felt as if her heart were already broken. She knew this was the last evening she would ever see the prince, for whom she had forsaken her home for and even had a child with. It was the night the prince had kissed his beautiful bride.

It was also when the little mermaid saw her all sister raise form the water again. “We have given our hair to the witch, to help you. She has given us a knife and it’s very sharp. Before the sun rise, you must plunge it into the prince heart. With his blood that fall upon your feet, you will turn once more to a mermaid. And return to us.” The little mermaid was standing in the prince room. She fixed her eyes on the prince, who whispered the name of his bride in his dreams. Her hand trembled in her hands as she decided to fling it far away from her into the waves. While she did the same for herself, throwing herself in the waves, which her body dissolved into foam. She turned into a luminous and ethereal earthbound spirit, a daughter of the air. An it was said that, on every year of her death day. You could hear her beautiful voice with the crashing sounds of wave. At the beach which she throws herself down to.

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A Ra: But daddy. What does that have to do with my real mum.

Min Hyun: Well, do you know what was the real name of the little mermaid?

A Ra: No.

Min Hyun: Her name was A Ra.

A Ra: DAD?!

Min Hyun: I missed her. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect her. I couldn’t protect your mum. I was forced to marry someone else. And I knew all along she was the mermaid that saved my life. I did love her A Ra. If not, we wouldn’t have you. But I couldn’t do anything to prevent her from going back to the sea that night. I’m sorry. But I’m happy with your step mum, we got along even though we were forced to get married. But I missed your mum. I’m sorry it took so long for me to tell you this.

//I love you A Ra. I missed you as well.//