The Little Mermaid pt. 2

by

Hans Christian Andersen

Featured in

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Little Mermaid” written by Hans Christian Andersen and adapted by Snoozecast.

In the first half, we learn about the little mermaid and her family. The little mermaid saves a handsome prince from drowning at sea and falls in love with him from afar.

Andersen’s original tale shifts in tone during its second half, moving from wonder and curiosity to longing and sacrifice. The young mermaid, desperate to be near the prince, makes a pact with a sea witch—exchanging her voice for a pair of human legs. But her transformation comes at a great cost.

This portion of the story is rich with emotion and filled with themes of devotion, heartbreak, and spiritual transformation. Andersen’s writing doesn't offer the tidy happy endings we often expect from fairy tales—instead, it lingers in the gray spaces of love unreturned and the power of selflessness.