How many versions of The Little Mermaid are there?

What is the difference between the original little mermaid tale and the Disney version ?

• Answer:

  Both stories are so different from each other. In the original little mermaid, she does not have a name. She is the youngest daughter of the sea king, with five older sisters. In the story, when the mermaids reach the age of fifteen they are allowed to rise to the surface of the sea to view the world above them. When the little mermaid turns fifteen, she swims to the surface. She sees the prince and falls in love. A storm comes and the little mermaid saves the prince who is unconscious and leaves him on the shore near a temple where a girl finds him. She asks her grandmother if humans can live forever to which she tells the mermaid that humans have a shorter lifespan than mermaids, but they live on with an eternal soul, whereas when mermaids die, they turn to sea foam and cease to exist. Wanting an eternal life with the prince, the little mermaid goes to see the sea witch. The sea witch sells her a potion that transforms the mermaids tail into two legs and the ability to dance like no other, but explains that whenever she walks and dances she will feel excruciating pain. The little mermaid trades her tongue for the potion, it is explained the she has the most beautiful voice out of anyone in the world. The mermaid meets the prince and he is attracted to her but he explains that his heart belongs to the girl that found him and the one he believes saved him at the temple, unbeknownst to him that is was actually the little mermaid who saved him. She sticks by the princes side and dances for him, even though it causes her pain. It is announced that the prince is to marry the neighboring kingdoms princess. It is revealed that the princess is the one that found the prince after the little mermaid saved him. The prince falls in love with the young beautiful princess and they get married. The little mermaid is heartbroken and as she awaits her death, her sisters show up. They reveal to her that they sold their hair to the sea witch for a dagger. They explain that if she stabs the prince in the heart with the dagger and let his blood drip on her feet, she will return to being a mermaid. She enters his room and sees him sleeping with his new bride. She cannot bring herself to kill him. She throws the dagger and jumps into the sea. Instead of ceasing to exist, she becomes a daughter of the air. Another daughter of the the air tells her that because she tried with all her heart to receive an eternal soul, she will earn one after doing good deeds for three hundred years. I'm going to assume you've seen Disney's version. Hopefully this helps you with your paper.