The Wedding

One day, the prince told her that his father wanted him to meet the daughter of a neighbouring king. His parents hoped he would marry her.

"But I will never love her," the prince said. "She is not the girl who saved my life. You are more like her than anyone I have met. If I had to choose, I would choose you, my dear dumb foundling."

The little mermaid's heart felt hope. But then the ship arrived at the neighbouring king's harbour, and the princess came to meet them.

She was very beautiful. She had soft white skin and dark blue eyes. And she was the girl from the temple — the girl the prince thought had saved him.

"It is you!" the prince cried, and he took the princess in his arms. "My dearest wish has come true!"

The little mermaid understood everything in that moment. She had saved the prince. But the princess had been there when he woke up. He would marry the princess now. And on the morning after the wedding, she would turn into sea foam.

The wedding was the next day. Bells rang all across the city. The little mermaid wore silk and gold and held the bride's train during the ceremony. But she heard nothing and saw nothing. She was thinking only about her own death.

That night, the married couple sailed away on the ship. There were lights and dancing on deck, and the little mermaid danced too — lighter and more beautifully than ever before. Every step was agony, but the pain in her heart was worse. This was her last night. She looked at the prince and knew she would never see him again.