"The Little Mermaid" (Danish: Den lille havfrue) is a fairy tale by the Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen about a young mermaid willing to give up her life in the sea and her identity as a mermaid to gain a human soul and the love of a human prince.
Written originally as a ballet, the tale was first published in 1837 and has been adapted to various media including musical theatre and animated film.

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