Have we met before?” Eric asked, his heart skipping a beat. But his hopes were soon dashed when he found that Ariel could not speak. She can’t be the one, he thought.
Still, the prince felt sorry for Ariel, so he brought her to his castle. His servants fed her and gave her pretty clothes to wear.
The next day, the prince took Ariel for a coach ride through his kingdom. “She’s so lovely,” Eric said to himself. “If only she were the girl I’ve been searching for!”
The next day, the prince took Ariel for a boat ride.
There isn’t much time, thought Ariel. If he doesn’t kiss me soon, I will become Ursula’s slave.
Although Ariel didn’t know it, the prince was falling in love and was just about to kiss her.
But Flotsam and Jetsam had been watching them. They tipped the boat over and sent the young couple tumbling into the water before Ariel could get her kiss!
Ursula had been watching the couple in her magic bubble. She decided to trick Eric so Ariel would never get her kiss. The witch transformed herself into a beautiful girl.
With Ariel’s voice locked inside the seashell necklace, Ursula would sound just like Eric’s true love!
The following day, as Ursula walked along the beach, the sound of Ariel’s beautiful voice filled the air. Eric could hardly believe his ears! The girl who had saved his life had finally come back to him!
Quickly, the Sea Witch put a sell on Eric, and he decided to marry her right away.
Ursula’s nasty trick had worked. She and Eric were to be married on his ship that very day!
In her cabin, Ursula laughed as she looked at her true reflection in the mirror. Luckily, Scuttle saw Ursula’s real reflection, too.
Scuttle and Flounder rushed off to find Ariel and tell her all about the Sea Witch’s latest trick.
“Don’t worry, Ariel. We’ll help you!” said Scuttle, as Flounder pulled her out to the ship. Then Scuttle flew to the ship.
With the help of sea lions, pelicans, and other birds, Scuttle stopped the wedding. As Ariel climbed over the railing, the birds tore at Ursula’s clothing and pulled her hair. The seashell fell from Ursula’s neck. When it broke, Ariel’s voice returned to her instantly. Ariel called out to warn the prince.
Then Eric knew he had been tricked. But time had run out. The sun had started to set, and Ariel was already turning back into a mermaid.
“You belong to me now!” gloated Ursula, who had turned back into her mean, ugly self. She grabbed Ariel and slithered into the sea.
But Eric was not about to let Ariel slip away this time! Grabbing a harpoon, he dived into the sea and hurled it at the Sea Witch!
That made Ursula angrier than ever! She transformed herself into a huge monster and tried to crush poor Ariel and the prince with her black tentacles.
Eric clutched the Little Mermaid to him, trying to protect her from the witch’s fury.
Eric knew he had to do something, and fast! Climbing aboard a ship that Ursula’s angry thrashing had raised from the bottom of the sea, he grabbed the wheel. He aimed the ship’s prow at Ursula and sailed full speed ahead! As the boat struck the witch, she let out a terrible scream. Then she was gone.
Everyone was glad the Sea Witch was gone, but Ariel was still unhappy. Even Triton could see that his daughter was truly in love. So, using his magic powers, he granted Ariel her dearest wish – he made her human again.
Triton watched as Eric and Ariel walked back to the castle.
“I’m going to miss her,” King Triton said to Sebastian, “but I know they’ll be happy.”
Soon after that, Eric and Ariel were married in a splendid shipboard wedding with all the merpeople looking on. And just as King Triton had predicted, they lived happily ever after!