The Little Mermaid

"The Little Mermaid"
Short story by Hans Christian Andersen
The Little Mermaid – illustration by Edmund Dulac
Text available at Wikisource
Text available at Danish Wikisource
Original title	Den lille havfrue
Translator	Mary Howitt
Country	Denmark
Language	Danish
Genre(s)	Literary fairy tale
Publication
Published in	Fairy Tales Told for Children. First Collection. Third Booklet. 1837. (Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. Første Samling. Tredie Hefte. 1837.)
Publication type	Fairy tale collection
Publisher	C. A. Reitzel
Publication date	7 April 1837
Published in English	1845
Series	2525318047

"The Little Mermaid" (Danish: Den lille havfrue), sometimes translated in English as "The Little Sea Maid",^[1] is a fairy tale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Originally published in 1837 as part of a collection of fairy tales for children, the story follows the journey of a young mermaid princess who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a human soul.

The original story has been the subject of multiple analyses by scholars such as Jacob Bøggild and Pernille Heegaard, as well as the folklorist Maria Tatar. These analyses cover various aspects of the story, from interpreting the themes to discussing why Andersen chose to write a tragic story with a happy ending. It has been adapted to various media, including musical theatre, anime, ballet, opera, and film. There is also a statue portraying the mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark, where the story was written and first published.