TheLittleMermaid
Onthebeach,PrinceEricisaloneandscanningthehorizon.Hecannotget Ariel'svoiceoutofhisheadandcontinuestothinkabouther("HerVoice".) Grimsbyentersandattemptstogethismindoffthemysteriousgirlbysuggesting amajesticballontheeveofhis21stbirthday.Hewillinvitethemosteligible bachelorettesfromfarandwidetocompeteforhislove.PrinceEric,atfirstreluctant,finallyagreesasherealizesthatasingingcontestwillbetheonlywayhe canfindthegirlwhorescuedhim.Heiselated.
Meanwhile,beneaththeopenwater,Arielsitsandplucksaflower.Sebastian appearsandvoiceshisconcernfortheyounggirl.Sheremindshimthatherlife undertheseafeelsincomplete,butheinterjects:thehumanworldisamessbut theseaworldishertruehome("UndertheSea".)AsSebastianrejoiceswiththe otherunderwatercreatures,Arielsneaksaway.KingTritonthenbargesinwith hisotherdaughters,whohavetoldhimofAriel'sloveforahuman.TritondemandsthatSebastiantakehimtoher.Backatthegrotto,Arielisspeakingtothe heroicbust.Assheconfidesinit,weheararumbleasKingTritonrushesin.He isfurious,demandingtoknowthetruthofherinteractionwithahuman.Ariel beginstoarguewithherfather, whichonlymakeshimmoreenraged,usinghis tridenttoblastandobliteratethebust.Thebustcrumblesintoamillionpieces and,asTritonswimsaway,ArielsearchesforthespyglassshetookfromPrince Eric;itisstillintact.SheclingsontoitasSebastianunsuccessfullytriestoreason withher("IfOnly-Ariel'sLament".)AsSebastiandeparts,FlotsamandJetsam slitheroutfromthedarkness;Arielrealizesthatsheisnolongeralone.Theeels pretendtocomfortthechildandpresentasolutiononbehalfofherAuntUrsula. Arielisbothscaredandskepticalbut,whentheevilduosuggestaspellthatcould tumherintoahumanandgetheroutoftheKingdom,sherelentsandagreesto gowiththem("SweetChild".)AssheheadsintoUrsula'slair,Flounderarrives justintimetoseeherdisappearintothedeepestvoidsoftheseafloor.
Inthelair,UrsulagreetsArielenthusiastically.Asthetwoplayasubtlegameof catandmouse,UrsulaclosesinonherploytotrickAriel("PoorUnfortunate Souls".)SheoffersArielaspell:shecanbecomehumanforthreedays-and threedaysonly unlesssheiskissedbythePrince.IfthePrincekissesher,she willstayhumanforever.Ifsheisnotkissedandthethreedayspass,hersouli foreverUrsula's.SheexplainstoArielthatthereisalsoa"fee"forthedeal. In exchangeforthisopportunity,shemustgiveawayhervoice.Arielinitiallyrefusesbut,aftersomepushing,shesignsthecontract;Ursula'smaniacal!au_ growsasAriel'svoicesoars...andthenbeginstovanish.Sheissuddenlypropelledintoamagicalspinandthrustuptowardthesurface.Asherscales
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