"Well, now, you are grown up,” said the old dowager, her grandmother; “so you must let me adorn you like your other sisters;” and she placed a wreath of white lilies in her hair, and every flower leaf was half a pearl. Then the old lady ordered eight great oysters to attach themselves to the tail of the princess to show her high rank.
“But they hurt me so,” said the little mermaid.
“Pride must suffer pain,” replied the old lady.
***Unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride, and fanned the prince, and then mounted with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the aether.
-Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid
After the past month of trodding on sharp knives, she had finally reached the point of becoming a daughter of the air. She was comforting and helping the girl who had won her prince's heart. Reassuring the bride of his love and devotion despite an interloper monopolizing his time. This interloper would be gone soon, and they both would have him back, in their own way.
Of course, the little mermaid never had the prince or his full heart. Hopefully she would always have his friendship, and he would never treat her as the prince treated the little mermaid. She would just continue on, her oysters hurting her tail to distract her from the pain in her heart.
Of course, the little mermaid never had the prince or his full heart. Hopefully she would always have his friendship, and he would never treat her as the prince treated the little mermaid. She would just continue on, her oysters hurting her tail to distract her from the pain in her heart.
