Today we have a very special anniversary, tiktakers.
It's been 30 years since "The Little Mermaid" premiered in the United States.
It is hard to believe that so much time has passed, but this Disney classic has managed
to conquer several generations of children, and also adults as well.
We’re sure you've all seen it at least once.
But did you know that the plot is based on a 19th century tale?
It was written by Hans Christian Andersen, Danish author of other classics such as "The
Ugly Duckling" or "The Steadfast Tin Soldier".
Disney's version changes some details of the story, which like many legends of the time,
had a more tragic and darker tone.
Its protagonist is a mermaid without a name, the youngest of five sisters, whose father
is the king of the sea.
She is the most beautiful and has a wonderful voice, and despite living in the depths of
the ocean, her greatest dream is to break free to the surface.
Her wish comes true on her fifteenth birthday, when her father finally gives her permission
to go outside.
She is fascinated when she sees the sky for the first time, the stars and the seagulls
fluttering around her.
On her way, she goes by a ship where they are throwing a party for the captain’s birthday,
a handsome young man.
When the Little Mermaid sees him, she falls in love.
But suddenly a furious storm breaks out, and despite the protagonist's warnings, the ship
sinks.
In a desperate struggle, she manages to save the life of her beloved and drag him unconscious
to the shore.
She takes care of him until a woman approaches asking for help when she discovers the castaway.
He wakes up, sees the maiden and thinks it was her that saved him.
Meanwhile, the Little Mermaid goes back home, devastated for not being able to stay with
her great love.
She is so desperate that she decides to visit the dangerous Sorceress of the Abyss.
She offers her a potion to turn her fish tail into human legs.
But every time she puts her feet on the ground, she will suffer a great pain.
In exchange, the Sorceress asks for her beautiful voice.
But she must get his love back, because if he marries another woman, the Little Mermaid
will die the morning after and her body will become sea foam.
Even with all this, she accepts.
After losing her voice, she rises to the surface and crawls to the shore where she drinks the
potion.
Her fish tail tears in two legs, with unbearable pain that makes her lose her consciousness.
When she wakes up she meets her beloved, the prince of the kingdom, who, thinking she is
another castaway, welcomes her to his castle.
Days go by and although she cannot speak, she manages to gain his affection by sharing
long periods of time together.
He enjoys watching her dancing, and she pleases him even though every step she takes is like
walking on sharp knives.
Yet the prince's thoughts are still with the woman he believed had saved him on the beach.
The Little Mermaid knows it and suffers inside.
When the king and the queen arrange their son's marriage to the princess of the neighboring
country, he refuses.
But his anguish turns into joy when he discovers that the princess is the same woman he saw
on the beach, and marries her.
Meanwhile, the heartbroken Little Mermaid attends the wedding and accompanies the bride
and groom on their first boat trip.
At dusk she goes out on the deck, ready to accept her death and disappear into the sea.
But her sisters emerge from the surface with a magic dagger from the Sorceress, they got
in exchange for their hair.
If the Little Mermaid kills the prince with it, she will be able to return to her old
life.
She sneaks into the bridal bed, ready to commit the crime.
But when she sees the sleeping face of her beloved, she takes pity on him and kisses
him goodbye.
She returns to the deck and throws herself into the sea, ready to face her destiny.
With the sunrise, her body begins to rise and float towards the sky, carried by the
fairies of the wind.
As a reward for her sacrifice she has become a kind spirit, and through her good deeds
one day she will have an immortal soul and live in heaven, like all humans.
As you can see, Disney's version has a cheerful and not so dark tone.
And a happy ending where the protagonist ends up with her beloved.
Perhaps this was the key to its great success.
In fact, a real action version is planned for 2021, starring the young singer Halle
Bailey.
It made Ariel one of the audience's favourite Disney princesses, an icon of the company.
But the film also had other great characters.
Who's your favourite?
Tell us in the comments!