This book contains the following stories:
The Little Mermaid
Deep, deep down in the sea lived the sea king and queen and their brood of mermaid daughters. When each child turned sixteen she was allowed to visit the surface of the sea and look out upon the human world. One by one each girl came of age, but having satisfied their curiosity, each agreed that their sea world was more enchanting than the world above the sea. Until the time came for the youngest princess to visit the sea’s surface, whereupon she saw a ship filled with beautiful people having a party and gazed upon the most handsome of all, a young prince. The youngest mermaid watched all day but then as evening drew in, a storm erupted tossing the ship this way and that. The handsome young prince was thrown into the sea and would have drowned but for the plucky young mermaid who rescued him. Scared of being discovered, the little mermaid left the unconscious prince on the beach where he was found by a lovely young woman. The prince believed that it was the young woman who had rescued
The Ugly Duckling
A mother duck sits on her eggs. When they hatch she has five pretty ducklings and one ugly grey duckling. ‘How ugly you are, ’ says the mother to her duckling. Wherever they go the message is the same – ugly, ugly duckling. The ugly duckling is so upset he runs away and hides. Spring turns to summer and then winter and the ugly duckling stays hidden away from the mean animals. Then spring returns and the ugly duckling emerges from his hiding place to admire a flock of swans on the river. ‘How beautiful you are’, he says to them. ‘But so are you’, reply the swans and point to the ugly duckling’s reflection in the pond. He follows their gaze and realises he is not an ugly duckling any more but has transformed into beautiful swan.
