The Little Mermaid
Enjoy the sad tale of the mermaid who loved a prince. This richly illustrated series of retold fairy tales for children aged 5-12 years old will bring an extra dimension to your English teaching. With listening, speaking, reading, writing, and drama activities, Classic Tales graded readers make it easy for you to create complete language lessons around a popular and engaging traditional tale.
Story Summary
Life Under the Sea
The little mermaid lived happily with her father, the sea king, her grandmother, and five sisters in a beautiful underwater kingdom. She was the youngest and most beautiful, with a voice like music. Her garden was full of colorful fish and bright flowers, but she dreamed of the world above the sea. Her grandmother told her about the sky, birds, and humans who walked on two legs. The little mermaid longed to see this world, but she had to wait until she turned fifteen.
Love at First Sight
On her fifteenth birthday, the little mermaid swam to the surface and saw a ship with a handsome prince celebrating his sixteenth birthday. She fell in love with him instantly. Suddenly, a storm hit, and the ship sank. The little mermaid saved the prince from drowning and brought him to shore. She watched as a young girl found him, but the prince never saw her. Heartbroken, she returned to the sea, unable to forget the prince.
A Dangerous Wish
The little mermaid learned that humans have immortal souls, while mermaids turn to sea foam after 300 years. Desperate to gain a soul and be with the prince, she visited the sea witch. The witch offered her legs in exchange for her voice, warning that if the prince married someone else, she would die. Despite the pain and risks, the little mermaid agreed. She drank the potion, lost her tongue, and gained legs, but every step felt like walking on knives.
A Broken Heart
The prince found the little mermaid on the beach and took her to his palace. She couldn’t speak but expressed her love through her eyes. Though the prince cared for her, he loved another girl—the one he believed had saved him from the storm. When the prince met the princess, he recognized her as his savior and decided to marry her. The little mermaid’s heart shattered, knowing she would soon turn to sea foam.
A New Beginning
On the wedding night, the little mermaid’s sisters gave her a knife to kill the prince and return to the sea. But she couldn’t hurt him. Instead, she threw the knife into the water and jumped into the sea, expecting to die. Instead, she became a spirit of the air, earning a chance to gain a soul by doing good deeds for 300 years. As she flew above the ship, she blessed the prince and his bride, finally finding peace.
Story Vocabulary Quiz
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Story Quiz
Sue Arengo
A Storyteller for Young Learners of English
Sue Arengo is a British author who writes wonderful stories for children learning English. She has worked with Oxford University Press for over 20 years, creating books that are fun and easy to read. Many of her books are part of graded reader series like Classic Tales, Dominoes, and Oxford Bookworms.
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