so, this is an excerpt from my favorite book as a child called “If I Were in Charge of the World: and Other Worries” and it’s a collection of short stories and poems written in the perspective of children. my favorite chapter is called fairy tales and provides alternate endings to some of my favorite fairy tales such as this one [my fav, and possibly the reason for my realist romanticism]:
…AND ALTHOUGH THE LITTLE MERMAID SACRIFICED EVERYTHING TO WIN THE LOVE OF THE PRINCE, THE PRINCE (ALAS) DECIDED TO WEAR ANOTHER
i left the castle of my mer-king father,
where seaweed gardens sway in pearly sand.
i left behind sweet sisters and kind waters
to seek a prince’s love upon the land.
my tongue was payment for the witch’s potion
(and never would I sing sea songs again).
my tail became two human legs to dance on,
but i would always dance with blood and pain
i risked more than my life to make him love me.
the prince preferred another for his bride.
i always hate the ending to this story:
they lived together happily; i died
but i have some advice for modern mermaids
wh wish to save great sorrow and travail:
don’t give up who you are for love of princes.
he might have liked me better with my tail.
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