THIS year Disney released the live-action remake of their classic film The Little Mermaid.
We all know and love the classic Disney tale, but did you know the original story is much darker?
The original story, published in 1837 follows a 14-year-old mythical creature on her quest to find true love.
The mermaid abandons her life in the sea in search of a Prince - a plot line that was kept in the Disney adaptation.
But the torture the mermaid goes through to achieve her goal is something a Disney film wouldn't include.
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The little mermaid visits the Sea Witch, who we know as Ursula, where she strikes a deal.
The sea witch exchanged her beautiful voice and tongue for human legs.
Although she is able to walk on land, every step the little mermaid takes feels like she is being pricked by sharp knives.
Author Hans Christian Andersen also ensured that his main character didn't have a soul, which may have inspired Ursula's song 'Poor Unfortunate Souls'.
In order to survive, the mermaid must win the Prince's affection.
However, unlike the happy ending we saw in Disney's adaptations, the Little Mermaid fails on this mission.
In the original tale, the Prince marries another woman.
The Sea Witch then gives the heartbroken mermaid another ultimatum.
To ensure her survival she must murder her lover, which the Little Mermaid agrees to.
However, when she comes to commit the crime, she cannot bring herself to kill him and chooses to die herself instead.
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She then dissolves into foam but is offered one small reprieve.
As her spirit floats in the sky, she eventually earns a soul by carrying out good deeds for 300 years before ascending into heaven.
It's no surprise that Disney decided to make some adjustments to the film that's aimed at children.
But the Little Mermaid's fate wasn't the only dark plotline that featured in the Danish author's tale.
In the original novel, the sea creatures are not innocent.
The mermaid's sisters boast about luring sailors into the water and ultimately their deaths.
And unlike Prince Eric, the Prince in the original story isn't family-friendly.
The book describes him as being entertained by female slaves at his palace and his affections for the Little Mermaid are rather creepy.
At one point, he even admits he loves her "as he would love a little child."
