Far beneath the sparkling ocean waves, in a kingdom of shimmering coral, lived a young mermaid named Marina. She had a tail that shimmered like a thousand emeralds, but her most beautiful treasure was her singing voice. When she sang, the fish would stop their darting to listen, and the sea turtles would smile. Her voice was full of joy and curiosity, and it was the truest part of who she was.
A World Above
Marina loved to swim to the surface and watch the world of humans. She was fascinated by a handsome, kind-faced prince who often sailed his ship nearby. She longed to walk on land and meet him, to share her world with him.
A Dangerous Bargain
One day, she visited the Sea Witch, a mysterious figure who lived in a dark, spooky cave. The witch promised to grant her wish. "I can give you legs," the witch hissed, "but you must give me your most precious possession in return: your beautiful voice."
Marina hesitated. A world without her songs? A life where she couldn't laugh out loud or hum a happy tune? It felt like giving away a piece of her soul. But her desire to meet the prince was so strong that she made a difficult choice and agreed. In a flash of magic, she had legs, but her throat was silent.
A Silent World
On land, she did meet the prince. He was kind and charmed by her beauty and sweet smile, but their time together was always quiet. She couldn't share her funny thoughts, tell him about her ocean home, or, most importantly, sing him the songs of her heart. She couldn't be her true self, and because of that, the prince couldn't truly know her. He liked her very much, but there was always a distance between them that words and songs could have filled.
Eventually, the prince fell in love with a princess from a nearby kingdom who, by chance, had a beautiful singing voice. He believed she was the one who had saved him from a shipwreck long ago with a mysterious, enchanting song.
Finding Her Voice Again
Marina's heart was sad, not just because she had lost the prince, but because she had lost herself. She realized she had given away the most important part of her identity for a dream that wasn't truly meant for her.
Her sisters, seeing her sadness, made a deal with the Sea Witch to get her voice back. The moment her beautiful voice returned, filling the air with a song of the sea, Marina felt whole again. She didn't stay on land. Instead, she returned to the ocean, where she belonged.
She learned that trying to change who you are for someone else is never the answer. The most important thing is to value your own unique voice—your thoughts, your feelings, and your songs—because that is what makes you, you. And when you are true to yourself, you will find the people who love you for exactly who you are.
Learning Goals
Moral of the Story: This classic children's story highlights that your own voice—your thoughts, feelings, and ideas—is your most valuable possession. It's a powerful bedtime story for kids that encourages self-expression, confidence, and understanding the importance of being true to oneself.
Key Vocabulary
- Value: The importance, worth, or usefulness of something.
- Unique: Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.
- Identity: The fact of being who or what a person or thing is.
Discussion Questions
- Why was Marina's voice so important?
- What does it mean to be true to yourself?
- What is something you value about yourself?