ariel



after hundreds of years
of retellings, of tragedy
of sacrifice, of true love
the little mermaid finally

finds an end to suffering
a twist in the tale
she marries her prince
she rises above the waves

but what awaits ariel
life of a mortal, of mankind's
absolute control over  the world
abhorrent to her own kind

does she yearn for the deep ocean
does she long to return to its wisdom?

elle fait aspirer à l'océan
veut-elle à son retour d'un bleu profond?

by ninotaziz. all rights reserved.


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While I understand that movie adaptation is required, I often miss the parts of folklore that was deleted from movies. For instance, the little mermaid's grandmother was such a force to be reckoned with in the fairytale. She dictated the rules for the princesses and wore 12 oysters on her tail rather than the customary six. And yet, she no longer existed in the movie.

I love legends and folklores from all over the world, and through this appreciation, learn to love the Malay Hikayat even more.

17 comments:

  1. I think I should read the Fairy Tale version of Little Mermaid. I am only familiar with the Disney version. So true, that perhaps after living with mankind after a while she will regret having left her ocean home! I enjoyed your take!

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    1. Mary, The Little Mermaid was among the earliest fairytales I read, and drew mermaids as a young girl. I even did copper tooling depicting the mermaid and the moon rising in the horizon!

      My girls too grew up drawing mermaids. Then I found out we have mermaids too in our own legends! The mer-people of Dika.

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    2. Very interesting that you have mermaids too in your legends! I am more determined than ever now to read the original Little Mermaid tale. How interesting that you did copper tooling depicting the mermaid & that your daughters grew up drawing them.

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  2. they change some things in the disney movies..in the original mermaid story there was no happy end for the girl... and yeah..i wonder if she missed living in the ocean sometimes, but if you found the one you love, that makes up for it i think..

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    1. All for love, Claudia? I guess so. But I often felt the lessons of old, the reverence to the elderly (the knowing mer-grandmother), the lessons of true love, and choosing good over evil (her choice not to kill the prince so that she could return to the sea…) all this lost in the movie adaptation.

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  3. ah i love legend as well....and it is interesting what the movie makers choose to leave out...and its hard when we know the legend to understand why they would...it becomes almost another story...

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    1. This actually happened throughout time, Brian, not only for movies. That is why retellings are so necessary. When values and lifestyle changed, the fairytales adapt - and often reveal what is currently prevalent in society.

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  4. yeap... I'd rather keep dreaming instead

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    Replies
    1. Hey! I haven't seen you for a while! I'd rather dream as well...

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  5. Ninot Ma'am!
    It's sad that the original set-up is messed up with. I suppose given a different context a little adaptation is necessary to conform to modern demands and expectations to make it a money spinner! Great take Ma'am!

    Hank

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  6. So very true - they tend to gloss over things when adapting tales for the movies. But you didn't gloss over anything...I loved this!

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  7. It's amazing how fairy tales change over time. Nice one.

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  8. Yes, she does long for the sea! Loved this, Ninot, and also the interesting conversation that follows! Mary, read the original version to Mya!!!!! I love that the grandmother had 12 oysters on her tail. Grandmas are wicked cool!

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  9. And in the fairy tale she doesn't get her prince... but sacrifice herself. HC Anderssen's version would make children cry (I did as a kid)...

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  10. Yes it is sad that everything has to be sanitised and sugar coated to suit popular culture.

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  11. The legends and myths are more fascinating ~ these Disney tales are watered down version, meant to entertain a new generation who knew nothing of the original stories ~ Love those ending lines as well ~

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  12. I agree the movies made about these things are just that....made for a mass lame brained audience;, many can be an insult to our intelligence..and what do the kids learn about the real history of said tales or legends or myths?

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