The Sea Witch watched the mermaid closely.
"I will prepare a magic brew for you," she said, "that will change your tail into legs and feet."
"How wonderful!" cried the Little Mermaid.
"With legs I can walk on land and be near my Prince.
Then surely he will fall in love with me!"
"I must warn you," continued the Sea Witch.
"You will feel a lot of pain whenever you stand.
To others your walk will look graceful, like a dancer's.
But every step will sting like a sharp blade cutting into your feet."
The Sea Witch paused to pet one of her frogs.
Then she asked her, "Are you willing to suffer for what you desire?"
"Yes, of course!" replied the Little Mermaid excitedly.
"I would do anything to live in the Upper World and get a soul."
"Remember," said the witch, "once you become human, you can never be a mermaid again.
You will no longer live in your father's palace or play with your sisters.
You can no longer ask your grandmother for advice.
You can never come back to the Sea Kingdom again."
"I understand," said the Little Mermaid softly.
The Sea Witch bent down and looked right into the mermaid's eyes.
"One more thing, my dear," she added.
"If the Prince doesn't marry you, you will not get your soul.
And the morning after he marries another, you will die and become sea foam."
"I will take that risk," said the mermaid, turning pale.
"I just know I can make the Prince fall in love with me."
"Well, my dear, to seal our deal, you must give me something of value," said the witch.
"You have the sweetest voice of all the mermaids.
Everyone says it is very special.
I will give you the brew if you give me your voice."
"But I'll need my voice to tell the Prince―," said the mermaid.
"So, have you lost your courage now?" asked the Sea Witch, laughing.
"No," the Little Mermaid answered.
She thought of the times she sang for her family.
Remembering those happy moments, the Little Mermaid felt very sad.
Slowly she whispered, "I will give you my voice."
"Then follow me."
The Sea Witch took the Little Mermaid into her hut.
Once inside, the witch placed a large pot over a steaming hole in the floor.
She chopped up some snakes and jellyfish.
She threw the pieces into the pot with some other slimy things.
Then the Sea Witch chanted:
The Little Mermaid asks to love
A prince who only lives above.
Now that her heart has made its choice,
She'll have her legs.
I'll have her voice!
The liquid began to bubble.
Smoky, ghostly faces rose from the pot.
The magic brew was ready, and the witch poured it into a small bottle.
"Here is what you came for," said the Sea Witch.
She handed the bottle to the Little Mermaid.
The mermaid tried to say something, but no sound came out.
Her beautiful voice was gone.
"Before sunrise, swim to shore," the Sea Witch commanded.
"When you are on dry land, drink the brew I gave you.
Your tail will split in half and become a pair of legs and feet. Now go."
The Little Mermaid nodded silently.