Prince Kai and the Little Mermaid

Catherine Carr, Illustrated by Jennifer Howard

Now surely you’ve heard the story of the Little Mermaid, who wished to be human and fall in love with a dashing prince. But did you know that once upon a time, across a sparkling blue ocean, there lived a dashing prince who dreamed of the sea? Prince Kai spent each day by the ocean, swimming and splashing in the waves. Again and again he dove down to try to glimpse the bottom, deeper and deeper, until his lungs felt as if they would burst. His parents worried that he was becoming withdrawn, and encouraged him to go riding in the green hills or hiking in the forest. He tried to embrace these earthly pursuits, but his explorations always ended up by the sea.