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"Far out in the sea where the water is very deep, the Sea King ruled the undersea world. In the deepest spot of the sea was his castle. The walls were made of blue coral. On the roof were shells that opened and closed when the water passed by. And that is where the Sea King lived with his mother and four daughters, each one born a year apart. The youngest of the four princesses was the Little Mermaid. She spent much of her time swimming to ships that had fallen to the bottom of the sea. The ships held treasures from the world above! She would fill her arms and set up her collection here and there. All the while she would sing. As she did, fish circled around to hear her. For the Little Mermaid's voice was the most beautiful one under the sea."

"Mama had a pretty voice," murmured Goldie, face pressed against Sharon's chest.

Sharon was reading to Goldie, and while she could actually read and understand more advanced books, she always picked out the fairytales. Sharon didn't mind because it felt nostalgic to her and reminded her of how her parents used to read to her before bed.

"I bet she did," said Sharon.

It was the night after Goldie found out her parents had been captured and murdered. Now, she was simply waiting to hear about her older siblings, but there was a tiny spark of hope that they were safe and alive.

"The girls knew that when they turned fifteen, they could swim up to the surface for the first time. It would be a long time that the Little Mermaid had to wait, as she was the youngest! So she made her grandmother tell her all about life up on land. Tales about ships and towns, and every bit of stories about humans that she knew. For the Little Mermaid's voice was the most beautiful one under the sea. Soon the eldest sister turned fifteen. She was the first to be allowed to rise up to the surface. When she came back, she had many wonders to tell her sisters about! She told about resting on the soft white sand. High above was a deep blue sky with puffy white clouds. Later the sun set, she said, and the whole sky turned gold and red. She had watched the birds fly high above her, dipping and making turns in the red and gold sky."

"When my eldest brother was fifteen, Dad gave him his old spear," said Goldie.

"Was it nice?"

She nodded. "Very nice."

Goldie could imagine most of the words Sharon spoke in images. The world always seemed brighter and purée with imagination.

"When the next sister turned fifteen, it was winter. She told of icebergs floating in the sea and shining bright. All the ships stayed far away from the icebergs, she said, as if in fear. But the icebergs did not seem lonely. They were like friends, floating close to each other."

"An iceberg?" Goldie questioned.

"Yeah, the large boulder-sized ice. It's a piece freshwater ice that has broken off a glacier or an ice shelf and is floating freely in open water," explained Sharon.

"We call that - " Goldie clicked her tongue twice and tsked.

Sharon hummed thoughtfully. "Interesting."

Goldie snuggled in closer to her.

"When it was the third sister's turn, she told about moving as close as she could to the gate of a town. She heard people call out, horses that went clip, clopping down the street. And even music that she had never heard before."

"I like music," murmured Goldie, her eyelids closing.

"All this the Little Mermaid heard with wonder.  It wasn't fair that she had to wait the longest! At last the day came when she turned fifteen, too. Now she could rise up over the surface and see for herself. 
When she came up over the water, the Little Mermaid was next to a large ship. On the ship beautiful music was playing. Sailors were dancing on the deck. They were laughing and having a fine time. It must be a party! Now and then as the waves lifted up the Little Mermaid, she could see better. A handsome young man stepped out on the deck. When he did, a hundred rockets rose in the air. The party was for him. Was it his birthday? She swam closer. The men all seemed to like that young man. When he spoke, the sailors would laugh. Sometimes they patted him on his back in joy. Once that made his crown fall off. The men laughed and picked it up. 'A crown,' said the Little Mermaid.  'He must be a prince.' "

Sharon looked down and smiled once she confirmed that Goldie had fallen asleep.