08.04.07
Norse Myths and Classical Myths: Twenty-First Post (Undine)
The story of Undine is really sad, but also really interesting. It’s clearly the basis for “The Little Mermaid”, but Andersen changed many things when he wrote his fairy tale. Oddly, his version is no less tragic, it’s just only tragic for one of the lovers rather than for both (and even the one has some hope left). A side-by-side comparison of the stories would be interesting. I think the biggest difference is probably the pain of the mermaid and who pays the price in each case. It’s something to look into, anyway.