Watch videos of the songs from Disney's The Little Mermaid

Ariel (The Little Mermaid)

Ariel is a strong-minded teenager with a head full of dreams and a heavenly singing voice.

She is the daughter of Triton, ruler of the sea and all merpeople. Like many girls her age, Ariel feels misunderstood by her parents and friends. She is curious about the world up above the sea, romanticising about what life must be like amongst the humans, sure that it is a happier place than the underwater kingdom she inhabits.

Ariel collects objects that have fallen from the world above, eager to learn more about the lives of the humans. Helped by her friend Flounder, she creates a secret grotto filled with her treasures.

One day Ariel rescues a handsome human Prince who is lost at sea. Even though Ariel knows that contact between merpeople and humans is forbidden, she falls in love with Prince Eric and longs to become part of his world. Her good friend Sebastian, a crab, tries to remind her of how good life under the sea really is, but it is to no avail.

Making a deal with Ursula, an evil sea witch, Ariel gives up her beautiful voice and is transformed into a human to try and win the Prince's heart. She will only be human for three days, if she fails Ursula will own her soul and banish Ariel to the garden of lost merfolk.

On land, Ariel and the Prince soon become friends, but without being able to hear her sing, the Prince is not sure if she is the girl who rescued him and captured his heart. Things become worse for Ariel when Ursula plots to win the Prince for herself. She transforms herself into a beautiful temptress called Vanessa, and uses Ariel's voice to enchant him.

With the help of the Prince and her friends, Ariel thwarts Ursula's plan to take over her father's kingdom, and wins back her voice. Although he is very sad that he will never see her again, the grateful Triton grants his daughter the one wish she desires the most, to be human. She and the Prince are finally united and marry in a grand ceremony attended by both humans and merpeople. They both live happily ever after.

Sing along with Princess Ariel

Ariel's underwater kingdom is filled with singing and dancing. The court of Triton, her father, has its own court musician, Sebastian the crab, who is always ready to burst into song. Some of Ariel's favourite songs include:

Under the Sea
Part of Your World
Kiss the Girl
Poor Unfortunate Souls

Origins of Ariel, The Little Mermaid

The Story of Ariel, The Little Mermaid, is based upon the fairy tale written in 1836 by Hans Christian Andersen. In the original version, the young mermaid is willing to give up everything she has to gain an immortal soul and the love of the Prince. The original story also differs because it doesn't feature such a happy ending; The Little Mermaid fails to win the heart of the Prince and transforms into a spirit, a daughter of the air, who will earn an immortal soul by doing good deeds.