The Ugly Mermaid and the Beautiful Witch-A retelling of the Little Mermaid

The Old One was a witch. 1

She was still beautiful, and still young, but hse was old beyond imagining, and she had been through many young merpeople, some who wanted beauty, some who wanted love, and many, many, more.2

The witch's worst case was one poor, unfortunate creature who wanted legs. Worst case there ever was. 3

The witch settled her son in her lap and began to tell him a story. This story.4

"Once upon a tie there was an ugly princess. She had eleven beautiful sisters and twelve handsome brothers, and she was the only one who was ugly.5

"Then, one day, she came to me. Back then I'd been hearing the most frightful rumors and tales of a hideous creature locked up in her bedroom, away from prying eyes.6

" The poor thing was intelligent. She knew what the others said behind her back. She knew that the Elder's clucked their tongues whenever they saw her. She wasn't really that bad, you know. Just a slight overbite and curly, tumbling hair that was so tangled, she probably never brushed it."7

The witch paused.8

No time. Gotta go,! *kisses*