The Little Mermaid script
(Dark gray clouds filled the vast sky as a large wooden ship
plowed through the rough ocean. The bow featured a mermaid figurehead, and
three massive sails stretched high above the deck. Waves crashed against the
hull, but the strong winds and the boat's sheer power sent it gliding through
the mighty sea)
(EXT. SHIP – DAY. Three sailors wearing tattered striped
shirts and bandanas atop their heads pulled a huge net aboard. The net was
overflowing with fish. As the sailors worked, they sang songs and told tales
about mermaids living deep in the seas)
Sailors: I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue
And it's hey to the starboard, heave ho
Look out, lad, a mermaid be waitin' for you
In mysterious fathoms below.
(PRINCE ERIC stood at the fore rail of the ship. His black
hair and white collared shirt blew in the wind. He leaned over the railing,
smiling from ear to ear, with his beloved dog, MAX beside him. Like his owner,
the large, shaggy white and gray dog enjoyed every second on the ship. His pink
tongue flapped and his black nose wriggled)
Eric: Isn't this great? The salty sea air, the wind blowing
in your face…perfect day to be at sea!
(Eric turned to his most trusted servant, GRIMSBY. Poor
Grimsby was feeling the effects of the bumpy ride. He was very seasick. He hung
over the side of the boat, green with nausea, trying to avoid soiling his long
black coat and purple ruffled collar. But the ever-proper and loyal servant
managed to respond to his exuberant superior)
Grimsby: Oh yes . . . delightful.
Sailor # 1: A fine strong wind and a following sea. King
Triton must be in a friendly-type mood.
Sailor # 2: Why, ruler of the merpeople, lad. Thought every
good sailor knew about him.
(Grimsby managed to pull himself away from the railing and
stumble toward Eric)
Grimsby: Merpeople! Eric, pay no attention to this nautical
nonsense.
Sailor # 2: But it ain't nonsense, it's the truth! I'm
tellin' you, down in the depths o' the ocean they live.
(The flapping fish interrupted the sailor's tale. It slipped
out of the sailor's hand and smacked its tail across the man's face, then flew
through the air and over the rail)
Sailors: Heave, ho. Heave, ho. In mysterious fathoms below.
(EXT. SEA – DAY. The frightened fish splashed into the water
and swam as fast as it could, leaving a trail of bubbles. When it was safely
away from the ship, the little fish stopped swimming, looked back up at the
surface, and sighed with relief. It was free, and it was home)
(The fish continued his swim deeper into the blue water. He
moved smoothly through tall bunches of green seaweed. He passed colorful sea
vegetation bobbing and blooming in the crystal clear water. The word read: WALT
DISNEY PICTURES PRESENTS. He swam by a school of pink and orange striped fish
coasting above the rocky ocean bottom. The TITLE appears behind them: THE
LITTLE MERMAID. He weaved through a group of jellyfish with umbrella-like
bodies and long, dangling tentacles. Then he scurried through a cavern dotted
with more open waters. He was heading somewhere special. Giant shadows fell on
the fish as he skimmed the sea bottom. They were the shadows of giant blue
whales. The family of whales glided overhead, dwarfing the little fish. Another
family then joined the fish on his swim. A mother, father, and son swam with
speed and grace over the coral reef. They had human upper bodies and long,
scaly fish tails that propelled them through the water. They were mermaids!
Like the fish, they were heading somewhere special. Soon the reef was filled
with merpeople. Together they swam over the ledge of the reef and up toward a
cavern. They entered the cavern and a bright light beckoned them from the other
side. As they got closer, the light got brighter and its source was revealed. A
glittering palace sparkled in the distance. Dozens of merpeople swam to the
tall, majestic towers. They entered the regal structure through a long
passageway that led them to a massive underwater concert hall. Huge stone
pillars ran from floor to ceiling. Layers of rock acted as seating. A glowing
anemone hung from the ceiling, casting a spotlight on center stage. The fish
and merpeople took their seats. They were eager to see something spectacular)
(INT. CONCERT HALL, SEA KINGDOM – DAY. Ten red and pink long-snouted
fish stood at attention in the arena. They used their noses to make loud
trumpeting sounds. It was the call signifying the start of the concert. An
orange SEAHORSE with a fancy collar appeared and cleared his throat. His job
was to introduce the guest of honor)
Seahorse: His royal highness, King Triton!
(The musical fanfare began, and the eyes of the audience
were drawn to a cavern high within the concert hall. Three beautiful dolphins
pulled a chariot made from an enormous shell. In it rode KING TRITON, the ruler
of the merpeople. He had broad, strong shoulders and a muscular upper body. His
mustache and long white beard flowed elegantly through the water. A golden
crown sat on top of the long white hair on his head. The massive biceps in his
arms bulged as he clutched the reins of his chariot in one hand and a large
magical trident in the other. His golden glowing trident was the symbol of his
royalty and unlimited power. The dolphins pulled the chariot through the
concert hall, circling the heads of the cheering audience. King Triton waved
his trident. Beams of light exploded from the ceiling and filtered down onto
the crowd)
Seahorse: And presenting the distinguished court
composer, Horatio Thelonious Ignatius Crustaceous Sebastian!
(SEBASTIAN, a red crab had written all the music for the
concert and would conduct the orchestra. Two goldfish pulled his tiny
snail-shell chariot. Sebastian proudly waved to the crowd and blew them kisses.
He caught up to King Triton's chariot and rode next to him)
Triton: I'm really looking forward to this performance,
Sebastian.
Sebastian: Oh, Your Majesty, this will be the finest concert
I have ever conducted.
(The dolphins brought the king's chariot to rest on a high
peak with the best view in the concert hall. As the dolphins swam away,
Sebastian parked his chariot beside the king)
Sebastian: Your daughters - they will be
spectacular!
TRITON: Yes. And especially my little Ariel.
(He didn't want anyone else to hear him favoring his
youngest daughter. This would be Ariel's first solo, and he was eager to hear
her sing)
Sebastian: Yes, yes, she has the most beautiful voice.
(But as he turned his chariot away from the king and toward
the stage, his smile disappeared)
Sebastian: If only she'd show up for rehearsals once
in a while.
(He furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth, but the show
had to go on. The lights in the hall dimmed, and a spotlight focused on
Sebastian. The members of the orchestra were warming up, but they stopped when
their conductor reached the stage. Sebastian pulled out a book of sheet music
and walked to the top of a rock podium. He put the book down and popped his
head over the rock for all to see. The orchestra of assorted fish sat below
him, waiting for their cue. Sebastian tapped his baton three times on the side
of the rock. The orchestra was completely focused on him. With a smile and a
burst of energy, he began to conduct. Orange and black striped fish blew into
red shells shaped like horns. A purple fish played a big J-shaped shell that
resembled a saxophone. Three green fish with floppy blue fins played silly sea
violins. A giant blue octopus banged on sea drums. A small green frog crashed
two seashells together like cymbals. Sebastian feverishly waved his arms as the
orchestra continued to play. A curtain made of hundreds of bubbles opened and
three giant clamshells opened and revealed six singing mermaids)
Triton's daughters: Ah, we are the daughters of Triton.
Great father who loves us and named us well:
Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Atina, Adella, Allana.
(They were all daughters of King Triton: AQUATA, ANDRINA,
ARISTA, ATTINA, ADELLA, and ALANA. The mermaids danced spun, and sang in honor
of their beloved father. King Triton sat proudly with his arms crossed and
watched his dear daughters. He smiled and nodded. The six mermaids performed
perfectly as Sebastian waved his baton excitedly. Another giant clamshell rose
from the stage as the mermaid sisters surrounded it. Sebastian looked back
eagerly at King Triton, who was awaiting the climax of the show. He swayed to
the beat and looked on with anticipation. The giant clamshell slowly opened as
the mermaids sang to present their youngest sister, ARIEL. It was her musical
debut! The audience was on the edge of their seats. Ariel was the highlight of
the show)
Triton's daughters: And then there is the youngest in her musical debut,
Our seventh little sister, we're presenting her to you,
To sing a song Sebastian wrote, her voice is like a bell,
She's our sister, Ar-i . . .
(The clamshell opened...but it was empty, except for a lone
blue cushion! Ariel was not inside–and she was nowhere to be seen! The mermaid
sisters gasped. Sebastian dropped his baton in shock. He hid his head with his
claws and sheepishly peeked at the king. King Triton, clutching his trident,
rose from his seat. He was furious! He slowly shook his head while his eyes
turned red with rage)
(EXT. SHIP GRAVEYARD – DAY. In a ship graveyard, dozens of
massive sunken vessels lined the sea floor. Jagged ship parts stuck
precariously out of the sand. A young MERMAID with bright red hair popped her
head over a broken mast. Her long hair floated beautifully along with the
underwater current. She was curious, intelligent, and very adventurous. The
ship graveyard was the perfect place to find human treasures–and Ariel couldn't
wait to explore)
FLOUNDER: Ariel,
wait for me!
Ariel: Flounder, hurry up.
(She couldn't wait to collect little treasures from the old
ships. She was fascinated by everything from the humans' world above the sea. A
small yellow FISH with blue stripes and fins breathed heavily as he made his
way to Ariel. He was tired when he finally joined his inquisitive friend)
Flounder: You know I can't swim that fast.
(Ariel didn't seem to hear)
(She pointed to a desolate ship lodged in a rock at the
bottom of the sea)
ARIEL: Isn't it fantastic?
(A light from high above fell on the sunken ship. It cast an eerie glow, but to Ariel it
was beautiful and exciting)
Flounder: Yeah, sure, it's great.
(He was petrified and wanted no part of Ariel's latest
adventure)
Flounder: Oh, let's get out of here!
(He began to swim away)
Ariel: You're not getting cold fins now, are you? (Playfully
pulling Flounder's fin)
(She flapped her beautiful green mermaid tail and darted
toward the sunken ship. In one hand she held a small red bag. She used the
other hand to drag Flounder along. Flounder broke away from Ariel's grasp and
stopped. He didn't want to seem like a coward)
Flounder: Who, me? No way.
(He apprehensively swam to catch up to Ariel, who was
already halfway to the ominous ship)
Flounder: It's just…ah…it looks damp in there.
I…uh…think I might be coming down with something. I got this cough. (COUGHING
UNCONVINCINGLY)
(Ariel grabbed the side of the ship. Eagerly, she looked
through a small porthole)
Ariel: All right, I'm going inside.
(She pulled her head away from the porthole and looked back
at Flounder with a sly smile)
Ariel: You can stay here and watch for sharks.
(And with that, she slipped through the porthole)
Flounder: Okay, yeah, you go. I'll stay…
(Until he actually realized what his friend had said)
Flounder: What? Sharks? Ariel!
(Flounder swam into the porthole to follow the little
mermaid, but he got stuck!)
(INT. SUNKEN SHIP – DAY. He twisted and turned, trying to
free himself)
Flounder: Ariel…I can't…I mean, Ariel, help!
(Ariel, who was already far into the ship, turned to look at
her friend. She giggled and swam back to the porthole)
(She knew her friend was a bit of a scaredy-fish. She
grabbed him by his fins and started to wriggle him free. Neither one of them
noticed a large, dark shadow passing over the ship)
Flounder: Do you
really think there might be sharks around here?
ARIEL: Flounder, don't be such
a guppy.
FLOUNDER: I'm not a
guppy. (GRUNTS)
(She pulls him through the hole. Flounder tries to be brave
as he followed Ariel down into a lower level of the ship. He closed his eyes
and began to mumble nervously)
Flounder: This is great…I mean, I really love this.
Excitement, adventure, danger lurking around every corner.
(Suddenly, Flounder opened his eyes and found himself face
to face with a human skeleton against a wall!)
(He jumped backward and smashed into a post. The ceiling of
the ship collapsed and pieces of rotten wood came crashing down)
Flounder: Ariel!! (Swimming into the arms of the
mermaid and knocking her down)
(After a gentle hug, she let go of him. He was shivering
with fear. His teeth were chattering and his eyes were wide with fright)
Flounder: Yeah, sure, no problem. I'm okay.
(He tried to seem tough and brave. Ariel quickly turned her
attention to something above her. She shushed Flounder and swam through a hole
in the ceiling. Flounder took a minute to collect himself and once again
followed his curious friend)
(She looked inside a dark room filled with debris. He eyes
glittered as she spotted a sparkling object on a block of wood in front of a
broken window)
Ariel: Oh my gosh! Have you ever seen anything so
wonderful in your entire life?
(She held the shiny silver object up and stared at it in
awe. It had a long, thin handle with three prongs at one end. It was a fork,
but Ariel had never seen anything like it before)
Flounder: Wow, cool. But, uh, what is it?
Ariel: How do I know? But I bet Scuttle will.
(She put her new treasure in her bag. As the two friends
admired their find, the dark figure swam outside the ship again and passed by
the window)
Flounder: What was that? Did you hear something?
(But Ariel was distracted. He eyes focused on a wooden
object on a ledge. She swam to it and picked it up)
Ariel: Hmmm, I wonder what this one is?
(It was a smoking pipe. Ariel had no clue what it was–but
she couldn't wait to find out! Unlike Ariel, Flounder was still leery of their
surroundings and was getting more and more nervous. He floated with his back to
the window, and the large dark figure emerged silently behind him)
ARIEL: Flounder,
will you relax? Nothing is going to happen.
(Flounder turned around and gasped. An enormous gray shark
loomed over him with his jaws wide open. Huge sharp white teeth were ready to
bite. Red eyes glared into the room. In an instant, the massive shark smashed
through the window, snapping his gigantic jaws)
Flounder: Ahhhh, shark! We're gonna die!
(Ariel whirled toward Flounder. Her excitement had turned to
fear. The shark chased Flounder around the room, crashing into ceiling and
floors, destroying everything in its path. Flounder swam into Ariel's arms,
ramming her up against the wall. The shark charged toward them, chomping his
teeth. Ariel overturned a dresser to block the oncoming shark. Holding
Flounder, she swam around the room, pushing barrels into the shark's path. They
swam up to the next level of the ship, hoping to get away, but the shark was
fast and smart. He burst through the floorboards with his mouth wide open.
Flounder almost swam into the shark's mouth! He screamed, and the two friends
changed direction. Ariel and Flounder swam as fast as they could, but the shark
was relentless–and hungry. He chewed through the floorboards as he pursued
them. Ariel and Flounder gained some distance, but Ariel's bag got stuck on a
jagged piece of wood and fell from her hand. The shark was coming quickly,
Ariel managed to grab the bag seconds before he reached her. Flounder and Ariel
continued to swim for their lives. They raced to get out of the ship but came
porthole that Flounder had gotten stuck in earlier)
(He wedged himself in the hole. Ariel pushed Flounder with
all her might, and he shot out of the ship)
(EXT. SHIP GRAVEYARD – DAY. She squeezed herself through the
hole just before the shark appeared. The shark didn't let a small porthole stop
him. He smashed through the wall of the ship and chased Ariel and Flounder
through the sea and around a broken ship mast. Flounder banged into the mast
and dizzily dropped down, barely avoiding the shark's bite. Ariel turned around
and noticed Flounder plummeting toward a large anchor on the sea floor. She
dropped her bag and raced after him. The shark followed. Ariel reached through
the hole at the top of the anchor to grab Flounder. Gritting his teeth, the shark
charged. The little mermaid pulled Flounder through the anchor hole just as the
shark crashed into it–and got stuck! The chase was over. Ariel reached for her
bag of treasures and smiled. She had won. Flounder got nose to nose with a
shark. He had a burst of confidence)
Flounder: You big bully! (Blowing a raspberry in the shark's
face)
(The shark snapped at Flounder. Flounder screamed even
though the shark was wedged in place and couldn't hurt him. Ariel laughed and
swam toward the surface)
Ariel: Flounder, you
really are a guppy.
(With a bag full of human treasures, Ariel and Flounder were
off to find their friend Scuttle. The sun's rays provided a tunnel of light
guiding them upward. The two friends swam higher and higher toward the
surface–place mermaids were forbidden to visit)
(EXT. OCEAN – DAY. The sun sparkled on the sea. The waves
were calm in the light breeze. Puffy white clouds floated through the crisp
blue sky. A large rock formation sat in the middle of the water. The rock was
home to a quirky and kind seagull named SCUTTLE. Scuttle was an expert in all
things human–or so he and Ariel thought. He was Ariel's greatest advisor when
it came to the human world, though his information was often flawed. But what
he lacked in knowledge, he made up for in heart. His white fluffy feathers,
goofy beaked grin, and silly demeanor made him harmless, even to fish. Scuttle
lounged in his nest on the rock. The nest was made of straws, branches, and old
ship parts. He hummed a sea song while looking through a large telescope. He
giggled and sang some more as he put the telescope on his head like a giant
hat. He was happy, carefree, and, at times, clueless. As he admired the sights
of the ocean, Scuttle was startled by a voice calling his name)
(Scuttle fumbled with his telescope and looked through it)
Scuttle: Whoa, mermaid off the port bow!
(Scuttle saw Ariel and Flounder waving at him through the
telescope. They appeared to be very far away since he was looking through the telescope
from the wrong end)
Scuttle: Ariel! How ya doin', kid?
(He moved the telescope away from his eye and was surprised
to find Ariel right in front of his nose. She was much closer than he'd
thought)
Scuttle: Whoa! What a swim!
(Ariel greeted the silly bird with a smile and then quickly
pulled her sack of human treasures out of the water)
Ariel: Scuttle, look what we found!
Flounder: Yeah, we were in this sunken ship. And it was
really creepy!
(He curled his nose, furrowed his brow, and lifted his fins
for dramatic effect. Scuttle focused his attention on Ariel and her treasure
bag)
Scuttle: Human stuff, huh? Hey, lemme see.
(He grabbed an anchor from his nest and dropped it a few
feet to the rock below. His leg got caught on the anchor's rope, and he crashed
down on the rock along with the anchor. He shook off his fall and ran toward
Ariel's sack, stepping on Flounder's head along the way. Diving headfirst into
the sack, he rummaged around and pulled out the fork. As he held it up to get a
better look, he scratched his head)
Scuttle: Look at this. Now, this is special. This is
very, very unusual.
(Ariel leaned in closer. She could hardly contain herself)
(Scuttle examined the fork)
Scuttle: It's a dinglehopper! Humans use these little babies
to straighten their hair out.
(Scuttle demonstrated the dinglehopper to Ariel and Flounder
by combing the stray feathers on top of his head. He then twirled his feathers
like spaghetti)
Scuttle: See, just a little twirl here and a yank
there and…VOILA!
(The feathers on his head burst into a spiked mess)
Scuttle: Ya get an aesthetically pleasing
configuration of hair that humans go nuts over!
(Scuttle handed Ariel back her treasure)
Flounder: What about that one?
(He points to the pipe sitting on the rock. Scuttle gently
picked up the pipe and spun it around. He held it inches from his eyes for a
complete examination)
Scuttle: (Holding pipe) Ah, this…I haven't seen in years!
(He turned back to Ariel and Flounder with confidence and
enthusiasm)
Scuttle: This is wonderful…a banded, bulbous
snarfblat!
(Scuttle held the snarfblat up to his friends' faces)
Scuttle: Now, the snarfblat dates back to prehysterical times, when humans used to sit around and stare at
each other all day. It got very boring. So they invented the snarfblat to make
fine music. Allow me.
(Scuttle took a deep breath and his cheeks filled with air.
He blew into the snarfblat to demonstrate its musical usage. No sound came out;
only a heap of sand, water, and sea plants)
Ariel: Music! The concert! Oh my gosh!
(Ariel frantically picked up the dinglehopper and shoved it
back into her bag)
Ariel: My father's gonna kill me!
Flounder: The concert was today?
(Meanwhile, Scuttle was coughing and fidgeting with the
malfunctioning snarfblat. He tapped it and took a closer look)
Scuttle: Maybe you could make a little planter out of it or
something.
(Ariel snatched the snarfblat from Scuttle)
Ariel: I'm sorry, I gotta go.
(She swims away. She and Flounder stopped and turned back to
Scuttle before diving down into the sea)
Ariel: Thank you Scuttle.
SCUTTLE: Any time, sweetie! Anytime!
(EXT. SEA – DAY. FLOTSAM and JETSAM, two sly and evil moray
eels, lurked in an underwater cave nearby. The eels were the minions of Ursula
the sea witch. Through their eyes, Ursula was able to see what went on in the
ocean in her crystal ball. And at that very moment, she was watching Ariel and her
little friend Flounder)
(INT. URSULA'S LAIR – DAY. URSULA sat curled up in a small,
dark hollow inside her cavernous home. She was intrigued when her crystal ball
began to glow with the image of Ariel and Flounder)
URSULA: Yes, hurry home, Princess. We wouldn't want to miss
old Daddy's celebration, now, would we? Celebration indeed, ha! In my day, we
had fantastical feasts when I lived in the palace.
(She reached a hand toward a small open clamshell. Four
terrified shrimp sat curled next to each other as they prepared to face their
demise. Ursula picked up one of the shrimp and popped it into her mouth)
Ursula: And now look at me. Wasted away to
practically nothing, banished and exiled and practically starving, while he and
his flimsy fish-folk celebrate!
(She slid out of her dark hollow and down to the ocean
floor. The sea witch had the lower body of an octopus with long black tentacles
and the upper body of a large woman with a big belly and two fat arms. Her skin
had a purplish tone and her fingernails were long and red. She had evil,
soul-piercing eyes and a shock of white hair that stood up on her head. Dark
red lipstick coated the lips on her full face, and a large mole sat above her
chin. She was manipulative and power-hungry, and she would do anything to get
her way. Ursula angrily paced back and forth as the image of Ariel and Flounder
continued to glow in the crystal ball)
Ursula: Well, I'll give 'em something to celebrate
soon enough.
(She abruptly turned toward Flotsam and Jetsam, who had
turned from spying)
(The startled eels banged their heads on a rock as they
jumped in response to Ursula's shout. They slid out of their hiding places to
listen closely to their master)
Ursula: I want you to keep an extra close watch on
this pretty little daughter of his. She may be the key to Triton's undoing.
(She was jealous of King Triton and his reign over the
kingdom. Ursula clasped her hands together and twiddled her fingers. Her long
tentacles began to swirl around her face. He eyes narrowed. She wanted to rule
the ocean and overthrow King Triton–and Ariel would be the tool to make that
happen. Cackling, she began to devise a plan)
(INT. THRONE ROOM, SEA KINGDOM – DAY. King Triton sat tall
on his massive throne. A sheepish and guilty Ariel stood next to him, hanging
her head in shame. Flounder looked on from a distance with a sad and equally
guilty face as he listened to the king yell at his friend)
Triton: I just don't know what we're going to do with you,
young lady!
Ariel: Daddy, I'm sorry. I just forgot.
(Sebastian, who was upset about his ruined concert, paced
across the top of the king's crown)
Triton: As a result of your careless behavior–
Sebastian: Careless and reckless behavior!
(He stopped pacing and scowled down at Ariel)
Triton: – the entire celebration was–
Sebastian: Well, it was ruined! That's all. Completely
destroyed!
(Sebastian jumped off the crown and charged Ariel)
Sebastian: This concert was to be the pinnacle of my
distinguished career. Now thanks to you I am the laughing stock of the entire
kingdom!
(Flounder couldn't stay quiet any longer. He hated seeing
his friend reprimanded. He stormed toward the throne and confronted Sebastian)
Flounder: It wasn't her fault!
(But his confidence quickly faded when he made eye contact
with the very angry king. He tried to hide his fear and began to act out their
adventure while talking)
Flounder: Ah…well, first this shark chased us…yeah,
yeah, and we tried to but we couldn't…and grrrr, and we, whoa.
(Triton and Sebastian skeptically looked at each other and
then at Flounder. They weren't interested in what he had to say)
Flounder: Ah, I knew we were safe, then this seagull
came and it was this is this and that is that…
(Flounder tried to act out Scuttle's silliness. Finally, he
caught King Triton's attention)
(Flounder realized he had said too much. He coved his mouth
with his fins, darted behind Ariel, and peered through her hair. Ariel glared
at Flounder)
TRITON: What? Oh!
(He had just revealed that they were up at the surface…where her
father had forbidden her to go. King rose from his throne)
Triton: You went up to the surface again, didn't
you? DIDN'T YOU?
Triton: Ariel, how many times must we go through this? You
could have been seen by one of those barbarians…by one of those humans!
Ariel: Daddy, they're not barbarians!
Triton: They're dangerous!
(His anger turned to concern and he approached Ariel. He
gently put his hand under her chin and lifted it to make eye contact with her)
Triton: Do you think I want to see my youngest
daughter snared by some fish eater's hook?
Ariel: I'm sixteen years old! I'm not a child anymore!
Triton: Don't you take that tone of voice with me, young
lady. As long as you live under my ocean, you'll obey my rules!
Ariel: But if you would just listen!
Triton: Not another word! And I am never, NEVER to hear of
you going to the surface again! Is that clear?
(Ariel started at her father. This time she couldn't muster
up any words in rebuttal. Her lips began to quiver and her eyes welled with
tears. She stormed off, and Flounder trailed behind her. King Triton sighed and
sat back down on his throne, heavy-hearted. He clutched his trident and rested
his head in his other hand. He felt terrible)
Sebastian: Teenagers. They think they know everything. You
give them an inch, they swim all over you.
(King Triton looked to his little crab friend for comfort)
Triton: Do you…uh…think I was too hard on her?
(Sebastian put his claws behind his back. He was happy to
declare his opinion)
Sebastian: Definitely not! Why, if Ariel was my daughter,
I'd show her who was boss! None of this flitting to the surface and other such
nonsense. No, sir!
(King Triton listened intently to the preaching crab and
suddenly had an idea. He rubbed his mustache with his hand as he thought, then
smiled. Sebastian was too busy rambling to even notice)
Sebastian: I'd keep her under tight control!
Triton: You're absolutely right, Sebastian.
Triton: Ariel needs constant supervision.
Sebastian: Constant!
Triton: Someone to watch over her, to keep her out of
trouble.
Sebastian: All the time!
Triton: And YOU are just the crab to do it!
(Sebastian's eyes widened and he quieted immediately. He
looked shocked and sank down into his tiny shell. King Triton smiled, pleased
with his new plan. But poor Sebastian could only groan in disbelief. He knew
there would be no way to talk the king out of this. What have I gotten
myself into? He thought)
(EXT. CORRIDOR, SEA KINGDOM – DAY. Sebastian wasn't thrilled
with his new job. He walked along the sea bottom mumbling to himself)
SEBASTIAN: How do I get myself into these situations? I
should be writing symphonies, not tagging along after some headstrong teenager!
(Suddenly, Ariel and Flounder caught his eye. The two
friends looked suspicious. Flounder handed Ariel a bag. They were definitely up
to something. They looked around to make sure no one was watching them, then
swam off. Sebastian lay low on the sea floor so he couldn't be seen)
Sebastian: Hmm? What is that girl up to?
(EXT. SEA – DAY. He took off after Ariel and Flounder. He
was much smaller and had to swim much harder to keep with them. Ariel and
Flounder kept swimming. Sebastian finally stopped to catch his breath. He was
exhausted, and panted uncontrollably. But when he climbed over a rock, he was
fascinated by what he saw. Ariel and Flounder were in front of a cave
barricaded by a huge rock. Ariel used all her strength to lift the rock,
revealing an opening into the cave. Once again, she looked around to make sure
no one was nearby. Together, Ariel and Flounder slipped into the cave, and the
rock began to lower behind them. Sebastian mustered up all his energy and swam as
quickly as he could toward the cave. He darted through a tiny crack just before
the entrance was completely closed off)
(INT. GROTTO – DUSK. His little body got wedged between the
rocks. With all his might, he tried to escape. He yanked on a small piece of
seaweed in front of him, trying to pull himself free. Finally, he popped out
and went flying across the cave. Sebastian landed hard, smacking his head on an
hourglass on the sandy cave bottom. He rubbed his sore head and looked up in
amazement. His jaw dropped as he gasped in disbelief. He was in a giant grotto
filled with objects from the human world. Layers of rock acted as shelves. Each
shelf housed dozens of objects: plates, vases, bottles, mirrors, and decorative
pieces of art. A light from high above shone down and cast a beautiful glow on
the objects. Many were polished, and glistened when struck by even a hint of
light. These objects had clearly been collected over a long period time. As
Sebastian's eyes took in the massive space, he spotted Ariel resting on a rock
ledge. She looked sad. She spun her latest find, the dinglehopper, between her
fingers. Flounder hovered over Ariel)
Flounder: Ariel, are you okay?
ARIEL: If only I could make him understand. I
just don't see things the way he does. I don't see how a world that makes such
wonderful things could be bad.
Look at this stuff
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the girl
The girl who has ev'rything?
Look at this trove
Treasures untold
How many wonders can one cavern hold?
Lookin' around here you'd think
Sure, she's got everything
I've got gadgets and gizmos aplenty
I've got whozits and whatzits galore
(You want thingamabobs?
I got twenty)
But who cares?
No big deal
I want more
I wanna be where the people are
I wanna see
Wanna see 'em dancin'
Walkin' around on those
(Whad'ya call 'em?) oh - feet
Flippin' your fins you don't get too far
Legs are required for jumpin', dancin'
Strollin' along down a
(What's that word again?) street
Up where they walk
Up where they run
Up where they stay all day in the sun
Wanderin' free
Wish I could be
Part of that world
What would I give
If I could live
Outta these waters?
What would I pay
To spend a day
Warm on the sand?
Betcha on land
They understand
Bet they don't reprimand their daughters
Bright young women
Sick o' swimmin'
Ready to stand
And ready to know what the people know
Ask 'em my questions
And get some answers
What's a fire and why does it
(What's the word?) burn?
When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love
Love to explore that shore above?
Out of the sea
Wish I could be
Part of that world
(Sebastian has been struggling around and now comes crashing down making a lot of noise.)
Ariel: Sebastian!?
Sebastian: Ariel - what, are you mad? How could you - what is all this?
Ariel: It, err, it's just my - collection. . . .
Sebastian: Oh. I see. Your collection. Hmmm. IF YOUR FATHER KNEW ABOUT THIS PLACE HE'D -
Flounder: You're not gonna tell him, are you?
Ariel: Oh, please, Sebastian, he would never understand.
Sebastian: Ariel. You're under a lot of pressure down here. Come with me, I'll take you home and get you something warm to drink. (A ship passes by overhead.)
Ariel: What do you suppose?. . .
Sebastian: Ariel? Ariel!
(On surface. Fireworks in the sky around ship. Ariel looks on, amazed. Sebastian and Flounder arrive.)
Sebastian: Ariel, what - what are you- jumpin' jellyfish! Ariel, Ariel! Please come back! (Ariel swims to ship and watches party until Max finds her.)
Eric: (Whistles.) Max, here boy. Hey, come on, mutt, whatcha doing, huh Max? Good boy. (Ariel sees him and is stricken.)
SCUTTLE: Hey there, sweetie! Quite a show, eh?
Ariel: Scuttle, be quiet! They'll hear you.
Scuttle: Oooh, I gotcha, I gotcha. We're being intrepidatious. WE'RE OUT TO DISCOVER! (Ariel grabs his beak.)
Ariel: I've never seen a human this close before. Oh - he's very handsome, isn't he?
Scuttle: (Looking at Max) I dunno, he looks kinda hairy and slobbery to me.
Ariel: Not that one - the one playing the snarfblat.
Grimsby: Silence! Silence! It is now my honour and privilege to present our esteemed Prince Eric with a very special, very expensive, very large birthday present.
Eric: Ah, Grimsby - y'old beanpole, you shouldn't have.
Grimsby: I know. Happy birthday, Eric! (Large, gaudy statue of Eric is revealed. Max growls.)
Eric: Gee, Grim. It's, err, it's, err - it's really somethin'. . . .
Grimsby: Yes, I commissioned it myself. Of course, I had hoped it would be a wedding present, but . . .
Eric: Come on, Grim, don't start. Look, you're not still sore because I didn't fall for the princess of Glauerhaven, are you?
Grimsby: Oh, Eric, it isn't me alone. The entire kingdom wants to see you happily settled down with the right girl.
Eric: Well, she's out there somewhere. I just - I just haven't found her yet.
Grimsby: Well, perhaps you haven't been looking hard enough.
Eric: Believe me, Grim, when I find her I'll know - without a doubt. It'll just - bam! - hit me - like lightning. (Lightning and thunder appear and the sky grows dark.)
Sailor: Hurricane a'commin'!! Stand fast! Secure the riggin'! (Storm hits.)
Scuttle: Whoa! The wind's all of a sudden on the move here. (He is blown away.) Oh! Ariel . . . (Ship crashes through storm. Lightning starts a fire. A rock looms ahead.)
Eric: Look out! . . . (Ship crashes and all are thrown overboard except Max.) Grim, hang on! (Sees Max.) Max! (Goes back to save him.) Jump Max! Come on boy, jump! You can do it Max. (He saves Max but is trapped on board.)
Grimsby: ERIC! (Ship explodes. Ariel finds Eric near drowning and pulls him away.)
(On beach. Ariel is sitting next to an unconscious Eric.)
Ariel: Is he - dead?
Scuttle: (Opens Eric's eyelid.) It's hard to say. (Puts his ear against Eric's foot.) Oh, I - I can't make out a heartbeat.
Ariel: No, look! He's breathing. He's so, beautiful.
What would I give
To live where you are?
What would I pay
To stay here beside you?
What would I do to see you
Smiling at me?
Where would we walk?
Where would we run?
If we could stay all day in the sun?
Just you and me
And I could be
Part of your world
(Sebastian and Flounder have washed up and are watching scene. Max and Grimsby approach. Ariel hurries away.)
Grimsby: Eric! Oh, Eric. You really delight in these sadistic strains on my blood pressure, don't you?
Eric: A girl - rescued me. . . . She was - singing . . . she had the most - beautiful voice.
Grimsby: Ah, Eric, I think you've swallowed a bit too much seawater. Off we go. Come on, Max.
Sebastian: We just gotta forget this whole thing ever happened. The sea king will never know. You won't tell him, I won't tell him. I will stay in one piece.
Ariel: I don't know when
I don't know how
But I know something's starting right now
Watch and you'll see
Some day I'll be
Part of your world
(Flotsam and Jetsam appear. Fade to Ursula watching from her chamber.)
Ursula: Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. I can't stand it - it's too easy. The child is in love with a human. And not just any human - a prince! Her daddy'll LOVE that. King Triton's headstrong, lovesick girl would make a charming addition to my little garden.
(Fade to palace. Then sister's dressing room.)
Andrina: Ariel, dear, time to come out. You've been in there all morning.
(Ariel emerges, singing to herself.)
Atina: What is with her lately?
Ariel: Morning, Daddy. (Ariel swims off.)
Atina: Oh, she's got it bad.
Triton: What? What has she got?
Andrina: Isn't it obvious, Daddy? Ariel's in love.
Triton: Ariel? In love?
(Cut to Sebastian pacing on rock outside.)
Sebastian: O.K. So far, so good. I don't think the king knows. But it will not be easy keeping something like this a secret for long.
Ariel: (Picking petals off a flower) He loves me . . . hmmm, he loves me not. . . . He loves me! I knew it!
Sebastian: Ariel, stop talking crazy.
Ariel: I gotta see him again - tonight! Scuttle knows where he lives.
Sebastian: Ariel - please. Will you get your head out of the clouds and back in the water where it belongs?
Ariel: I'll swim up to his castle. Then Flounder will splash around to get his attention, and then with -
Sebastian: Down HERE is your home! Ariel - listen to me. The human world - it's a mess. Life under the sea is better than anything they got up there.
The seaweed is always greener
In somebody else's lake
You dream about going up there
But that is a big mistake
Just look at the world around you
Right here on the ocean floor
Such wonderful things surround you
What more is you lookin' for?
Under the sea
Under the sea
Darling it's better
Down where it's wetter
Take it from me
Up on the shore they work all day
Out in the sun they slave away
While we devotin'
Full time to floatin'
Under the sea
Down here all the fish is happy
As off through the waves they roll
The fish on the land ain't happy
They sad 'cause they in their bowl
But fish in the bowl is lucky
They in for a worser fate
One day when the boss get hungry
Guess who's gon' be on the plate
Under the sea
Under the sea
Nobody beat us
Fry us and eat us
In fricassee
We what the land folks loves to cook
Under the sea we off the hook
We got no troubles
Life is the bubbles
Under the sea
Under the sea
Since life is sweet here
We got the beat here
Naturally
Even the sturgeon an' the ray
They get the urge 'n' start to play
We got the spirit
You got to hear it
Under the sea
The newt play the flute
The carp play the harp
The plaice play the bass
And they soundin' sharp
The bass play the brass
The chub play the tub
The fluke is the duke of soul
(Yeah)
The ray he can play
The lings on the strings
The trout rockin' out
The blackfish she sings
The smelt and the sprat
They know where it's at
An' oh that blowfish blow
Under the sea
Under the sea
When the sardine
Begin the beguine
It's music to me
What do they got? A lot of sand
We got a hot crustacean band
Each little clam here
know how to jam here
Under the sea
Each little slug here
Cuttin' a rug here
Under the sea
Each little snail here
Know how to wail here
That's why it's hotter
Under the water
Ya we in luck here
Down in the muck here
Under the sea
(They discover that Ariel has left with Flounder.)
Ariel? Ariel? Oh . . . somebody's got to nail that girl's fins to the floor.
Seahorse: Sebastian! Sebastian, I've been looking all over for you. I've got an urgent message from the sea king.
Sebastian: The sea king?
Seahorse: He wants to see you right away - something about Ariel.
Sebastian: He knows!
(In palace throne room. Triton looking at flower.)
Triton: Let's see, now. . . . Oh, who could the lucky merman be? (Notices Sebastian.) Come in, Sebastian.
Sebastian: (Sotto) I mustn't overreact. I must remain calm. (Five octaves higher than normal) Yes - (loco) yes, Your Majesty.
Triton: Now, Sebastian, I'm concerned about Ariel. Have you noticed she's been acting peculiar lately?
Sebastian: Peculiar?
Triton: You know, moaning about, daydreaming, singing to herself. . . . You haven't noticed, hmm?
Sebastian: Oh - well, I -
Triton: Sebastian. . . .
Sebastian: Hmmm?
Triton: I know you've been keeping something from me. . . .
Sebastian: Keeping . . . something?
Triton: About Ariel?
Sebastian: Ariel . . . ?
Triton: In love?
Sebastian: I tried to stop her, sir. She wouldn't listen. I told her to stay away from humans - they are bad, they are trouble, they -
Triton: Humans? WHAT ABOUT HUMANS?!
Sebastian: Humans? Ho ho ho ho. . . . Who said anything about humans?
(Fade to Ariel and Flounder entering cave.)
Ariel: Flounder, why can't you just tell me what this is all about?
Flounder: You'll see. It's a surprise.
Ariel: (Sees statue of Eric.) Oh, Flounder- Flounder you're the best! it looks just like him. It even has his eyes. "Why, Eric, run away with you? This is all so - so sudden. . . . (Turns around and sees Triton.) Daddy! . . .
Triton: I consider myself a reasonable merman. I set certain rules, and I expect those rules to be obeyed.
Ariel: But Daddy!-
Triton: Is it true you rescued a human from drowning?
Ariel: Daddy, I had to-
Triton: Contact between the human world and the mer-world is strictly forbidden. Ariel, you know that! Everyone knows that!
Ariel: He would have died-
Triton: One less human to worry about!
Ariel: You don't even know him.
Triton: Know him? I don't have to know him. They're all the same. Spineless, savage, harpooning, fish-eaters, incapable of any feeling-
Ariel: Daddy, I love him!
Triton: No . . . Have you lost your senses completely? He's a human, you're a mermaid!
Ariel: I don't care.
Triton: So help me Ariel, I am going to get through to you. And if this is the only way, so be it. (Begins to blast the artifacts with his trident.)
Ariel: Daddy!. . . No . . . No, please- Daddy, stop!. . . Daddy, Nooo!!. . .
(He blasts statue. Ariel begins crying and he leaves, ashamed.)
Sebastian: Ariel, I . . .
Ariel: (Still crying.) Just go away. (He leaves and Flotsam and Jetsam appear.)
Flotsam: Poor child.
Jetsam: Poor, sweet child.
Flotsam: She has a very serious problem
Jetsam: If only there were something we could do.
Flotsam: But there is something.
Ariel: Who - who are you?
Jetsam: Don't be scared.
Flotsam: We represent someone who can help you.
Jetsam: Someone who could make all your dreams come true.
Flotsam and Jetsam: Just imagine -
Jetsam: You and your prince -
Flotsam and Jetsam: Together, forever. . . .
Ariel: I don't understand.
Jetsam: Ursula has great powers
Ariel: The sea witch? Why, that's - I couldn't possibly - no! Get out of here! Leave me alone!
Flotsam: Suit yourself.
Jetsam: It was only a suggestion.
(Jetsam flicks the statue's broken face towards Ariel.)
Ariel: (Looking at the face) Wait.
Flotsam and Jetsam: Yeeeeeeeeeess?
(Cut to outside of cave with Flounder and Sebastian.)
Flounder: (sniff) Poor Ariel.
Sebastian: I didn't mean to tell, it was an accident. (Ariel passes by.) Ariel - where are you going? Ariel, what are you doing here with this riff-raff?
Ariel: I'm going to see Ursula.
Sebastian: Ariel, no! No, she's a demon, she's a monster!
Ariel: Why don't you go tell my father? You're good at that.
Sebastian: But . . . But, I . . . (To Flounder.) Come on. (They travel towards Ursula's cavern.)
Flotsam and Jetsam: This way. (Ariel enters and is hung up in the garden of souls.)
Ursula: Come in. Come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways - it's rude. One MIGHT question your upbringing. . . . Now, then. You're here because you have a thing for this human. This, er, prince fellow. Not that I blame you - he is quite a catch, isn't he? Well, angel fish, the solution to your problem is simple. The only way to get what you want - is to become a human yourself.
Ariel: Can you DO that?
Ursula: My dear, sweet child. That's what I do - it's what I live for. To help unfortunate merfolk - like yourself. Poor souls with no one else to turn to.
I admit that in the past I've been a nasty
They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a witch
But you'll find that nowadays
I've mended all my ways
Repented, seen the light and made a switch
True? Yes
And I fortunately know a little magic
It's a talent that I always have possessed
And here lately, please don't laugh
I use it on behalf
Of the miserable, lonely and depressed
(Pathetic)
Poor unfortunate souls
In pain
In need
This one longing to be thinner
That one wants to get the girl
And do I help them?
Yes, indeed
Those poor unfortunate souls
So sad
So true
They come flocking to my cauldron
Crying, "Spells, Ursula please!"
And I help them?
Yes, I do
Now it's happened once or twice
Someone couldn't pay the price
And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals
Yes, I've had the odd complaint
But on the whole I've been a saint
To those poor unfortunate souls
Now, here's the deal. I will make you a potion that will turn you into a human for three days. Got that? Three days. Now listen, this is important. Before the sun sets on the third day, you've got to get dear ol' princey to fall in love with you. That is, he's got to kiss you. Not just any kiss - the kiss of true love. If he does kiss you before the sun sets on the third day, you'll remain human, permanently, but - if he doesn't, you turn back into a mermaid, and - you belong to me.
Sebastian: No Ariel! (He is silenced by Flotsam and Jetsam.)
Ursula: Have we got a deal?
Ariel: If I become human, I'll never be with my father or sisters again.
Ursula: That's right. . . . But - you'll have your man. Life's full of tough choices, innit? Oh - and there is one more thing. We haven't discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something for nothing, you know.
Ariel: But I don't have any -
Ursula: I'm not asking much. Just a token, really, a trifle. You'll never even miss it. What I want from you is . . . your voice.
Ariel: My voice?
Ursula: You've got it, sweetcakes. No more talking, singing, zip.
Ariel: But without my voice, how can I -
Ursula: You'll have your looks! Your pretty face! And don't underestimate the importance of body language! Ha!
The men up there don't like a lot of blabber
They think a girl who gossips is a bore
Yes, on land it's much preferred
For ladies not to say a word
And after all, dear, what is idle prattle for?
Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation
True gentlemen avoid it when they can
But they dote and swoon and fawn
On a lady who's withdrawn
It's she who holds her tongue who gets her man
Come on, you poor unfortunate soul
Go ahead!
Make your choice!
I'm a very busy woman
And I haven't got all day
It won't cost much
Just your voice!
You poor unfortunate soul
It's sad
But true
If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet
You've got to pay the toll
Take a gulp and take a breath
And go ahead and sign the scroll!
Flotsam, Jetsam, now I've gother, boys
The boss is on a roll
This poor unfortunate soul.
(Ariel signs contract.)
Paluga, sarruga, come winds of the Caspian Sea.
Now rings us glossitis and max laryngitis,
La voce to me!
Now . . . sing!
Ariel: (Sings.)
Ursula: Keep singing! (Giant magical hands rip out Ariel's voice and give it to
Ursula. She laughs as Ariel is changed into a human and rushed to the surface by Flounder and Sebastian.)
(Fade to beach. Eric and Max are walking near castle.)
Eric: (Playing flute.) That voice. I can't get it out of my head. I've looked everywhere, Max - where could she be? (On other side of rocks Ariel is washed up. Sebastian and Flounder are exhausted. Ariel sees her legs and is amazed.)
Scuttle: Well, look at what the catfish dragged in! Look at ya! Look at ya! There's something different. Don't tell me - I got it. It's your hairdo, right? You've been using the dinglehopper, right? No? No huh, well let me see. New . . . seashells? No new seashells. I gotta admit I can't put my foot on it right now, but if I just stand here long enough I know that I'll -
Sebastian: SHE'S GOT LEGS, YOU IDIOT! She traded her voice to the sea witch and got legs. Jeez, man . . .
Scuttle: I knew that.
Flounder: Ariel's been turned into a human. She's gotta make the prince fall in love with her, and he's gotta ki- he's gotta kiss her. (Ariel tries to get up.)
Sebastian: And she's only got three days. Just look at her. On legs. On human legs! My nerves are shot. This is a catastrophe! What would her father say? I'll tell you what her father'd say, he'd say he's gonna kill himself a crab, that's what her father'd say! I'm gonna march meself straight home right now and tell him just like I shoulda done de minute- (Ariel grabs him.) . . . and don't you shake your head at me, young lady. Maybe there's still time. If we could get that witch to give you back your voice, you could go home with all the normal fish, and just be . . . just be . . . just be miserable for the rest of your life. All right, all right. I'll try to help you find that prince. Boy. What a soft-shell I'm turning out to be.
Scuttle: Now, Ariel, I'm tellin' ya, if you wanna be a human the first thing you gotta do is dress like one. Now lemme see.
(Cut to Eric and Max. Max smells Ariel and gets excited.)
Eric: Max? Huh . . . what, Max!
Scuttle: (Whistles.) Ya look great kid. Ya look - sensational. (They hear Max. He arrives and chases Ariel up on a rock.)
Eric: Max . . . Max - Quiet Max! What's gotten into you fella? (Sees Ariel.) Oh . . . Oh, I see. Are you O.K., miss? I'm sorry if this knucklehead scared you. He's harmless, really - . . . you . . . seem very familiar . . . to me. Have we met? We have met? I knew it! You're the one - the one I've been looking for! What's your name? (Ariel mouths "Ariel" but no words come out.) What's wrong? What is it? You can't speak? (Ariel shakes her head.) Oh. Then you couldn't be who I thought. (Ariel and Max look frustrated. She tries pantomime.) What is it? You're hurt? No, No . . . You need help. (She falls into him.) Whoa, whoa, careful - careful - easy. Gee, you must have really been through something. Don't worry, I'll help you. Come on . . . Come on, you'll be okay.
(Fade to Ariel in bath playing with bubbles.)
Carlotta: Washed up from a shipwreck. Oh, the poor thing. We'll have you feeling better in no time. (Picks up Ariel's "dress") I'll just - I'll just get this washed for you.
(Cut to Sebastian in dress getting washed.)
Woman 1: Well you must have at least heard about this girl.
Woman 2: Well, Gretchen says . . . (Sebastian is dunked.) . . . since when has Gretchen got anything right. I mean really, this girl shows up in rags and doesn't speak-
Sebastian: Madame, please ! . . .
Woman 2: . . . not my idea of a princess. If Eric's looking for a girl, I know a couple of highly available ones right here . . . (Sebastian dives into kitchen and sees various fish cooking. He faints.)
(Cut to castle dining room.)
Grimsby: Oh, Eric, be reasonable. Nice young ladies just don't - swim around rescuing people in the middle of the ocean and then - flutter off into oblivion, like some -
Eric: I'm tellin' you, Grim, she was REAL! I'm gonna find that girl - and I'm gonna marry her.
Carlotta: Ha Ha. Come on honey. Don't be shy. (Ariel enters in a beautiful dress.)
Grimsby: Oh, Eric, isn't she a vision?
Eric: You look - wonderful.
Grimsby: Come come come, you must be famished. Let me help you my dear. There we go - ah - quite comfy? Uh. It's - It's not ofen that we have such a lovely dinner guest, eh Eric? (Ariel starts combing hair with a fork. They look dumbfounded and she is embarrassed. She sees pipe and brightens.) Uh, do you like it? It is rather - fine . . . (She blows its contents into his face. Eric laughs.)
Carlotta: Oh, my!
Eric: Ahem, so sorry Grim.
Carlotta: Why, Eric, that's the first time I've seen you smile in weeks.
Grimsby: (Wiping his face.) Oh, very amusing. Carlotta, my dear, what's for dinner?
Carlotta: Oooh, you're gonna love it. Chef's been fixing his specialty, stuffed crab.
(Cut to Sebastian watching Louis cook. He is humming to himself.)
Louis: Les poissons
Les poissons
How I love les poissons
Love to chop
And to serve little fish
First I cut off their heads
Then I pull out the bones
Ah mais oui
Ca c'est toujours delish
Les poissons
Les poissons
Hee hee hee
Hah hah hah
With the cleaver I hack them in two
I pull out what's inside
And I serve it up fried
God, I love little fishes
Don't you?
Here's something for tempting the palate
Prepared in the classic technique
First you pound the fish flat with a mallet
Then you slash through the skin
Give the belly a slice
Then you rub some salt in
'Cause that makes it taste nice
Zut alors, I have missed one!
Sacre bleu
What is this?
How on earth could I miss
Such a sweet little succulent crab?
Quel dommage
What a loss
Here we go in the sauce
Now some flour, I think
Just a dab
Now I stuff you with bread
It don't hurt 'cause you're dead
And you're certainly lucky you are
'Cause it's gonna be hot
In my big silver pot
Toodle loo mon poisson
Au revoir!
(Sebastian hops back and Louis grabs him again.) What is this? (Sebastian pinches his nose and a battle ensues. Louis knocks over a large cabinet.)
(Cut to dining room. Huge crash is heard.)
Carlotta: I think I'd better go see what Louis is up to.
(Back to kitchen. Louis is trashing the place.)
Louis: Come out you little pipsqueak and fight like a man!
Carlotta: Louis! What are you doing?
Louis: Well - I - I was just - er, er, I'm sorry, madame.
(Cut back to dining room.)
Grimsby: You know, Eric, perhaps our young guest might enjoy seeing some of the sights of the kingdom. Something in the way of a tour?
Eric: I'm sorry, Grim, what was that?
Grimsby: You can't spend all your time moping about, you need to get out. Do something, have a life. (Grimsby lifts his plate's cover to reveal Sebastian cowering in the salad.) Get your mind off -
Eric: Easy, Grim, Easy. (Ariel lifts her own plate cover and signals for Sebastian to hide there. Sebastian rushes across while no one is looking.)
It's not a bad idea. If she's interested. Well - whaddaya say? Would you like to join me on a tour of my kingdom tomorrow?
(Ariel nods vigorously, leaning heavily on her plate's cover.)
Grimsby: Wonderful, now let's eat, before this crab wanders off my plate.
(Fade to Ariel watching Eric and Max from balcony.)
Eric: Come here boy! . . . Arrr . . . (He sees Ariel and waves. She is embarassed and goes back inside.)
Sebastian: This has got to be, without a doubt, the single most humiliating day of my life. I hope you appreciate what I go through for you, young lady. Now - we got to make a plan to get that boy to kiss you. Tomorrow, when he takes you for that ride, you gotta look your best. You gotta bat your eyes - like this. You gotta pucker up your lips - like this. (He sees she is asleep.) Hm. You are hopeless child. You know dat? Completely hopeless . . .
(Fade to undersea palace. Seahorse swims up to Triton.)
Triton: Any sign of them?
Seahorse: No, Your Majesty. We've searched everywhere. We've found no trace of your daughter - or Sebastian.
Triton: Well, keep looking. Leave no shell unturned, no coral unexplored. Let no one in this kingdom sleep until she's safe at home.
Seahorse: Yes sire. (He leaves.)
Triton: Oh, what have I done? What have I done?
(Morning at castle. Ariel and Eric leave for their tour. Ariel is amazed by everything.)
Flounder: (As they pass water.) Has he kissed her yet?
Sebastian: Not yet.
Flounder: Ohh . . . (Ariel and Eric go dancing and see the town.)
Scuttle: Yo, Flounder! Any kissing?
Flounder: No, not yet.
Scuttle: Hmm. Well they - they better get crackin'. (They leave town and Ariel drives, almost crashing. They end up rowing on a still lagoon in the evening.)
Flounder: Move over - move your big feathers. I can't see a thing.
Scuttle: Nothing is happening. . . . Only one day left, and that boy ain't puckered up once. O.K. All right, this calls for a little vocal romantic stimulation. Stand back. (He flies over and sings very badly.)
Eric: Wow. Somebody should find that poor animal and put it out of its misery.
Sebastian: Jeez, man, I'm surrounded by amateurs! You want something done, you've got to do it yourself. First, we got to create the mood. Percussion. . . . Strings. . . . Winds. . . . Words. . . .
There you see her
Sitting there across the way
She don't got a lot to say
But there's something about her
And you don't know why
But you're dying to try
You wanna kiss the girl
Eric: Did you hear something?
Sebastian: Yes, you want her
Look at her, you know you do
Possible she wants you too
There is one way to ask her
It don't take a word
Not a single word
Go on and kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
My oh my
Look like the boy too shy
Ain't gonna kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Ain't that sad?
Ain't it a shame?
Too bad, he gonna miss the girl
Eric: You know, I feel really bad not knowing your name. Heh - maybe I could guess. Is it, err, Mildred? O.K., no. How 'bout - Diana? Rachel?
Sebastian: Ariel. Her name is Ariel.
Eric: Ariel? Ariel? Well, that's kinda pretty. O.K. - Ariel. . .
Sebastian: Now's your moment
Floating in a blue lagoon
Boy you better do it soon
No time will be better
She don't say a word
And she won't say a word
Until you kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Don't be scared
You got the mood prepared
Go on and kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Don't stop now
Don't try to hide it how
You want to kiss the girl
Sha la la la la la
Float along
And listen to the song
The song say kiss the girl
Sha la la la la
The music play
Do what the music say
You got to kiss the girl
You've got to kiss the girl
You wanna kiss the girl
You've gotta kiss the girl
Go on and kiss the girl
(The boat tips over.)
Eric: Whoa, hang on - I've gotcha. (Flotsam and Jetsam congratulate each other.)
(Cut to Ursula's cavern.)
Ursula: Nice work, boys. That was a close one. Too close. The little tramp! Oh, she's better than I thought. At this rate, he'll be kissing her by sunset for sure. Well, it's time Ursula took matters into her own tentacles! Triton's daughter will be mine - and then I'll make him writhe. I'll see him wriggle like a worm on a hook! (Laughing, she transforms into a human with Ariel's voice.)
(Fade to castle at night. Eric is playing the flute and contemplating as Grimsby approaches.)
Grimsby: Eric, if I may say, far better than any dream girl, is one of flesh and blood, one warm and caring, and right before your eyes. (He sees Ariel, sighs, and tosses away flute. He is distracted by Ursula/Vanessa singing with Ariel's voice and is placed under her spell.)
(Scuttle flying toward castle in morning.)
Scuttle: Ariel! Ariel, wake up! Wake up! I just heard the news. Congratulations, kiddo, we did it!
Sebastian: What is this idiot babbling about?
Scuttle: Right - as if you two didn't know, uh? The whole town's buzzin' about the prince gettin' himself hitched this afternoon! You know, he's getting married! You silly sidewalker! I just wanted to wish you luck. I'll catch you later, I wouldn't miss it! (Ariel brightens and runs downstairs, only to see Eric and Vanessa together.)
Grimsby: Well, uh - err, Eric. I-it appears that I was mistaken. This mystery maiden of yours does - in fact exist. And - and she is lovely. Congratulations, my dear.
Eric: We wish to be married as soon as possible.
Grimsby: Oh, yes - of course, Eric, but, er - but these things do take time, you know. . . .
Eric: This afternoon, Grimsby. The wedding ship departs at sunset.
Grimsby: Oh, oh - very well, Eric - as you wish. (Ariel runs off crying.)
(Cut to late afternoon as wedding ship starts to leave. Ariel on pier crying bitterly as Sebastian and Flounder look on.)
(Cut to Scuttle flying and humming to himself.)
Vanessa: What a lovely little bride I'll make, my dear I'll look divine
Things are working out according to my ultimate design
Soon I'll have that little mermaid and the ocean will be mine!
Scuttle: (Seeing real Ursula in mirror.) The sea witch! Oh no . . . She's- I gotta. . . (Runs into side of ship. Flies off to find Ariel.) Ariel! Ariel! Ariel. I was flying, I wa - of course I was flying - An' - I s- I saw that the watch - the witch was watchin' a mirror, and she was singin' with a stolen set o' pipes! Do you hear what I'm tellin' you? THE PRINCE IS MARRYING THE SEA WITCH IN DISGUISE!
Sebastian: Are you sure about this?
Scuttle: Have I ever been wrong? I mean when it's important!
Flounder: What are we gonna do!? (Ariel hears Ursula's voice in her head as the sun drops.)
Ursula: . . . Before the sun sets on the third day. . . . (Ariel jumps in water but can't swim well. Sebastian sends down some barrels.)
Sebastian: Ariel, grab on to that. Flounder, get her to that boat as fast as your fins can carry you!
Flounder: I'll try.
Sebastian: I've gotta get to the sea king. He must know about this.
Scuttle: What - What about me? What about ME?
Sebastian: You - find a way to STALL THAT WEDDING!
Scuttle: Stall the wedding. Wh- what am I - what - that's it! (He flies off to rally the animals and fish.) Move it, let's go, we got an emergency here!
(Cut to wedding in progress. Max growls at Vanessa but she kicks him.)
Priest: Dearly beloved . . . (Flounder is pulling Ariel toward ship.)
Flounder: Don't worry Ariel. ugh - we - we're gonna make it. We're almost there.
Priest: Yes, um, do you Eric, take Vanessa, to be your lawfully wedded wife,
for as long as you both shall live?
Eric: (Under spell.) I do.
Priest: Eh, and do you . . . (Birds and animals swoop in for attack, causing great chaos.) . . . then by the power inves-
Vanessa: Get away from me you slimy little- Oh, why you little- (In the struggle, the shell holding Ariel's voice it broken and it goes back to her. Eric comes out of the spell as she sings.)
Eric: Ariel?
Ariel: Eric.
Eric: You - you can talk. You're the one.
Vanessa: Eric, get away from her!
Eric: It - it was you all the time.
Ariel: Oh, Eric, I - I wanted to tell you.
Vanessa: ERIC NO! (The sun sets and Ariel becomes a mermaid.)
Ursula: You're too late! You're too late! So long, loverboy.
Eric: Ariel! (Ursula and Ariel go overboard.)
Ursula: Poor little princess - it's not you I'm after. I've a much bigger fish to -
Triton: Ursula, stop!
Ursula: Why, King Triton! Ha ha ha - How ARE you?
Triton: Let her go.
Ursula: Not a chance, Triton! She's mine now. We made a deal.
Ariel: Daddy, I'm sorry! I - I - I didn't mean to. I didn't know -
(Triton attacks the contract with a fierce blast from his trident, to no avail.)
Ursula: You see? The contract's legal, binding and completely unbreakable - even for YOU. Of course, I always was a girl with an eye for a bargain. The daughter of the great sea king is a very precious commodity. But - I might be willing to make an exchange for someone even better. . . .
(Cut to Eric rowing away from ship.)
Grimsby: Eric! What are you doing?
Eric: Grim, I lost her once. I'm not going to lose her again.
(Back to Ursula and Triton.)
Ursula: Now! Do we have a deal? (Triton signs contract.) Ha! It's done then.
(Ariel is released and Triton is withered as Ursula laughs.)
Ariel: No . . . Oh, No!
Sebastian: Oh, your majesty . . .
Ariel: Daddy? . . .
Ursula: (Picks up crown.) At last, it's mine. Ho, Ho . . .
Ariel: You - You monster!
Ursula: Don't fool with me you little brat! Contract or no- AAAAHH! (She is hit
with a harpoon thrown by Eric.) Why you little troll!
Ariel: Eric! Eric look out!
Ursula: After him! (Flotsam and Jetsam attack.)
Sebastian: Come on! . . .
Ursula: Say goodbye to your sweetheart. (Ariel makes her miss Eric and blast Flotsam and Jetsam.) Babies! My poor, little poopsies!
(On surface as Ursula grows beneath.)
Ariel: Eric, you've got to get away from here.
Eric: No, I won't leave you.
Ursula: (Now very large.) You pitiful, insignificant, fool!
Eric: Look out!
Ursula: Now I am the ruler of all the ocean! The waves obey my every whim! The sea and all its spoils bow to my power! (She wrecks havoc, creates a whirlpool and raises some shipwrecks.)
Ariel: ERIC! (He gets on board one of the ships as Ariel falls to the bottom of the whirlpool. Ursula attempts to blast her.)
Ursula: (Laughing wickedly.) So much for true love! (As Ursula is about to finish Ariel, Eric steers the ship into her. She is impaled and dies most horribly. Eric collapses on the shore. The trident falls back to Triton and everything reverts to normal.)
(Fade to morning with Eric on beach and Ariel watching from a distance. Triton and Sebastian look on.)
Triton: She really does love him, doesn't she, Sebastian?
Sebastian: Well, it's like I always say, Your Majesty. Children got to be free to lead their own lives.
Triton: You - always say that? (sighs) Then I guess there's just one problem left.
Sebastian: And what's that, Your Majesty?
Triton: How much I'm going to miss her. (He turns her into a human and she goes to meet Eric. They kiss which fades into kiss on wedding day. Everyone is happy. Sebastian is attacked by Louis. He beats Louis up and returns to the sea.)
Sebastian: Yes, Thank you, thank you. (Ariel and Triton hug.)
Ariel: I love you Daddy.
(Big finale while "Part of Your World" music plays. Ship sails off as Ariel and Eric kiss.)
All: Now we can walk,
Now we can run,
Now we can stay all day in the sun.
Just you and me,
And I can be,
Part of your world.
THE END
