copyright Susan Eames
Back Under the Sea
Eric watched every day, but Ariel was gone. Somehow, she had gotten her fish tail back and swam home.
“I could give you a tail, to go after her,” a witch said, sidling up.
“For what?”
“Just your . . . reproductive apparatus. You won’t need it down there.”
Finally, Eric relented. The transformation complete, he flopped down into the water.
He found the undersea kingdom, but not Ariel.
“It’s a bit awkward,” Triton said. “She went across to Sweden. Fell in love with another prince. But—” he made an expansive gesture “—there’re still plenty of fish in the sea!”
The Green-Walled Tower 
May 29th, 2019 at 3:37 pm
Now that’s what I call whimsical! Nicely done, Patrick.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
May 30th, 2019 at 8:11 am
Pssst! David 😉
May 30th, 2019 at 2:16 pm
Whimsical is the perfect word. He’s chocked full of whimsy, that boy.
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:46 pm
Thanks!
May 29th, 2019 at 5:24 pm
Making a fair tale out of the fairy tale. I love it.
May 30th, 2019 at 2:17 pm
In other words, all is fair in love and war.
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:45 pm
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it.
May 29th, 2019 at 5:49 pm
you have to hide their water skins, otherwise they do swim away. Nice tale, David
May 29th, 2019 at 5:54 pm
I like this – I’m not sure my daughter would approve though! 🙂
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:44 pm
Yeah, the problem with irreverent or parody fan fiction is diehard fans get annoyed. 🙂
May 30th, 2019 at 1:45 am
A bit of a blow to poor Eric, but I’m sure he’ll soon be on the prowl again!
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:43 pm
Hopefully. You can’t keep a good man down.
May 30th, 2019 at 1:57 am
I think he’s kind of burned his bridges, so he’d better just make the best of it now. Your stories of late have taken a different turn. 🙂
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:40 pm
Hmm, I wonder why. Nothing different I’ve been doing, that I know of. Of course I’ve been out of work for the last three months, so maybe that’s been subtly affecting how I think.
May 30th, 2019 at 5:31 am
Dear David,
Poor Eric. He certainly got the short end of the fin. Imaginative fish tale.
Shalom,
Rochelle
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:38 pm
Thanks, Rochelle. 🙂
May 30th, 2019 at 8:22 am
How many times did I watch the Little Mermaid? Apparently as often as you! Excellent take on the prompt!
May 30th, 2019 at 2:18 pm
Ariel rocks alright.
May 30th, 2019 at 2:18 pm
That she does!
May 31st, 2019 at 4:00 pm
True. I figured it was time for the man to trail after the gal instead of always the other way around. 🙂
June 1st, 2019 at 4:11 am
You’re such a new-age thinker 🙂
May 31st, 2019 at 4:56 pm
I have to admit, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it all the way through. I think I did once, although it’s such a cultural icon anyway. I’ll have to go back and watch it now. 🙂
May 31st, 2019 at 8:58 pm
No way! Well, my kids were young when it came out so I can pretty much recite it. Mind you, as boys they were much more into Shrek and Toy Story and Finding Nemo…
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:38 pm
It was right before we got a TV, so I missed on some things in that era. I know Aladdin and Lion King and on up really well.
June 3rd, 2019 at 11:31 pm
Everything depends on the age of our kids!!
May 30th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
My word. I hope he ends up thinking the exchange was worthwhile 🙂
May 31st, 2019 at 4:01 pm
Hopefully. In the movie, she got her voice back eventually, so I guess anything’s possible. 🙂
May 30th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
This is great David. Makes me want to rent the movie Splash. Love how he wanted to give her a tail…accessorize.. 🙂
May 31st, 2019 at 4:01 pm
Thanks! Glad you liked it. 🙂
June 1st, 2019 at 4:11 am
I did. You’e the master of the genre. 🙂
May 30th, 2019 at 6:49 pm
Terrific twist on the fairy tale!! Loved it…
DB McNicol
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May 31st, 2019 at 3:59 pm
Thanks, DB! Glad you liked it.
May 31st, 2019 at 7:12 am
It seems he lost more than he gained, much more. A good story well written, David. 🙂 — Suzanne
May 31st, 2019 at 3:59 pm
Yeah, I think you’re right, unless he finds another little mermaid down there to fall in love with.
May 31st, 2019 at 10:23 pm
Oops! Maybe he can get it reversed?
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:37 pm
Gotta go find that witch again and see if there’s an escape clause in the contract. 🙂
June 1st, 2019 at 9:07 am
He gave up all he was… so sad.
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:36 pm
Yeah, but maybe happily ever after means happily ever after…eventually. I’ll let you finish the story. 🙂
June 1st, 2019 at 10:07 am
That’s some trade he’s done! If he’s hoping for a happy Disney ending he perhaps should have read hos Hans Andersen! Great story. I do like a subverted fairy tale/tail!
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:35 pm
I’m glad you liked it. Yeah, Disney doesn’t do the tragically ironic much. That’s more in the spirit of the original tales.
June 2nd, 2019 at 12:21 am
An imaginative take on the prompt. What a shame to lose the girl after paying such a big price. Plenty of fish,eh? That’s what they all say.
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:33 pm
Yep, easy to say that when you’ve just lost your one true love. But men are resilient, right? 🙂
June 2nd, 2019 at 8:45 am
What will Eric do with any other fish? He does not have his reproductive apparatus!
June 3rd, 2019 at 6:33 pm
It’s funny after I wrote this, I realized this last line might seem like a nod to bestiality, which wasn’t the point, of course. I guess you can imagine whatever you want. 🙂
June 3rd, 2019 at 8:01 pm
Love this one, David.
June 4th, 2019 at 8:28 am
So, now he’s a eunuch, or maybe more like Caitlyn Jenner. Let’s hope Eric isn’t that ugly in the face. 🙂
June 7th, 2019 at 4:09 pm
At least one mermaid liked the look of him, so there’s hope, I guess.