The little mermaid princess is unhappy living underwater and longs to experience the human world above the sea. One night, during a storm, she saves a young human prince from drowning and brings him to shore. She falls in love with him but must return home. Later, she makes a deal with a sea witch to trade her tail for legs so she can try to win the prince, but she will feel great pain with every step and if he does not love her, she will die. She finds the prince at the royal palace but he is marrying another. Heartbroken, she prepares to die, but the prince recognizes her as his rescuer and they live happily ever after.