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The story behind this picture is that my friend
doesn't care for the Disney version of the Little Mermaid - she read the fairy tale as a child and not only was the story different, but the Little Mermaid also looked different: she had silvery-white hair, for example.I think she and I occasionally saw some fan arts of Denmark from Hetalia with the Disney's Mermaid, and she was always furious about it because she didn't feel like it paid homage to the original story. So I decided that I'd finally draw the picture of Denmark she wanted: for him to be with the REAL Little Mermaid.
You can read the original story here: hca.gilead.org.il/li_merma.htm…
As you may know, the Little Mermaid turns into foam in the end of the fairy tale, and I wanted to capture that exact moment in my art.
I also wanted to write a short story about the happenings of this picture:
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In those days, Mathias used to go to the shore every day. It was a lovely summer, and he loved to spend the day sitting on the pier, and occasionally helping out the fishermen and dock workers in their daily chores. And what made it especially worth the while was the fact that one day, he met a little mermaid. Not any mermaid, but a royal one, and only fifteen years of age.
The mermaid was extremely joyous and bright-eyed in nature. She used to brighten Mathias' day every time she came to meet him. He came to love her like a little sister. They used to spend many hours a day together, just talking. The little mermaid loved the land and would always ask him questions about life on land. "Life on land isn't always sunshine and rainbows, you know" he used to tell the mermaid laughingly. The little mermaid always shook her head, convinced that she would be much happier on land. Often, she also talked about a most wonderful prince she once saved from a shipwreck. Even though she was only fifteen, she loved the prince with all her heart. It really warmed Mathias' old heart that a love as pure as hers could exist.
However, suddenly she stopped visiting him. He went to the dock every day, as usual. But for weeks, there was no trace of the little mermaid. Weeks turned to months, and he got extremely worried about her. However, one day, at the end of the summer, she came to meet him. For the very last time.
It was very early in the morning. Mathias was already sitting on the end of the pier before the sun began to rise. In the first ray of the rising sun, he saw something out in the sea, moving slowly towards him . He shot up and peered out to the sea. When it came nearer, he saw that it was the little mermaid! She looked as if she was cloaked in a white veil that kept growing as she neared the shore. When she finally reached Mathias, he noticed that the white veil was actually foam. But he also noticed that the little mermaid was in great pain. "What has happened to you?" Mathias shouted in panic. The little mermaid did not answer. She had tears in her eyes. Mathias went on his knees on the end of the pier so that he could see the little mermaid closer. He then noticed that it really seemed as though the amount of foam was increasing all the time. "Tell me, what has happened?!" Mathias repeated, but the Little Mermaid just looked him deep in the eyes and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but no words would come out.
Suddenly Mathias realized the little mermaid was starting to sink, and quickly lifted her upwards with his arms. She was very light! That is when he made the horrifying discovery that she was slowly turning into foam. He dared not check, but it seemed that her legs had already completely turned into foam, which is why she was sinking. Tears shot to his eyes. "Don't worry, I won't let this happen to you! I'll lift you to the pier!", Mathias said with a shaking voice. But the little mermaid shook her head and tried to smile a bit to encourage Mathias and let him know that she had accepted her fate. This only made more tears fall on Mathias' cheeks. It seemed like the little mermaid was suddenly starting to get her voice back. She looked as though she concentrated all her remaining energy and she shakily leaned closer to Mathias and whispered to him: "Don't cry... For I will die so that he can be happy...". She smiled, but at the same time, more tears fell from her eyes. It had become very light already; the sun was almost completely up.
And soon enough, there was no little mermaid in Mathias' arms anymore. He looked at the foam that she left behind her, and he looked at his own hands angrily, as if it was their fault that he could not save her. He then slumped backwards and covered his eyes with his hands. He sat like that for a while until no tears came from his eyes anymore. He then opened his eyes and looked into the water. The white lilies that decorated the little mermaids hair were still floating in the water. Unexpectedly, a very strong wind forcefully flung the flowers from the water, and they began soaring into the sky, with the strong wind guiding them. Mathias suddenly felt at peace. He felt as if the mermaid was now in a better place, and the flowers rising to the skies was a sign of that. "I will never forget you", he whispered.
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Sorry, my writing skills are a bit rusty and I'm not too eloquent in English... But, I wanted to tell the story of Denmark and the Little Mermaid as I would picture it.
By the way, did you know that the Little Mermaid dreamt of three things: the land, winning the love of the prince, and also gaining an immortal soul (something that only humans had while mermaids did not)? In the end, she did gain an immortal soul, so the fairy tale actually has a happy ending, contrary to popular belief.
This is by far my best work, I think! :'3 I'm really happy with how it turned out, especially the lighting!
Hetalia © Hidekaz Himaruya
ps. will probably post some in progress -pics of this piece later to the Scraps folder :3
EDIT 28/3/2014: Cropped the picture a bit to make it more dynamic!
