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A review by larrys
The Little Mermaid by Christian Birmingham
1.0
Hans, Hans, Hans, you sick fuck.
I haven't read the Disney version but I bet it ain't nothing like this.
The original (translated) version includes:
The cutting out of a tongue
Threats of murder
Black milk coming out of a witches breast
Hierarchy of sisterly beauty
Marital possessiveness
And perhaps most disturbingly of all, the overall message as explained in the final paragraph:
"Unseen, we glide into human homes where there are children, and whenever we find a good child, one who makes its parents happy and deserves their love [because obviously some children don't deserve love], God shortens our time of trial. The child never knows when we fly through the room; if its goodness makes us smile with pleasure, a year is taken from the three hundred. But if we see a naughty, evil child, then we must weep tears of sorrow, and each tear adds one day more to our time of waiting."
Now kiddies, your bedtime story is over. SLEEP TIGHT.
None of this is a sleight on the translator and artist of this particular version, who both did an excellent job. The pastel drawings by Christian Birmingham are evocative and beautiful, and the large format of this volume invites lengthy gazing. My question is rather, how has this story survived? Of all the stories that might be readapted, time and time again, why this one?
I haven't read the Disney version but I bet it ain't nothing like this.
The original (translated) version includes:
The cutting out of a tongue
Threats of murder
Black milk coming out of a witches breast
Hierarchy of sisterly beauty
Marital possessiveness
And perhaps most disturbingly of all, the overall message as explained in the final paragraph:
"Unseen, we glide into human homes where there are children, and whenever we find a good child, one who makes its parents happy and deserves their love [because obviously some children don't deserve love], God shortens our time of trial. The child never knows when we fly through the room; if its goodness makes us smile with pleasure, a year is taken from the three hundred. But if we see a naughty, evil child, then we must weep tears of sorrow, and each tear adds one day more to our time of waiting."
Now kiddies, your bedtime story is over. SLEEP TIGHT.
None of this is a sleight on the translator and artist of this particular version, who both did an excellent job. The pastel drawings by Christian Birmingham are evocative and beautiful, and the large format of this volume invites lengthy gazing. My question is rather, how has this story survived? Of all the stories that might be readapted, time and time again, why this one?