| The Sea Witch | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Unknown |
|
First Appearance |
Eventyr, fortalte for Børn, Første Samling, Tredie Hefte (1837) |
|
Original Publisher |
C. A. Reitzel |
|
Created by |
Hans Christian Andersen |
Origin[]
The Sea Witch is a sorceress who lives under the sea. Her abode is in a slimy creepy underwater forest, protected by raging whirlpools. Around her house are hideous half-plant and half animal polypi, which grasp anything they can. Many of these polypi hold the bones of humans and animals that drowned. Some hold ship fragments, and some hold the remains of mermaids that they have strangled. The sea witch lives in a house made of human bones, and allows large sea snakes to writhe over her, and in the mire that surrounds her house. The extent of her powers is unknown, but they do seem considerable. She gave the Little Mermaid the ability to transform into a human being, and later set a curse on her that turned her body into sea foam. For her help, she demanded a price, which was often a body part such as a tongue or hair. She mixes potions in a cauldron.
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Eventyr, fortalte for Børn, Første Samling, Tredie Hefte (1837)
- Bentley’s Miscellany (1846)
- Danish Fairy Legends and Tales (1846)
- The Ugly Duck, and Other Tales (1854)
- The Little Mermaid and Other Stories (1893)
- Three Tales of Hans Andersen (1910)
- The Garden of Paradise (1914)
- The Green Book Magazine (1915)
“The Little Mermaid Visits the Old Witch of the Sea,” illustration by John Leech for “The Mermaid,” Bentley’s Miscellany, Apr. 1846.
Public Domain Comic Appearances[]
- Fairy Tale Parade #7