<Dl> <Dd> Main article: The Little Mermaid (statue) </Dd> </Dl> <Dd> Main article: The Little Mermaid (statue) </Dd> <P> A statue of The Little Mermaid sits on a rock in the Copenhagen harbor in Langelinie . This small and unimposing statue is a Copenhagen icon and a major tourist attraction . </P> <P> The statue was commissioned in 1909 by Carl Jacobsen, son of the founder of Carlsberg, after he had been fascinated by a ballet based on the fairy tale . The sculptor Edward Eriksen created the statue, which was unveiled on 23 August 1913 . His wife, Eline Eriksen, was the model . It has been severely vandalized several times . </P>

What is the original story of the little mermaid