In the tiny village by the sea, five fishermen set out at dawn.

Their boat was small, but their nets were big and strong.

They hoped to catch enough fish for their families and the village.

Suddenly, a huge splash startled them as a shimmer caught their eyes.

In their net was a real, live mermaid with sparkling scales.

The mermaid sang softly, 'Please let me go, I mean no harm.'

The first fisherman said, 'She'll bring us luck! We should keep her.'

The second fisherman whispered, 'It's wrong to keep her here. She's scared.'

They talked and thought about what to do with their surprising catch.

The mermaid looked at them with her deep, ocean-blue eyes.

Then, the fishermen agreed, 'She belongs to the sea.'

They let the mermaid go and watched her dive into the blue waves.