(The SEA CHORUS creates the surface of the ocean. A ship appears with the PILOT at the wheel and SAILORS at work on deck.)

[PILOT] (singing)
I'LL TELL YOU A TALE
OF THE BOTTOMLESS BLUE...

[SAILORS]
...AN' IT'S HEY TO THE STARBOARD, HEAVE HO!

[PILOT]
BRAVE SAILOR BEWARE,
'CAUSE A BIG UN'S A BREWIN'...

[SAILORS]
...MYSTERIOUS FATHOMS BELOW! HEAVE HO!

[PILOT]
I'LL SING YOU A SONG
OF THE KING OF THE SEA...

[SAILORS]
...AN' IT'S HEY TO THE STARBOARD, HEAVE HO!

[PILOT]
THE RULER OF ALL OF
THE OCEANS IS HE...
[SAILORS]
...IN MYSTERIOUS FATHOMS BELOW!

[ALL]
FATHOMS BELOW,
BELOW!
FROM WHENCE WAYWARD WESTERLIES BLOW!

WHERE TRITON IS KING,
AND HIS MERPEOPLE SING
IN MYSTERIOUS FATHOMS BELOW.

(PRINCE ERIC enters, attended by his droll valet, GRIMSBY.)

[PRINCE ERIC] (spoken)
Isn't this perfection, Grimsby? Out on the open sea, surrounded by nothing but water and imagination—

[GRIMSBY]
Oh, yes, it's simply... (bending over the rail, seasick) ... delightful...

[ERIC] (singing)
THE SALT ON YOUR SKIN
AND THE WIND IN YOUR HAIR,
AND THE WAVES AS THEY EBB AND THEY FLOW!

WE'RE MILES FROM THE SHORE, AND...
[ERIC] (spoken)
...guess what: I don't care!

[GRIMSBY]
As for me, I'm about to heave ho!

[VOICE] (singing)
AH
AH
AH

[ERIC] (spoken)
What is that? Do you hear something?

[GRIMSBY]
Milord, please... enough sеafaring! This talk of merpeople and thе King of the Sea is nautical nonsense!

[VOICE] (singing)
AH

[ERIC] (spoken)
There it is again! Straight ahead!

[VOICE] (singing)
AH
AH
[GRIMSBY] (spoken)
Your Majesty, you've got to return to court and take up your father's crown!

[ERIC]
That's not the life for me, Grimsby. (to PILOT) Now, follow that voice – to the ends of the earth if we have to!

[PILOT]
Aye-aye, Captain!

[ALL] (singing)
THERE'S MERMAIDS OUT THERE
IN THE BOTTOMLESS BLUE,
AN' IT'S HEY TO THE STARBOARD, HEAVE HO!

WATCH OUT FOR 'EM, LAD,
OR YOU'LL GO TO YOUR RUIN,
MYSTERIOUS FATHOMS BELOW!

(The "ship" dissolves as ALL exit.)