Paulie, an intelligent parrot who actually talks, relates the story of his struggle to a Russian immigrant who works as a janitor at the research institute where he is housed and neglected. Paulies story begins many years earlier when he is given as a gift to a little girl who stutters. Eventually, he teaches the girl to speak correctly but is taken away by her father because he believes the girl cannot distinguish fantasy from reality because she believes the bird can talk. Paulie goes through a series of adventures with a pawn shop owner, an ageing widow, a Mexican-American troubadour and a would be thief before being taken to the institute where he now lives.

Morgana, sister of Ursula, almost steals the baby Melody from her parents, Ariel and Eric. To protect Melody, she's told never to enter the ocean, but by her 12th birthday, she's been swimming there for years. She discovers the magic locket that was to be her christening gift, which makes her visible to Morgana. Morgana tempts her by offering her fondest wish, to turn her into a mermaid; however, to remain a mermaid, she'll have to steal the magic trident from King Triton (who, unknown to her, is her grandfather). Meanwhile, all the sea creatures are searching for her. Along the way, she joins up with comic relief sidekicks Tip (a penguin) and Dash (a walrus). When she returns with the trident, Morgana's evil nature is revealed, and there is a massive battle of good and evil.