被视为丹麦象征的“小美人鱼”铜像近日从哥本哈根港口吊起并装箱，开始她的上海世博之旅。这将是“小美人鱼”铜像自落成以来第一次离开家乡，10月31日之前，她将暂时在上海世博会丹麦馆安家。“小美人鱼”铜像是丹麦雕塑家埃里克森根据丹麦童话大师安徒生作品中的主人公形象在1913年铸造的，近一百年来，一直都是哥本哈根一个主要的旅游景点。哥本哈根市长表示，“小美人鱼”此次上海之行是丹麦与中国文化交往活动的一部分，并且坚信她会成为丹麦最出色的形象大使。

For nearly 100 years, the heartbroken Little Mermaid has sat on a rock looking out over Copenhagen's port but now the sculpture based on the famous fairytale, is heading back out to sea, set for China.

The small bronze statue inspired by the tale of author Hans Christian Andersen and unveiled in 1913, is a major tourist attraction in Copenhagen. But her life has not always been easy.

She has been beheaded twice, had her arm cut off, was blown off her rock in 2003 and was dressed in a Muslim headscarf two years ago in a protest - but she never left her native country.

This week she was lifted from the harbor, boxed, and shipped to Shanghai where she is the star guest in the Danish Pavilion at EXPO 2010 which runs until October 31. Details over her trip were not revealed due to security issues.

"The Little Mermaid," published in 1837, is a sad story about a mermaid who falls in love with a prince and gives up her life in the sea and her tail for legs.

The fairytale has been adapted many times into stage shows and into a Disney movie.

Copenhagen mayor Frank Jensen said in a statement that the loan of The Little Mermaid was part of a cultural exchange between Denmark and China.

"I am convinced that she will be an excellent ambassador of Denmark, particularly since the Chinese already are very fond of Hans Christian Andersen and his fairytales," he said in a statement.

Her departure from Copenhagen will not leave the harbor empty. Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has created a video installation to be installed at her spot.

The Little Mermaid's 165 cm (65 inches) tall sculpture, which sits on a granite block, was created in 1913 by Edvard Eriksen.