According to German legend, there was once a beautiful young maiden, named Lorelei, who threw herself headlong into the river in despair over a faithless lover.
Upon her death she was transformed into a siren and could from that time on be heard singing on a rock along the Rhine River, near St. Goar.
Her hypnotic music lured sailors to their death. The legend is based on an echoing rock with that name near Sankt Goarshausen, Germany...
I'm looking in vain for the reason,
That I am so sad and distressed;
A tale known for many a season,
Does not allow me to rest.
Cool is the air in the twilight
And quietly flows the Rhine;
The mountain glows with a highlight,
From the evening sun's last shine.
The fairest of maiden's reposing,
So wonderfully up there.
Her golden jewelry disclosing,
She's combing her golden hair.
She combs it with a comb of gold
And meanwhile is singing a song;
A melody strangely bold
And unbelievably strong.
The bargeman in his small craft
Is seized with longings and sighs.
He sees not the rocks fore and aft,
He looks only at her and the skies.
It looks like the waves are flinging,
Both man and boat to their end;
That was what with her singing,
The Lorelei did intend.
Lore Ley from Heinrich Heine
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