TALE FROM GERMANY

THE STORY OF THE LORELEY (according to Sylvia Hess)

(German version )

(English version)

 

The beautiful maiden Loreley was friends with the fishermen of the Rhine. Often, she came down from her cliff when the young men cast their nets and showed them fertile fishing grounds. If the fishermen followed her advice, they were rewarded with a good catch. The fishermen were very grateful and told everyone about her helpfulness and beauty.

The tale about the young and beautiful woman also reached the camp of the earl of the Pfalz.

When the earl’s son heard the tale, he was captured by a deep desire for the girl. He didn’t sleep anymore and kept dreaming of the unknown, beautiful girl. When the young earl couldn’t stand it anymore, he said goodbye to his father and rowed down the Rhine in a little boat to see the Loreley. In the late afternoon, he arrived at the fishermen. “Wait until sunset”, they told him, “Loreley usually climbs up the cliff then.” The earl instructed the skippers to row his boat to the middle of the river and stop there, because he didn’t want to miss the arrival of the Loreley. When the sun set, sending bright red rays down to earth, Loreley appeared on the high cliff, sat down and started to comb her long hair. In the light of the last shafts of sunlight it glowed like gold. When the beauty started singing with her clear voice, the young earl was completely spellbound by her and ordered his rowers to head for the shore. A few meters from the shore, he couldn’t resist anymore and attempted to jump on the bank. But he underestimated the distance and fell into the Rhine screaming. The water carried him away and nobody was able to help him.  

When the old earl was informed about the fate of his son, he rounded up his best knights. “Capture the witch and bring her here!”, he commanded. The captain and his troop set off to the Loreley. In the evening, he ordered his men to surround the cliff and climbed onto the top with a few of the knights. They found the young woman sitting on the top of cliff and singing as always.  When the graceful woman saw the men in their heavy armour, she paused and asked: “Who are you searching for, brave knights?” “We are searching for you, demonic witch!”, the captain answered, “You shall die a wretched death in the water of the Rhine, so that your bewitched voice can’t take any innocent person’s wits anymore!” The Loreley laughed and sang in a mysterious melody: “Father, come here fast, send your beloved child the white steeds, I want to ride on the waves and the wind!”

The knights of the earl froze, since a storm of an intensity they never experienced before broke loose above the cliff right after Loreley finished her song. The water of the Rhine was whipped up and the river rose, but the maiden stood on the brink and looked into the roaring water laughing.  Suddenly, two waves with white crests raged to the top of the cliff, took hold of the Loreley and carried her deep down into the water. Only now, the captain realized that the beautiful woman was a mermaid, who couldn’t be crushed down with human powers.

With this information, the knights returned to the old earl. How surprised they were when they met the young earl there! He survived the accident, because a wave washed him ashore somewhere downstream. Since then, the Loreley is missing. People say that she still lives on the cliff, but neither does she show her face, nor does she please passing people with her beautiful singing any longer.