German Folklore, Lorelei The Siren..

 

Lorelei.

In German Folklore Lorelei is described as a beautiful golden haired siren that site's on top of a large rock on the banks of the Rhine River and sings her beautiful and bewitching melodies to lure sailors to their death.

As the legend goes, she was once a beautiful young woman, who  in a moment of despair over a cheating lover claimed the rock and threw herself into the river.

She was then   transformed into a siren who lured fishermen and sailor's to their doom 

 The large rock also called Lorelei, stands on the edge of the Rhine River near Sankt Goarshausen, Germany, and is also known for producing an echo. 

The essentials of the legend itself was created by German writer Clemons Brentano in his ballad “Zu Bacharach am Rheine” (“To Bacharach on the Rhine”), which first appeared in his novel Godwi (1800–02). 

Lorelei became the subject of a number of literary works and songs; the poem “Die Loreley” (1824) by Heinrich Heine was set to music by more than 25 composers.

Part of the song.

The comb she holds is golden,

She sings a song as well

Whose melody binds an enthralling

And overpowering spell.

In his little boat, the boatman

Is seized with a savage woe,

He’d rather look up at the mountain

Than down at the rocks below.

From The Lorelei English translation of the poem by Heinrich Heine, 1824. Translated by A.Z. Foreman

The waves of the river and a nearby waterfall combined with the natural echo of the location create a murdering sound that many attribute to the sirens song.

The legend and song have lead to this rock becoming a tourist destination. And a statue of Lorelei has been placed at the top.