(From Lohsa)
Translated by Joel R. Meador

Once upon a time a young lady,
Was her father’s darling daughter.
Was her father’s darling daughter.

She often asked of her beloved father,
That he allow her to wander
Around his new farm for a year.

“I’ll probably allow you to wander around a year
Alone, on my new farm, but
It is time for you to get married.”

Then she went sadly upwards
In the direction of her new room.
In the direction of her new room.

She just sat there and cried
And wrung her chaffed little white hands together.
And wrung her chaffed little white hands together.

The waterman also came there
He asked, “Where do you have my bride?”
He asked, “Where do you have my bride?”

She is in her little room,
There she sits, sad and crying
And wrings her chaffed little white hands together.

“So then, why are you crying, Mägdelein,
Oh, you, my love, my lovely bride?
Oh, you, my love, my lovely bride?

“But why shouldn’t I cry,
When everyone is saying,
You appear to be the son of the water lady.”

“Well, they are going to say it nevertheless
And it is just not going to change.”
And it is just not going to change.”


“I want you to build a strong bridge
Of real silver and gold.”
Of real silver and gold.”

“I want to allow you to cross over it
With thirty beautiful wagons
Being pulled by forty horses.”

Before half of them got across it
The bridge sank into the ground.
The bridge sank into the ground.

The father looked from the window,
“Oh, wife, dear wife,
Look out there how our daughter is swimming.”

“You know she always likes to swim there,
And it is just not going to change.”
And it is just not going to change.”

She was there a total of seven years,
During that time she bore seven sons.
During that time she bore seven sons.

So it went in the eighth year,
With an eighth son.
With an eighth son.

She deliberately asked of her husband,
That he allow her to go to church,
To the church on the Oberwelt.

“I want to allow you to go to church,
To the church on the Oberwelt,
Only don’t wait on the blessings.”

To the church on the Oberwelt
She did go and she saw her brother there.
She also saw her youngest sister.

“Greetings to my lovely sister!
Now you have also come
To us here in the church.”

“Yes, I have come to the church,
Still I am not to wait for blessings.”
Still I am not to wait for blessings.”

“Oh wait, dear sister, only,
Please come with us to the midday meal.”
Please come with us to the midday meal.”

She waited on blessings,
The Waterman ran furiously about.
The Waterman ran furiously about.

In his blue pants he ran,
In red stockings he ran about.
In red stockings he ran about.

Now she left the church for home,
Took leave of her sister,
While towards her came the Waterman.

He tore the child from her,
Tore it apart before her eyes.
Tore it apart before her eyes.

Furthermore, he strangled it,
Scattered its parts on the street,
Then he hung himself at the door.

“Does that not bring sorry to your heart
About your little baby?”
About your little baby?”

“To me it brings a sorrowful heart
But more so for the lovely young child.”
But more so for the lovely young child.”

“That sat in his little tub,
That slept in his little cradle,
And played with little red apples.”

Attachment: The Waterman.mp3 (901kB)
This file has been downloaded 222 times