| |
| DER noble Ritter Hugo | |
| Von Schwillensanfenstein | |
| Rode out mit shpeer und helmet, | |
| Und he coom to de panks of de Rhine. | |
| |
| Und oop dere rose a meermaid, | 5 |
| Vot hadn’t got nodings on, | |
| Und she say, “O, Ritter Hugo, | |
| Vare you goes mit yourself alone?” | |
| |
| Und he says, “I ride in de creen-wood, | |
| Mit helmet and mit shpeer, | 10 |
| Till I cooms into ein Gasthaus, | |
| Und dere I drinks some peer.” | |
| |
| Und den outshpoke de maiden, | |
| Vot hadn’t got nodings on, | |
| “I ton’t dink mooch of beebles | 15 |
| Dat goes mit demselfs alone. | |
| |
| You ’d petter come down in de wasser, | |
| Vare dere’s heaps of dings to see, | |
| Und hafe a shplendid dinner, | |
| Und trafel along mit me. | 20 |
| |
| “Dare you sees de fish a schwimmin, | |
| Und you catches dem efery one.” | |
| So sang dis wasser maiden, | |
| Vot hadn’t got nodings on. | |
| |
| “Dare is drunks all full mit money, | 25 |
| In ships dat vent down of old; | |
| Und you helpsh yourself, by dunder! | |
| To shimmerin crowns of gold. | |
| |
| “Shoost look at dese shpoons und vatches! | |
| Shoost look at dese diamond rings! | 30 |
| Come down und fill your bockets, | |
| Und I ’ll kiss you like eferydings! | |
| |
| “Vot you vantsh mit your schnapps und your lager? | |
| Coom down into der Rhine! | |
| Dere ish pottles der Kaiser Charlemagne, | 35 |
| Vonce filled mit gold-red vine!” | |
| |
| Dat fetched him,—he shtood all shpell-pound, | |
| She pulled his coat-tails down, | |
| She drawed him under de wasser, | |
| Dis maid mit nodings on. | 40 |
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