BY HANS BREITMANN. <br /> <br /> <br />Der noble Ritter Hugo <br />Von Schwillensaufenstein, <br />Rode out mit shper and helmet, <br />Und he coom to de panks of de Rhine. <br /> <br />Und oop dere rose a meermaid, <br />Vot hadn't got nodings on, <br />Und she say, 'Oh, Ritter Hugo, <br />Vhere you goes mit yourself alone?' <br /> <br />And he says, 'I rides in de creenwood, <br />Mit helmet und mit shpeer, <br />Til I coomes into em Gasthaus, <br />Und dere I trinks some beer.' <br /> <br />Und den outshpoke de maiden <br />Vot hadn't got nodings on: <br />'I don't dink mooch of beoplesh <br />Dat goes mit demselfs alone. <br /> <br />'You'd petter coom down in de wasser, <br />Vhere dere's heaps of dings to see, <br />Und hafe a shplendid tinner <br />Und drafel along mit me. <br /> <br />'Dere you sees de fisch a schwimmin', <br />Und you catches dem efery von:'-- <br />So sang dis wasser maiden <br />Vot hadn't got nodings on. <br /> <br />'Dere ish drunks all full mit money <br />In ships dat vent down of old; <br />Und you helpsh yourself, by dunder! <br />To shimmerin' crowns of gold. <br /> <br />'Shoost look at dese shpoons und vatches! <br />Shoost see dese diamant rings! <br />Coom down and fill your bockets, <br />Und I'll giss you like efery dings. <br /> <br />'Vot you vantsh mit your schnapps und lager? <br />Coom down into der Rhine! <br />Der ish pottles der Kaiser Charlemagne <br />Vonce filled mit gold-red wine!' <br /> <br />Dat fetched him - he shtood all shpell pound; <br />She pooled his coat-tails down, <br />She drawed him oonder der wasser, <br />De maiden mit nodings on.<br /><br />Charles Godfrey Leland<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ballad-19/
