It was a merry court he held; for his beautiful daughter, Lurline, the fairest of all the river nymphs, loved to dance upon the sparkling floors with her attendant nymphs, and to sing to the music of the flowing waves.
But at last there came a change, and Lurline was merry no longer. One evening, as the fair nymph rested upon the Lurlei-berg, a rock that jutted3 over a whirlpool, playing upon her harp4 and singing the thrilling song of enchantment5 with which she lured7 her mortal victims to destruction at the bidding of her powerful spirit father, a handsome young nobleman named Rudolph sailed by in an airy skiff; and as Lurline gazed upon the exquisite8 beauty of this youth, a passionate9 love for him grew up in her heart, and, dropping her harp just as her song had begun to enthral him, she could no longer bear to lure6 him to his doom10.
After this she grew sad, and sighed for the Count Rudolph with every breath; and when the Rhine King knew that his daughter loved a mortal, he was filled with dismay and anger. Finding, however, that in spite of his reproaches Lurline could not forget the beautiful youth she had seen, he gave her permission to seek him out in his own home, hoping that she would quickly discover mortal love to be but a frail11, unworthy thing, and would then renounce12 it; and the water maiden13 gladly availed herself of her father's permission, and went forth14 to seek her earthly lover.
Meanwhile, the young Count Rudolph was passing through a time of difficulty and trouble; for, having spent his wealth on the gay pleasures of youth, he had no longer the necessary means to keep up proper state in his ancient castle home. Thinking to mend his fortunes by making a wealthy marriage, he began to pay his addresses to Lady Ghiva, the daughter of an old Baron15, whom he believed to be very rich, but who was in reality quite as poor as himself; and his court was acceptable to the haughty16 Ghiva, who had long cherished admiration17 and affection for the handsome youth, believing him also to be rich enough to satisfy all her wants.
When, however, at a festive18 ball given by the Baron in his honour, Rudolph laid his heart at her feet, but declared that he had no great wealth to offer her, the disappointed lady refused him with disdain19, and Rudolph returned to his castle in chagrin20. His merry companions, however, sought to cheer his drooping21 spirits with lively songs and revelry; but Rudolph found comfort from another source.
There suddenly came into his thoughts the memory of that evening, when, as he rowed himself in his skiff upon the Rhine, he had heard the thrilling, enticing22 voice of a water nymph; and as the words of her sweet song now came back to him, he began to sing them to his companions, who listened to him in delight.
But soon their delight was changed into dismay; for as the young Count sang the words of this strange sweet song, Lurline herself suddenly appeared in the banqueting hall, as though in answer to his call.
The lovely water nymph at once approached Rudolph, and began to weave a spell of enchantment over him; and having placed a magic ring upon his finger as a talisman23 against all danger, she disappeared as suddenly as she had come.
But her thrilling voice, singing to the accompaniment of a magic harp, could be heard calling from the river; and Rudolph, on recovering from the stupor24 into which he had been thrown, now became so violently enamoured of the beautiful nymph that he sprang from his seat and rushed down to the shore, following the sound of her luring25 song with ecstasy26.
His friends, fearing that he was being enticed27 to destruction, endeavoured to check his impetuous course, and to hold him back from danger; but Rudolph, reckless of what lay before him, and intoxicated28 with the charm of the water maiden's irresistible29 song, flung all detaining hands from him, and plunged30 eagerly into the river. The waves of the Lurlei-berg whirlpool flowed over him, but were powerless to harm him, because of the magic ring he wore; and Lurline, full of joy, conveyed him to her own palace of corals, where they spent together a period of delirious31 happiness.
But one day Rudolph heard the voices of his old companions mourning his loss, as they sadly rowed overhead in their skiffs; and, longing32 to greet them once again, he begged the lovely Lurline to permit him to leave her for a few days, promising33 to return to her.
Lurline, though fearful of being parted from the mortal lover she adored, yet could not bear to cause him pain by refusing his request; so she gave her consent, declaring that she would await his return at the end of three days on the Lurlei-berg.
Rudolph now desired to take back with him some of the lavish34 wealth he saw around him; and Lurline, having been given the keys of her father's treasure-chambers during his temporary absence, took him therein to take his fill.
As it happened, Rhineberg returned at that moment, and was enraged35 on discovering what the lovers were about; but when Lurline pleaded for pardon he could not resist her sweet charm, and ended by giving Rudolph vast treasures to take back with him to his castle.
The young Count then departed; and on his arrival at his home the news of his altered fortunes quickly spread. The Baron and his daughter Ghiva were now very anxious to encourage the suitor they had formerly36 rejected; and to them Rudolph revealed the secret of his newly-acquired wealth, showing them the magic ring he had received from Lurline, and singing the praises of the lovely water nymph so rapturously that the Baron's daughter was quickly died with a consuming jealousy37, and snatching the ring from his finger, furiously flung it into the midst of the river.
With the loss of the magic ring the spell of Lurline departed also; and Rudolph, forgetful of his love for the fair nymph, began to find pleasure in the advances made by the cunning Ghiva, and to engage in revellings and feastings once more.
In the meantime, fair Lurline sat upon the Lurlei-berg rock, singing her sweet love-songs as she patiently awaited the return of the mortal she adored; but when one day a slave-gnome of her father's brought to her the magic ring which she had given to Rudolph, and which had been now found in the river, she could not help but believe her lover to be faithless.
Filled with woe38, and yet enraged that her love should have been slighted by a mortal, she resolved to seek out Rudolph once more, and to reproach him for his faithlessness.
Accordingly, she appeared at a splendid festival which was being held on the banks of the Rhine, in honour of the young Count's birthday; and, quickly approaching Rudolph, she began to pour bitter reproaches upon him for deserting her loving arms for the sake of his mortal companions, some of whom, she informed him, were even now plotting his assassination39 that they might seize his treasures.
Her wrath40, however, vanished when Rudolph explained how his magic ring had been taken from him by force, and declared that he still loved her with his whole heart; for the magic charm of her sweet presence had once more enveloped41 the young Count, and he felt that her love alone could satisfy the longings42 of his heart.
Meanwhile, his false companions, as he had been warned by Lurline, were even now hatching a plot to murder him and seize his wealth; and their plans were overheard by the Lady Ghiva and her father, who quickly informed Rudolph of his danger, and besought43 him to save his life by instant flight.
But the young Count declared that he would rather die by the side of his beloved Lurline than fly as a coward; and, boldly drawing his sword, he met his enemies undaunted.
Then Lurline, knowing that her lover's life was in utmost danger, took up her harp, and sang a wild song of invocation to the Spirits of the Rhine, so that the noble river suddenly rose in a mighty flood, and immersed the would-be murderers.
When the waters had once more returned to their accustomed bounds, Rhineberg, the River King, appeared; and, to the great joy of the lovers, he now gave his gracious consent to their union.
Thus did Lurline, the lovely Daughter of the Rhine, secure her heart's desire; and as she gazed into the eyes of her mortal lover, she knew that she had not lived in vain, since she had gained the greatest of all treasures—the jewel of Love.
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1
gnomes
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| n.矮子( gnome的名词复数 )；侏儒；（尤指金融市场上搞投机的）银行家；守护神 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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jutted
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| v.（使）突出( jut的过去式和过去分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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harp
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| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
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enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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7
lured
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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12
renounce
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| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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13
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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18
festive
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| adj.欢宴的，节日的 | |
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19
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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21
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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enticing
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| adj.迷人的；诱人的 | |
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talisman
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| n.避邪物，护身符 | |
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24
stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 | |
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25
luring
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的现在分词形式） | |
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ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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enticed
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| 诱惑，怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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30
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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delirious
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| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
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32
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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33
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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34
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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35
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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36
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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38
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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39
assassination
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| n.暗杀；暗杀事件 | |
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40
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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41
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
longings
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| 渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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43
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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