Hi there, I took a glimpse at the page Walter Meyer mentioned. Seems Saxon or Thuringen to me, which is the region of Germany north of Czechia. For the Bach buffs: this might be more or less the way Bach spoke at home.... It should be pointed out that the dialect version is not really a literal translation as is the English. It's more a folkloristic local version where the Loreley (which is a mountain next to the Rhine in the center of Germany) is replaced by the Bastei, a mountain next to the Elbe in Saxony. I spent my holidays there in 1995, and I can well understand that the locals there are overwhelmed looking down from the mountain and see the Elbe meander gracefully (as I was) and think it more beautiful than the Loreley. Here's the dialect original and what I made of it (no poetical aspirations of course). As a born Dutch, I am not sure of everything, perhaps Robert Peters can also help. Ich weess nich, mich isses so gomisch, I don't know, I feel so strange Und archendwas macht mich verstimmt. And something makes me feel uneasy Ich globe, des is anadomisch, It must be anatomical Wie das bei de Menschen so kimmt. As it so happens with man De Elbe, de blatschert so friedlich, The Elbe river streams so peacefully Und e Fischgahn gommt aus dr Tschechei, And a fishboat comes along from Czechia Drin sitzt ne Familche gemutlich, Wherein sits cosily a family Nu sindse gleich bei dr Bastei. They're nearly at the Bastei Und obm uffm Berche, nu gugge, On the mountain, beware Da gammt sichn Freilein ihrn Zopp, A fair girlie is combing her hair Se striecheltn feste mit Spugge She's stroking it with a bit of spit Und glabtn als Gauz aufn Kopp. And sticks it as??? on her head Der Papa dort unten ihm Gahne Daddy down under in the boat Schaut nuff bei das Freilein entzickt. Looks up at the girl with delight Die Mama, die spricht voller Ahne: But Mum speaks angrily: "Die macht unsern Papa verrickt!" "She'll make our daddy loose his head" Nun fangt die dort obm uffm Berche And now the one on the mountain Zu singn noch an een Gublee. Starts to sing a song Der Papa im Gahn tut sich walze Daddy in the boat starts to dance to it Und jubelt vor Freude juchhee. And cries out in joy "Juchhee" (intranslatable) "Sitzt ruhig!" ruft angstlich "Sit still" cries little scared Odile Ottielche, Schon gibbelt ganz schregglich der The boat is already starting to rock Gahn - dangerously Und platzlich versingt de Familche, And then the whole family drowns Ach Freilein, was hamse gedan!? O girlie, what have you done! "Jos Janssen" <[log in to unmask]>