Lorelei

Lorelei is a location in Germany associated with the Maidens of the Rhine; the most notable of which is Lorelei, who a is legendary German siren created by Clemens Brentano in 1801.

Lorelei is depicted as one of the Maidens of the Rhine, creatures from Germanic mythology who lured seafarers to the rocks with beautiful singing, like sirens in ancient Greek mythology. She is depicted as a nymph on a rock, combing her golden hair and drawing ships to the rocks with her singing  . The strong current and the rocky coast of this section of the Rhine really created all the conditions for frequent shipwrecks in the olden days.

Etymology
The name comes from the old German words lureln, Rhine dialect for "murmuring", and the Celtic term ley "rock". The translation of the name would therefore be "murmur rock" or "murmuring rock". The heavy currents, and a small waterfall in the area (still visible in the early 19th century) created a murmuring sound, and this combined with the special echo the rock produces to act as a sort of amplifier, giving the rock its name. The murmuring is hard to hear today owing to the urbanization of the area. Other theories attribute the name to the many boating accidents on the rock, by combining the German verb lauern ('to lurk, lie in wait') with the same "ley" ending, with the translation "lurking rock".

Legends
As early as the Middle Ages, dwarfs, nymphs/Rhine maidens or mountain spirits were held responsible for the dangerous currents and the echoes on the Loreley rock. However, the female figure named ''Loreley is a modern creation by Clemens Brentano. ''