Des Schleusenwärters Blindes Töchterlein

In old Spandau by the lovely Havel
Stands a lock and it smells like fish
But at the lock gate, there's a sign that says
"Water fresh every day, that's our wish"
The old lockkeeper cranks the gates open
And when it drips from the beams behind
He pins the lines down to the windward
Then the sails catch the breeze, so aligned
At the lock's edge in the evening glow
Stands a lovely figure, so sweet
She holds the lock cat on a leash, you know
She keeps him steady, he’s her treat

That's the lockkeeper's blind daughter
She waves the ships in with a gentle sway
And many a Havel sailor stops with his boat
And grins at her: "She’s still so young today!"

With a white cap stood on the barge
A well-built young mate, so spry
And he liked the lockkeeper's son, Lasse
But the daughter, he found a bore, oh my
He went to the lockhouse with that lad
Where they planned a rendezvous, so neat
But the daughter called out: "I want him, Dad!"
And sneaked into his bunk, oh what a feat
The mate put his hand on her hip
And pinched her too, she cried: "Ouch!"
But when he checked her out up close
He yelled: "Damn, that’s a woman, no doubt!"

Yeah, yeah, the lockkeeper's blind daughter
Came instead of her brother in the dusk
But the young mate realized too late
As said, she was still very young, no fuss

And when the snob didn’t want her
She ran to her father, who was splitting the ropes
At this disgrace, he got mad and grumbled
Until he bit a line in his hopes
He swung it around and he cursed and spat
He chewed it up and tossed it keel
And when the mate was finally done for
He threw him in the damp creek, unreal
Lasse, the slender brother, saw it all
He called his father a crooked dog
"He was my friend!" he shouted and grabbed an oar
And shoved the keeper down in the fog

Well, the lockkeeper's blind daughter
Watched him sadly as he drowned
Threw a handful of sand into the water
And sang, "Farewell, you were still so young, profound!"

The lockkeeper's wife sat on the post
Hand on her chin, deep in thought
She saw the murder, then cried: "Oh my dear!
Now you’re done, that’s what you’ve sought."
To her son, she said: "You must now part!"
And quickly cut his throat, oh snap
But the blind girl didn’t take it to heart
And shoved her mother into the damp trap
And from the lock chamber came Grandma
Who carried a young man in her womb
She had a lovely aroma
Because she was baking butter cake in the room

She took the lockkeeper's blind daughter
And tossed her in for her final rest
But alas, the lock cat tripped her too
And down went the lock grandma, what a jest!

The old lock up by the Havel
Is full of blood and smells so foul
But that’s alright, the sign still promises
"The water will be fresh again, no growl!"