large rock on the bank at a narrows of the Rhine River near Sankt Goarshausen, Ger. (Germany) The rock produces an echo and is associated with the legend of a beautiful maiden who threw herself into the Rhine in despair over a faithless lover and was transformed into a siren who lured fishermen to destruction. The essentials of the legend were claimed as his invention by German writer Clemens Brentano (Brentano, Clemens) in his novel Godwi (1800–02). Lorelei has been the subject of a number of literary works and songs; the poem Die Loreley by Heinrich Heine was set to music by more than 25 composers.