<p>The knight Huldbrand gets lost on a stormy night by a lake and finds refuge with fishermen. He falls in love with the foundling Undine. The girl is in fact a mermaid, cursed by her people to dissolve into a wave if she is rejected by men, and to join them underwater if her true identity becomes known. Huldbrand marries Undine, but offends Berthalda, the adopted daughter of Prince Heinrich. When Heinrich visits Huldbrand, the fishermen recognise Berthalda for the child they had lost, but Berthalda rejects them with contempt. Heinrich banishes her from his presence. In despair, advised by the water genie Kühleborn, Berthalda publicly reveals Undine's identity and Heinrich curses her and Huldbrand. Huldbrand refuses, however, to abandon his wife and she takes him with her to live among her people under the waters, in a crystal palace.</p>

String marionette

Young audiences

Pocci Franz von

Germany

Munich

Printed

Storm

Fishing

Hospitality

Love

Foundling

Wedding

Contempt

Faithfulness

Paganism

Christianity

Mermaid

Fantasy

Comical

Parodistic

Dramatic

German

Génie des eaux

Ondine

Knight

Kasperl

Duke

Valet

Cook

Trump blower

Light effects

Chorus

Parody of formal language

Song

Sung scenes

Transforming scenery

Scene of recognition

Brawl

Address to the public

Board

Undine, die Wassernixe

Ondine, the water nymph