| There is a river in
Denmark called the River of the Gods, the Gudenaa; and not far
from its shores, as it flows through the forest of Silkeborg,
rises a ridge, on the west side of which was situated a small
farm--in fact, it is still there. Even when the rye and barley
stand high in the fields, you can see the sandy soil beneath
the grain; and the harvest is always meager. This story takes
place some years ago; and the farmer who tilled it then had
three sheep, a pig, and two oxen. He could have kept a couple
of horses but he felt as most farmers in that area did: "Horses
eat up their profits themselves." Jeppe was the farmer's name.
He farmed in the summer and carved wooden shoes in the winter.
He was a skillful carver; but he had a younger helper who was
even better than he was, and understood how to make clogs so
that they were strong; and yet not heavy and shapeless. They
also made other household wares which fetched a good price.
Although Jeppe and his family were not rich, no one in that
district would have called them poor. |
Nær ved Gudenaa, inde
i Silkeborg-Skov, løfter sig en Landryg, som en stor Vold, den
kaldes "Aasen" og under den mod Vest laae, ja der
ligger endnu, et lille Bondehuus med magre Jorder; Sandet skinner
igjennem den tynde Rug- og Byg-Ager. Det er nu en Deel Aar siden;
Folkene, som boede der, dreve deres lille Avling, havde dertil
tre Faar, eet Sviin og to Stude; kort sagt, de havde det ret
vel til Føden, naar man tager den, som man har den, ja de kunde
vel ogsaa have bragt det til at holde et Par Heste, men de sagde,
som de andre Bønder derovre: "Hesten æder sig selv!"
- den tærer for det Gode den gjør. Jeppe-Jæns drev sin lille
Jordlod om Sommeren, og var om Vinteren en flink Træskomand.
Han havde da ogsaa Medhjelp, en Karl, der forstod at skjære
Træskoe, der vare baade stærke, lette og med Facon; Skee og
Sløv skar de; det gav Skillinger, man kunde ikke kalde Jeppe-Jæns
for fattig Folk. |
| Little Ib was seven
years old. He was an only child, and he liked to sit by his
father and watch him carve. The boy, whittled sticks and sometimes
he cut his fingers. One day he did manage to carve two little
objects that looked like a pair of tiny wooden shoes. These
he wanted to give to Christina, the daughter of the bargeman,
who lived in a cottage on the heath. The little girl was very
beautiful, and so delicate that she did not look at all like
a bargeman's daughter. Had she had clothes to match the loveliness
that God had given her, then no one would have guessed that
she had been born in a poor cottage on the lonely heath. Her
father was a widower who made his living by transporting lumber
from the woods down to the locks at Silkeborg. Sometimes he
would even sail as far as Randers with his barge. As there was
no one at home to take care of little Christina--she was a year
younger than Ib--she was always with her father, except on his
journeys to Randers. Then her father would bring her to Jeppe's
house to stay. |
Lille Ib, den syvaars
Dreng, Husets eneste Barn sad og saae til, skar i en Pind, skar
sig ogsaa i Fingrene, men en Dag havde han snittet to Stykker
Træ, saa at de saae ud, som smaa Træskoe, de skulde, sagde han,
foræres til lille Christine, og det var Prammandens lille Datter,
og hun var saa fiin og saa yndelig, som et Herskabs Barn; havde
hun Klæder skaaret, som hun var født og baaret, saa vilde Ingen
troe at hun var fra Lyngtørvhuset paa Seishede. Derovre boede
hendes Fader, der var Enkemand og ernærede sig ved at pramme
Brænde fra Skoven ned til Silkeborg Aaleværk, ja tidt derfra
videre op til Randers Ingen havde han, der kunde tage vare paa
lille Christine, de var et Aar yngre end Ib og saa var hun næsten
altid hos ham, paa Prammen og mellem Lyngen og Tyltebærbuskene;
skulde han endelig heelt op til Randers, ja saa kom lille Christine
over til Jeppe-Jæns's. |
| Ib and little Christina
never fought, neither when they played nor at table. They would
play in the sand, pretend they were making a little garden,
or just tumble about. One day they ventured as far as the top
of the ridge beyond which was the forest. They found the nest
of a snipe with eggs in it; that had been a very exciting adventure.
|
Ib og lille Christine
kom godt ud af det ved Leg og ved Fad; de rodede og de gravede,
de krøb og de gik, og en Dag vovede de sig ene to næsten heelt
op paa Aasen og et Stykke ind i Skoven, engang fandt de der
Sneppeæg, det var en stor Begivenhed. |
| Ib had never been on
the heath, nor had he ever sailed with a barge down the river
and through the lakes. But one day Christina's father invited
him on a trip, and his parents gave their consent. The evening
before they were to set out, the bargeman came to fetch him,
and he spent the night in the little cottage on the heath. |
Ib havde endnu aldrig
været ovre paa Seishede, aldrig prammet igjennem Søerne ad Gudenaa,
men nu skulde han det: han var indbudt af Prammanden og Aftenen
forud fulgte han hjem med ham. |
| Early the next morning
the children were sitting on top of the woodpile, in the barge,
eating bread and raspberries. Christina's father and his helper
were poling the barge down the river; they were following the
current, so they sailed along at a good speed. One after another
they sailed through the lakes. Every time they entered one,
Ib was sure that the river had ended, for bulrushes, reeds,
and trees seemed to enclose the lake; but finally a narrow opening
would appear that they could sail through. Sometimes the trees
leaning out over the narrow river would almost hinder their
passing, but always the barge sailed on. Some of the oak trees
had naked branches that had lost all their bark and looked as
if they had rolled up their sleeves to show their withered old
arms. Many of the old alder trees had loosened themselves from
the banks and now stood like little islets in the river. White
and yellow water lilies floated amid their big green leaves.
It certainly was a lovely trip. At last they came to the locks
where eels were caught and shipped as far away as Copenhagen.
The water rushed over the lock and fell as a waterfall on the
other side; and that was something for Ib and little Christina
to look at. |
Paa de høit opstablede
Brændestykker i Prammen sad tidlig om Morgenen de to Børn og
spiste Brød og Hindbær. Prammanden og hans Medhjelper stagede
sig frem, det gik med Strømmen, i rask Fart ned ad Aaen, gjennem
Søerne, der syntes at lukke sig ved Skov og ved Siv, men altid
var der dog Gjennemfart, om endogsaa de gamle Træer heldede
sig heelt ud og Egetræerne strakte frem afskaldede Grene, ligesom
om de havde opsmøgede Ærmer og vilde vise deres knuddrede, nøgne
Arme; gamle Elletræer, som Strømmen havde løsnet fra Skrænten,
holdt sig med Rødderne fast ved Bunden, og saae ud ligesom smaa
Skovøer; Aakander vuggede paa Vandet; det var en deilig Fart!
- og saa kom man til Aaleværket, hvor Vandet brusede gjennem
Sluserne; det var Noget for Ib og Christine at see paa! |
| At that time no factory
or town had been built there yet; there was only the old farm
on which not many people lived. The water rushing over the lock
and the cry of the wild ducks were the only sounds to be heard.
The lumber was loaded onto a bigger barge; and Christina's father
bought a little newly slaughtered pig and some eels. Then they
were ready for the homeward journey. The pig and the eels were
put into a basket. Now they had the current against them, but
not the wind; so they hoisted a sail and that was as good as
having two horses pull the barge. |
Dengang var endnu hernede
hverken Fabrik eller By, her stod kun den gamle Avlsgaard og
Besætningen der var ikke stor, Vandets Fald gjennem Slusen og
Vildandens Skrig, det var den Gang den stadigste Livlighed.
- Da nu Brændet var prammet om, kjøbte Christines Fader sig
et stort Knippe Aal og en lille slagtet Griis, der Alt tilsammen
i en Kurv blev stillet agter ude paa Prammen. Nu gik det mod
Strømmen hjem, men Vinden var med og da de satte Seil til, var
det ligesaa godt, som om de havde to Heste for. |
| When they reached the
part of the forest where the bargeman's helper lived, they moored
the barge at the bank. Christina's father told the children
to stay on board and not to touch anything, while he accompanied
his young helper to his home. The bargeman said that he would
be back very soon. The children obeyed him at first, but not
for long. They had to peep into the basket that contained the
eels and the pig. They took the little pig out; and when they
both tried to hold it at once, it fell overboard; and the little
dead animal floated away with the current. It was a terrible
calamity! |
Da de med Prammen var
saa høit oppe under Skoven, at de laae ud for hvor Manden, der
hjalp med at pramme, havde kun et kort Stykke hjem, saa gik
han og Christines Fader i Land, men paalagde Børnene at forholde
sig rolige og forsigtige, men det gjorde de ikke længe, de maatte
see ned i Kurven hvor Aalene og Grisen gjemtes og Grisen maatte
de løfte paa og holde den, og da de begge vilde holde den saa
tabte de den og det lige ud i Vandet; der drev den paa Strømmen,
det var en forfærdelig Begivenhed. |
| Ib leaped to the shore
and soon Christina followed him. "Take me with you!" she cried.
They ran in among the trees; and within a few minutes the barge
and the river disappeared from their view. Christina fell and
began to cry, but Ib calmed her. |
Ib sprang i Land og
løb et lille Stykke, saa kom ogsaa Christine; "tag mig
med Dig!" raabte hun, og nu var de snart inde i Buskene,
de saae ikke længer Prammen eller Aaen; et lille Stykke endnu
løb de, saa faldt Christine og græd; Ib fik hende op. |
| "The house is right
over there. Come along," he said; but the house was not "right
over there," and soon the two children were lost. They walked
on and on; the dried leaves rustled and dead branches broke
with cracking sound as they stepped on them. Someone was shouting
far away. The children stopped to listen, but then they heard
the hoarse frightening cry of an eagle; and they ran. A little
while later they came upon a blueberry patch covered with the
most delicious large, ripe berries. They were so tempting that
they had to sit down and eat them. Their cheeks and lips were
stained deep blue. Again they heard someone shouting. |
"Kom med mig!" sagde
han. "Huset ligger derovre!" men det laae ikke derovre. De gik
og de gik, over vissent Løv og tørre nedfaldne Grene, der knagede
under deres smaa Fødder; nu hørte de en stærk Raaben - de stode
stille og lyttede; nu skreg en Ørn, det var et fælt Skrig, de
bleve ganske forskrækkede, men foran dem, inde i Skoven, voxte
de deiligste Blaabær, en utrolig Mængde; det var alt for indbydende
til ikke at blive og de blev og de spiste, og bleve ganske blaa
om Mund og Kinder. Nu hørtes igjen en Raaben. |
| "We will get spanked
because of the pig," observed little Christina. |
"Vi faae Bank for Grisen!"
sagde Christine. |
| "Let us go home to my
parents," said Ib, who was certain that Christina was right.
"It is not far from here." The children walked on and finally
they came to a road, but it did not lead home. It began to grow
dark, and they were very frightened. The terrible stillness
of the forest was broken by the terrifying hooting of owls and
the cries of other birds that they did not know. Christina cried
and Ib cried. They wept for an hour or more before they both
lay down under some bushes and fell asleep. |
"Lad os gaae hjem til
vort!" sagde Ib; "det er her i Skoven!" og de gik; de kom paa
en Kjørevei, men hjem førte den ikke, mørkt blev det og angest
vare de. Den forunderlige Stilhed rundt om afbrødes ved fæle
Skrig af den store Hornugle eller Lyd fra Fugle, de ikke kjendte;
endelig stod de begge To fast i en Busk, Christine græd og Ib
græd, og da de saa havde grædt en Stund lagde de sig i Løvet
og faldt isøvn. |
| The sun was already
high in the sky when they awoke, but they were very cold. They
could see the sun shining on top of a nearby hill. Up there
they would be able to get warm, and Ib hoped that he would be
able to see his home. But they were in another part of the forest,
far away from the little farm. When they climbed the hill they
found a little pool, and where the sun's rays fell on the water,
they could see the fishes swimming. Such a sight they had never
seen before. A few minutes later they found some hazelnut bushes
and their fears were forgotten. They cracked the nuts and ate
them. Although they were far from ripe, they already had little
kernels. Then something terribly frightening happened! A tall
woman stepped out from behind the bushes. Her face was brown
and her hair was black. She carried a bundle on her back and
a big strong cane in her hands; she was a gypsy. At first the
children could not understand what she said. She took three
nuts out of her apron pocket and told them that they were "wishing
nuts," and that each of them contained something marvelous. |
Solen var høit oppe
da de vaagnede, de frøs, men oppe paa Høiden tæt ved, skinnede
Solen ned mellem Træerne, der kunde de varme sig og derfra,
meente Ib, maatte de kunde see hans Forældres Huus; men de vare
langt fra det, i en ganske anden Deel af Skoven. De kravlede
heelt op paa Høiden og stod paa en Skrænt ved en klar, gjennemsigtig
Sø; Fiskene i den stode i Stiim belyste af Solstraalerne; det
var saa uventet hvad de saae og tætved var en stor Busk fuld
af Nødder, ja saagar syv Kløvser; og de plukkede og de knækkede
og fik de fine Kjærner, der havde begyndt at sætte sig, - og
saa kom der endnu en Overraskelse, en Forskrækkelse. Fra Busken
traadte frem en stor, gammel Kone, hvis Ansigt var saa bruunt
og Haaret saa glindsende og sort; det Hvide i hendes Øine skinnede
ligesom paa en Morian; hun havde en Bylt paa Nakken, og en Knortekjep
i Haanden; hun var en Taterske. Børnene forstode ikke strax
hvad hun sagde; og hun tog tre store Nødder op af Lommen, inde
i hver laae de deiligste Ting gjemte, fortalte hun, det var
Ønskenødder. |
| Ib looked at the woman
for a long time; her expression seemed kind. He asked her if
he could have her "wishing nuts," and she gave them to him.
Then she picked a whole pocketful of nuts from the bushes for
herself. |
Ib saae paa hende, hun
var saa venlig, og saa tog han sig sammen og spurgte, om han
maatte have de Nødder og Konen gav ham dem og plukkede sig en
heel Lomme fuld af dem paa Busken. |
| The two children stared
wide-eyed at the "wishing nuts." |
Og Ib og Christine saae
med store Øine paa de tre Ønskenødder. |
| "Is there a carriage
and horses in one of. them?" asked Ib. |
"Er der i den en Vogn
med Heste for?" spurgte Ib. |
| "In that one there is
a golden carriage with golden horses," answered the woman, and
pointed to one of the nuts in the boy's hand. |
"Der er en Guldkarreet
med Guldheste!" sagde Konen. |
| "Give it to me then,"
begged little Christina; and Ib gave it to her. |
"Saa giv mig den!" sagde
lille Christine, og Ib gav hende den og Konen knyttede Nødden
ind i hendes Halstørklæde. |
| "Is there a pretty little
necklace like the one Christina is wearing in this one?" demanded
Ib. |
"Er der inde i denne
saadant et lille kjønt Halsklæde, som det Christine der har?"
spurgte Ib. |
| "There are ten necklaces,"
said the woman, "and dresses, stockings, and hats." |
"Der er ti Halsklæder!"
sagde Konen, "der er fine Kjoler, Strømper og Hat!" |
| "Then I want that one
too," shouted little Christina, and Ib gave it to her. The third
nut was a little black one. |
"Saa vil jeg ogsaa have
den!" sagde Christine, og lille Ib gav hende ogsaa den anden
Nød; den tredie var en lille sort en. |
| "That one you can keep,"
said Christina. "It is a pretty one, too." |
"Den skal Du beholde!"
sagde Christine, "og den er ogsaa kjøn." |
| "And what is in that?"
asked Ib. |
"Og hvad er der i den?"
spurgte Ib. |
| "What is best for you,"
said the gypsy. |
"Det Allerbedste for
Dig!" sagde Taterkonen. |
| Ib kept the nut. The
gypsy woman said that she would show them the way home; but
she led them astray, sending them in the opposite direction
from the one they should have gone. But one cannot accuse her
of trying to steal the children, and she might have acted in
good faith. |
Og Ib holdt fast paa
Nødden. Konen lovede at føre dem paa rette Vei hjem, og de gik,
men rigtignok i en ganske modsat Retning, end de skulde gaae,
men derfor tør man ikke beskylde hende for, at hun vilde stjæle
Børn. |
| In the middle of the
forest they met Chris the forester. He knew Ib and he took the
children home. Both the bargeman and Ib's parents had been so
upset that the children were forgiven, though they deserved
a spanking, not only for having let the pig fall in the water
but also for running away. |
I den vildsomme Skov
mødte de Skovløberen Chræn, han kjendte Ib, og ved ham kom Ib
med lille Christine hjem, hvor man var i stor Angest for dem,
og Tilgivelse fik de, skjøndt de havde begge fortjent et godt
Livfuld Riis, først fordi de lod Grisen falde i Vandet og dernæst
at de vare løbne deres Vei. |
| That evening after Christina
and her father had returned to their home on the heath, Ib took
out the nut that contained what was "best for him." He placed
it between the door and its casing and cracked it by closing
the door. There was no kernel in it, just some black dirt; it
was worm-eaten. |
Christine kom hjem paa
Heden og Ib blev i det lille Skovhuus; det Første han der om
Aftenen gjorde, var at tage frem Nødden, der gjemte "det Allerbedste";
- han lagde den mellem Døren og Dørkarmen, klemte saa til, Nødden
knak, men ikke Kjærne skabt var der at see, den var fyldt ligesom
med Snuus eller Muld-Jord; der var gaaet Orm i den, som det
kaldes. |
| "I thought so!" Ib was
not surprised. "How could there be room in a little nut for
what was 'best'? Christina will get no carriage or dresses out
of her nuts either," Ib muttered. |
"Ja, det kunde jeg nok
tænke!" meente Ib, "hvor skulde der, inde i den lille Nød, være
Plads for det Allerbedste! Christine faaer hverken fine Klæder
eller Guldkarreet ud af sine to Nødder!" |
| Winter came; and the
years passed by. |
Og Vinteren kom og det
nye Aar kom. |
| Finally Ib was old enough
to be confirmed. Every Sunday that spring he walked the many
miles to the church to receive religious instruction. One day
the bargeman came by. He had news to tell: little Christina
was old enough to earn her own keep and he had found her a good
position in the family of a wealthy innkeeper near Herning.
She was to help in the house and they would see to it that she
was confirmed. |
Og der gik flere Aaringer.
Nu skulde Ib gaae til Præsten og han boede langveis borte. Paa
den Tid kom en Dag Prammanden og fortalte hos Ibs Forældre,
at lille Christine skulde nu ud at tjene for sit Brød, og at
det var en sand Lykke for hende, at hun kom i de Hænder, hun
kom, fik Tjeneste hos saadanne brave Folk; tænk, hun skulde
til de rige Krofolk i Herning Kanten, vesterpaa; der skulde
hun gaae Mo'er tilhaande og siden, naar hun skikkede sig og
der var confirmeret, vilde de beholde hende. |
| Ib and little Christina
said good-by to each other. "The little sweethearts," they were
called. Christina showed Ib the two little "wishing nuts" he
had given her, and which he had received from the gypsy that
day in the forest; and she told him that the little pair of
wooden shoes that he had cut for her were in the bottom of the
chest in which she had packed her clothes. Then they parted. |
Og Ib og Christine toge
Afsked fra hinanden: Kjærestefolkene bleve de kaldte; og hun
viste ham ved Afskeden, at hun endnu havde de to Nødder, som
hun fik af ham da de løb vild i Skoven, og hun sagde, at hun
i sin Klædekiste gjemte de smaa Træskoe, han som Dreng havde
skaaret og foræret hende. Og saa skiltes de. |
| Ib was confirmed but
continued living at home, for his father had died and he had
to help his mother. He had become as good a carver of wooden
shoes as his father had been; and in the summer he took good
care of their little farm. |
Ib blev confirmeret,
men i sin Moders Huus blev han, for han var en flink Træskoesnider
og han passede godt om Sommeren den lille Avling, hans Moder
havde kun ham dertil, Ibs Fader var død. |
| Not often did they hear
from Christina, but the news that they did get was always good.
She wrote to her father about her confirmation and the letter
was filled with descriptions of the new clothes she had received
from her mistress. |
Kun sjeldent, og det
var da ved en Postkarl eller en Aalebonde, hørte man om Christine:
det gik hende godt hos de rige Krofolk og da hun var blevet
confirmeret, skrev hun til Faderen Brev med Hilsen til Ib og
hans Moder; i Brevet stod om sex nye Særke og en deilig Klædning,
Christine havde faaet af Husbond og Madmo'er. Det var rigtignok
gode Tidender. |
| The next spring, on
a particularly beautiful day, someone knocked on the door of
the little farm. It was the bargeman and Christina; she had
been offered a ride in a carriage as far as Tem and back. This
had been an opportunity to come home for a visit. Beautiful
she was and her clothes were as elegant as any lady's. Ib, who
was wearing his work clothes, could hardly utter a word. He
took her hand and held it tightly, but his tongue was all tied
up in knots. Christina's wasn't: she talked and talked, there
was so much to tell, and she kissed Ib boldly on the mouth.
|
Foraaret derefter, en
smuk Dag, bankede det paa Ibs og hans Moders Dør, det var Prammanden
med Christine; hun var kommet i Besøg paa en Dagstid; der var
just en Leilighed til Them og igjen tilbage, og den benyttede
hun. Smuk var hun, som en fiin Frøken, og gode Klæder havde
hun, de vare syede vel og de passede til hende. I fuld Stads
stod hun og Ib var i de daglige, gamle Klæder. Han kunde slet
ikke komme til Mæle; vel tog han hendes Haand, holdt den saa
fast, var saa inderlig glad, men Munden kunde han ikke faae
paa Gang, det kunde lille Christine, hun talte, hun vidste at
fortælle og hun kyssede Ib lige paa Munden: |
| "Don't you know me any
more?" she asked. All he could manage to reply, even though
they were alone together, was: "You have become a fine lady
and I am so ... so coarse! But oh, Christina, how I have thought
about you and of the time when we were children together!" |
"Kjender Du mig ikke
nok!" sagde hun; men selv da de vare ene To og han endnu stod
og holdt hende i Haanden, var Alt hvad han kunde sige, alene
det: "Du er blevet ligesom en fiin Dame! og jeg seer saa pjusket
ud! hvor jeg har tænkt paa Dig, Christine! og paa gamle Tider!"
|
| Arm in arm, they walked
up to the top of the ridge; from there they could see the river
and as far as the heath, where Christina's father lived. Ib
did not say a word; but as they were returning--and Ib was to
go to his home and Christina to her father's--Ib realized how
very much he wanted Christina to be his wife. Hadn't they been
called "sweethearts" since they were little children? Now he
knew that he had always expected that one day they would marry;
and he felt as though they were engaged though neither of them
had ever spoken a word about it. |
Og de gik Arm i Arm
op paa Aasen og saae over Guden-Aa til Seishede med de store
Lyngbanker, men Ib sagde ikke Noget, dog da de skiltes ad, var
det klart for ham, at Christine maatte blive hans Kone, de vare
jo fra Smaa kaldt Kjærestefolk, de vare, syntes han, et forlovet
Par, uagtet ingen af dem selv havde sagt det. |
| Christina could only
stay a few hours because she had to be in Tem early the following
morning, when the carriage departed that would take her back
to the inn at Herning. Ib and the bargeman accompanied her to
Tem. It was a lovely night; the moon was full. All the way,
Ib held Christina's hand, and when they finally arrived at their
destination he did not want to let go of it. He had great difficulty
saying what anyone could have read in his eyes. He spoke only
a few words but every one of them came from his heart. "If you
have not become used to finer things than I can give you, and
if you will be satisfied with living in my mother's house with
me as your husband, then I think the two of us should become
man and wife. . . . But I will not hurry you." |
Kun nogle Timer endnu
kunde de være sammen, for hun skulde igjen til Them, hvorfra
tidlig næste Morgen Vognen kjørte tilbage vesterpaa. Faderen
og Ib fulgte med til Them, det var klart Maaneskin, og da de
kom der og Ib endnu holdt Christines Haand, kunde han ikke slippe
den, hans Øine de vare saa klare, men Ordene faldt kun smaat,
men det var Hjerte-Ord hvert eneste et: "er Du ikke blevet for
fiint vant," sagde han, "og kan Du finde Dig i at leve i vor
Mo'ers Huus med mig, som Ægtemand, saa blive vi To engang Mand
og Kone! - - men vi kan jo vente lidt!" |
| "Yes, let us wait a
little while, Ib," replied Christina, and pressed his hand;
then he kissed her on the mouth. "I trust you, Ib," she said.
"And I think that I love you! But I would like to have time
to think about it." |
"Ja, lad os see Tiden
an, Ib!" sagde hun; og saa trykkede hun hans Haand og han kyssede
hende paa hendes Mund. "Jeg stoler paa Dig, Ib!" sagde Christine,
"og jeg troer, at jeg holder af Dig! men lad mig sove paa det!"
|
| They parted and Ib told
the bargeman that he and Christina were as good as engaged.
Christina's father was pleased and not surprised. Although he
spent the night at Ib's home, they did not talk any more about
it. |
Og saa skiltes de ad.
Og Ib sagde til Prammanden, at han og Christine vare nu saa
godt som forlovede, og Prammanden fandt, at det var, som han
altid havde tænkt om det; og han fulgte hjem med Ib og sov der
i Seng med ham, og der taltes saa ikke mere om Forlovelsen.
|
| A year went by. Two
letters had passed between Ib and Christina, and both of them
had been signed: "Yours unto death." Then one day the bargeman
arrived; he had greetings from Christina. That was easy enough
to say. What followed was more difficult and he took his time
saying it. Everything went well for Christina; more than well,
but then she was a good girl. The innkeeper's son had been home
on a visit, he had a good job in an office in Copenhagen. He
had taken a liking to Christina and she to him. His parents
were not against them marrying, but Christina felt that she
had given lb her word; and therefore she was going to say no.
"Even though such a marriage would be fortunate for a poor girl
like herself," concluded the bargeman. |
Et Aar var gaaet; to
Breve vare vexlede mellem Ib og Christine; "trofast til Døden!"
stod der ved Underskriften. En Dag traadte Prammanden ind til
Ib, han havde Hilsen til ham fra Christine; hvad mere han havde
at sige, gik det lidt langsomt med, men det var det, at det
gik Christine vel, mere end vel, hun var jo en kjøn Pige, agtet
og afholdt. Kromandens Søn havde været hjemme paa Besøg; han
var ansat ved noget Stort i Kjøbenhavn, ved et Contoir: han
syntes godt om Christine, hun fandt ham ogsaa efter sit Sind,
hans Forældre vare nok ikke uvillige, men nu laae det dog Christine
paa Hjertet, at nok Ib tænkte saa meget paa hende, og saa havde
hun betænkt at skyde Lykken fra sig, sagde Prammanden. |
| At first, Ib did not
say a word, but his face turned as white as a newly washed sheet.
He shook his head and then mumbled, "I would not wish Christina
to say no to good fortune for my sake." |
Ib sagde i Førstningen
ikke et Ord, men han blev ligesaa hvid, som et Klæde, rystede
lidt med Hovedet og saa sagde han: "Christine maa ikke skyde
sin Lykke fra sig!" |
| "Write her a few words
about it," urged the bargeman. |
"Skriv hende det Par
Ord til!" sagde Prammanden. |
| Ib wrote, but every
time he had written a sentence he crossed it out again. All
the words seemed wrong to him. Many pages he tore up, but by
morning the letter to little Christina was finished. Here it
is: |
Og Ib skrev ogsaa, men
han kunde ikke ret sætte Ordene sammen, som han vilde, og han
slog Streg over og han rev itu, - men om Morgenen var der et
Brev istand til lille Christine, og her er det! |
|
"I have read the letter that you wrote to your father. In
it you say that everything goes well for you and that you
have an opportunity for bettering yourself. Ask your own heart,
Christina! If you want to marry me, then remember that I am
poor. Do not consider me or my feelings, but only yourself.
You are not bound to me; should you feel that you have given
me your "promise," then I release you from it. May all the
happiness in the world be yours, Christina. God may console
my heart.
Ever your devoted friend, Ib"
|
- "Det Brev, Du har skrevet til din Fader, har jeg læst og
seer, at det gaaer Dig vel i alle Maader og at Du kan faae
det endnu bedre! Spørg dit Hjerte ad, Christine! og tænk vel
over hvad Du gaaer ind til, om Du tager mig; det er kun ringe
hvad jeg har. Tænk ikke paa mig og hvordan jeg har det, men
tænk paa dit eget Gavn! Mig er Du ikke bundet til ved Løfte,
og har Du i dit Hjerte givet mig et, saa løser jeg Dig fra
det. Alverdens Glæde være over Dig, lille Christine! vor Herre
har vel Trøst for mit Hjerte!
Altid din inderlige Ven, Ib."
|
| The letter was sent
and Christina received it. |
Og Brevet blev afsendt
og Christine fik det. |
| A few months later,
the banns were read in the little church on the heath and in
the big church in Copenhagen. The bridegroom was too busy with
his affairs to be able to travel to Jutland. Christina journeyed
with her future mother-in-law to the capital, where the young
people were to live. Christina had arranged to meet her father
in the little village of Funder, which was on the main highway
to the south; there they said good-by to each other. Every once
in a while someone would speak about Christina when Ib was present;
but Ib himself never mentioned her. He had become so silent,
so pensive. He often thought about the nuts that the gypsy woman
had given them. Now Christina had got her carriage and all the
dresses she could wish for, over across the water in the king's
city, Copenhagen. The "wishing nuts" had proven themselves.
His nut had been filled with black earth, and the gypsy had
said that that was best for him. Now he understood what she
had meant: the dark grave was best for him. |
Ved Mortensdagstider
blev der lyst fra Prædikestolen for hende, i Kirken paa Heden
og ovre i Kjøbenhavn, hvor Brudgommen var, og derover reiste
hun med sin Madmo'er, da Brudgommen, for sine mange Forretningers
Skyld, ikke kunde komme saalangt over i Jylland. Christine havde,
efter Aftale, truffet sammen med sin Fader i Landsbyen Funder,
som Veien gaaer igjennem og som var ham det nærmeste Mødested;
der tog de To Afsked. Derom kom til at falde et Par Ord, men
Ib sagde ikke Noget; han var blevet saa eftertænksom, sagde
hans gamle Mo'er; ja eftertænksom var han, og derfor randt ham
i Tanke de tre Nødder, han som Barn fik af Taterkonen og gav
Christine de to af, det var Ønskenødder, i hendes den ene laae
jo en Guldkarreet med Heste, i den anden de deiligste Klæder;
det slog til! al den Herlighed fik hun nu ovre i Kongens Kjøbenhavn!
for hende gik det i Opfyldelse -! for Ib var der i Nødden kun
den sorte Muld. "Det Allerbedste" for ham, havde Taterkonen
sagt, - jo, ogsaa det gik i Opfyldelse! den sorte Muld var ham
det Bedste. Nu forstod han tydeligt hvad Konen havde meent:
I den sorte Jord, i Gravens Gjemme, der var det ham det Allerbedste!
|
| Years went by; not many,
but to Ib they seemed long. The old innkeeper and his wife died
and their son inherited their wealth: several thousand silver
crowns. Now certainly Christina could have her golden carriage
and even more dresses than she ever could wear. |
Og der gik Aaringer,
- ikke mange, men lange, syntes Ib; de gamle Krofolk døde bort,
den ene kort efter den anden; al Velstanden, mange tusinde Rigsdaler
gik til Sønnen. Ja, nu kunde Christine faae Guldkarreet og fine
Klæder nok. |
| Then two years passed
during which not even the bargeman received any letters from
Christina. Finally one came; it was not a happy one. Poor Christina,
neither she nor her husband had been able to handle the sudden
richness; it had not been a blessing, for they had not earned
it themselves. |
I to lange Aar, som
fulgte, kom ikke Brev fra Christine, og da saa Faderen fik et,
var det slet ikke skrevet i Velstand og Fornøielse. Stakkels
Christine! hverken hun eller hendes Mand havde vidst at holde
Maade paa Rigdommen, den gik, som den kom, der var ingen Velsignelse
ved den, for de vilde det ikke selv. |
| The heather bloomed
and withered; and many a snowstorm swept across the heath and
up over the ridge that protected Ib's little farmhouse. Spring
came and Ib was plowing his meager fields. Suddenly he felt
the plow shake as if it had hit a stone. Something black, shaped
like a wood shaving, stuck up from the earth. Ib picked it up;
it-was metal and, where the plowshare had cut into it, it shone.
It was a heavy arm ring of gold from heathen times. The Viking
grave had long ago been leveled. Now its treasure had been found.
Ib showed it to the minister, who admired it and told him to
take it to the district commissioner. The official sent a report
to Copenhagen and advised Ib to deliver the golden arm ring
to the museum himself. |
Og Lyngen stod i Blomster
og Lyngen tørrede hen; Sneen havde mange Vintre fyget over Seis
Hede, over Aasen hvor Ib boede i Læ; Foraarssolen skinnede og
Ib satte Ploven i Jorden, da skar den, som han troede, hen af
en Flintesteen, der kom ligesom en stor sort Høvlspaan op over
Jorden, og da Ib tog paa den, mærkede han, at det var et Metal,
og hvor Ploven havde skaaret ind i det, skinnede det blankt.
Det var en tung, stor Arm-Ring af Guld fra Hedenold; Kjæmpegraven
var blevet jævnet her, dens kostelige Smykke fundet. Ib viste
det til Præsten, der sagde ham hvad herligt det var og derfra
gik Ib med det til Herredsfogden, der gav Indberetning derom
til Kjøbenhavn og raadede Ib selv at overbringe det kostelige
Fund. |
| "You have found in the
earth the finest treasure, the best that could be found," he
said. |
"Du har fundet i Jorden
det Bedste, Du kunde finde!" sagde Herredsfogeden. |
| "The best!" thought
Ib. "The best for me, and found in the earth. The gypsy woman
was right, my wishing nut, too, has proven true." |
"Det Bedste!" tænkte
Ib. "Det Allerbedste for mig - og i Jorden! saa havde Taterqvinden
dog ogsaa Ret med mig, naar det var det Bedste!" |
| Ib sailed from Aarhus
to the capital; and since he had never sailed before except
with the bargeman up and down the river Gudenaa, it felt like
an ocean journey. |
Og Ib gik med Smakken
fra Aarhuus til Kongens Kjøbenhavn; det var som en Reise over
Verdenshavet, for ham, som kun havde sat over Gudenaa. Og Ib
kom til Kjøbenhavn. |
| In Copenhagen he received
the gold value of the arm ring: six hundred silver crowns! Now
Ib--who knew so well the forest and the heath--took a walk along
the endless streets, lined with stone buildings, of the city.
|
Værdien af det fundne
Guld blev udbetalt ham, det var en stor Sum: sex hundrede Rigsdaler.
Der gik i det store, vildsomme Kjøbenhavn Ib fra Skoven ved
Seishede. |
| The evening before he
was to sail back, he lost his way, when he was out walking,
and ended in one of the poorest quarters of the city, called
Christian's Harbor. It was late and the street was deserted.
He noticed a little child coming out of one of the most dilapidated
of the houses, and he asked her for directions. The little girl
looked up at him; she was crying, and said nothing. He asked
her what was the matter; and she answered, but he could not
understand her. They were standing under a street lamp. Ib looked
down at the child; the light was shining in her face. How strange!
He saw with wonder that she looked exactly as Christina had,
when she was a child. |
Det var netop Aftenen
før han vilde med Skipperen tilbage til Aarhuus, da han forvildede
sig i Gaderne, kom i en ganske anden Retning, end den han vilde,
og var, over Knippelsbro, kommet til Christianshavn istedetfor
ned mod Volden ved Vesterport! Han styrede ganske rigtigt vesterpaa,
men ikke hvor han skulde. Der var ikke et Menneske at see paa
Gaden. Da kom der en lille bitte Pige ud fra et fattigt Huus;
Ib talte til hende om Veien, han søgte; hun studsede, saae op
paa ham og var i heftig Graad. Nu var hans Spørgsmaal, hvad
hun feilede, hun sagde Noget, som han ikke forstod og idet de
begge vare lige under en Lygte, og Lyset fra den skinnede hende
lige ind i Ansigtet, blev han ganske underlig, for det var livagtig
lille Christine han saae, ganske, som han huskede hende fra
de begge vare Børn. |
| He followed the little
girl into a miserable house and up the worn, rickety stairs
to the garret. They entered a little room right under the roof.
The air was foul and it was dark. Ib struck a match. Over in
a corner stood a bed; in it lay a woman: the little girl's mother. |
Og han gik med den lille
Pige ind i det fattige Huus, opad den smalle, slidte Trappe,
høit op til et lille, skraat Kammer under Taget. Der var en
tung, qvalm Luft derinde, intet Lys tændt; henne i Krogen sukkede
det og drog Veiret trangt. Ib tændte en Svovlstikke. Det var
Barnets Moder, som laae paa den fattige Seng. |
| "Can I help you?" asked
Ib. "This little girl found me down in the street but I am a
stranger to the city, myself. Can I call the neighbors?" He
stepped closer to the bed and looked down at the woman: |
"Er der Noget, jeg kan
hjelpe Eder med!" sagde Ib. "Den Lille fik mig fat, men jeg
er fremmed selv her i Staden. Er her ingen Naboer eller Nogen,
jeg kan kalde paa!" - Og han løftede hendes Hoved. |
| it was Christina! |
Det var Christine fra
Seishede. |
| At home, he had not
heard her name mentioned in years, because everyone knew that
Ib did not like to be reminded of her. Besides, all the rumors
had been unpleasant. It was said that the inherited money had
made her husband lose his common sense. He had given up his
good position and they had traveled in foreign countries. When
they returned, they had lived high and got into debt, rather
than curtail the luxuriousness of their way of life. It was
the old story of the cart going down the hill so fast that it
finally overturned. The many merry friends who had dined at
their table when wealth decked it now felt no pity. They said
he deserved his fate, he had acted like a madman. One morning
the body of Christina's husband had been found in a canal near
the harbor. |
I Aaringer var derhjemme
i Jylland hendes Navn ikke blevet nævnet, det vilde have rørt
op i Ibs stille Tankegang, og det var jo ikke heller godt, hvad
Rygtet og Sandheden meldte, at de mange Penge, hendes Mand fik
i Arv fra hans Forældre, havde gjort ham overmodig og vildsom;
sin faste Stilling havde han opgivet, reist et halvt Aar i fremmede
Lande, kommet tilbage og gjort Gjæld og dog flankeret; meer
og meer heldede Vognen og tilsidst væltede den. De mange lystige
Venner fra hans Bord sagde om ham, at han fortjente det, som
det gik ham, han havde jo levet, som en gal Mand! - Hans Liig
var en Morgen funden i Canalen i Slotshaven. |
| Christina had been pregnant
then; her child conceived in wealth was born in poverty. The
baby had only lived a few weeks. Now Christina lay ill to death
in a garret room more naked and bare than the one she had known
as a child on the heath. And now, when she had known luxury,
she could not bear her poverty, her wretchedness. The little
girl, who had brought Ib to her, was her daughter, her older
and only living child. Her name, too, was Christina. |
Christine gik med Døden
i sig; hendes yngste lille Barn, kun nogle Uger gammelt, baaret
i Velstand, født i Elendighed, var alt i Graven og nu var det
saa vidt med Christine, at hun laae dødssyg, forladt, paa et
usselt Kammer, usselt, som hun kunde have taalt det i sine unge
Aar paa Seishede, men nu bedre vant, ret følte Elendigheden
af. Det var hendes ældste, lille Barn, ogsaa en lille Christine,
der led Nød og Sult med hende, og som havde faaet Ib derop. |
| "I am afraid that I
am dying," she mumbled. "What will happen to my child? Where
in the world can she find a home?" |
"Jeg er bange, jeg døer
fra det stakkels Barn!" fremsukkede hun, "hvor i Verden skal
hun saa hen!" - mere kunde hun ikke sige. |
| Ib lit another match
and found a stump of candle; its little flame lighted up the
dismal chamber. |
Og Ib fik igjen en Svovlstikke
tændt og fandt en Stump Lys, den brændte og lyste i det usle
Kammer. |
| Ib looked at the little
girl and was again reminded of Christina as she had looked as
a child. For her sake he would take the little girl, bring her
up, and be kind to her. The dying woman looked up at him; the
pupils of her eyes grew larger and larger. Did she recognize
him? Ib never knew, for she never spoke again. |
Og Ib saae paa den lille
Pige og tænkte paa Christine i unge Dage; for Christines Skyld
kunde han være god mod dette Barn, som han ikke kjendte. Den
Døende saae paa ham, hendes Øine bleve større og større -! Kjendte
hun ham? Ikke vidste han det, ikke et Ord hørte han hende sige.
|
| We are back in the forest
near the River of the Gods as it is called, not far from the
heath. It is fall, the western storms have started. The wind
is blowing the leaves off the trees. In the bargeman's hut strangers
are living. Inside the little farmhouse, so snugly protected
from the wind by the ridge, the stove is burning. It is as warm
and comfortable as if it were summer; sunshine is here, the
kind that shines from a child's eyes. Though it is October,
the lark still sings in the little girl's laughter. Here lives
gaiety and winter is far away. Little Christina is sitting on
Ib's knee; he is both father and mother to her. Her real parents
have disappeared, as dreams do to a grownup. The little farmhouse
is cozy and neat. The girl's mother sleeps in the churchyard
for the poor in Copenhagen. |
Og det var i Skoven
ved Gudenaa, nær Seishede; Luften var graa, Lyngen stod uden
Blomster, Vestens Storme dreve det gule Løv fra Skoven ud i
Aaen og hen over Heden hvor Græstørvhuset stod, hvor fremmede
Folk boede; men under Aasen, godt i Læ bag høie Træer stod det
lille Huus, hvidtet og malet; inde i Stuen brændte i Kakkelovnen
Klynetørvene, inde i Stuen var Solskin, der straalede fra to
Barne-Øine, Foraarets Lærkeslag lød i Talen fra dets røde, leende
Mund; der var Liv og Lystighed, lille Christine var der; hun
sad paa Ibs Knæ; Ib var hende Fader og Moder, de vare borte,
som Drømmen er det for Barnet og den Voxne. Ib sad i det nette,
pyntelige Huus, en velhavende Mand; den lille Piges Moder laae
paa de Fattiges Kirkegaard ved Kongens Kjøbenhavn. |
| They say that Ib has
a tidy sum put away, gold from the earth; he is rich and he
has his little Christina. |
Ib havde Penge paa Kistebunden,
sagde de, Guld fra Muld, og han havde jo ogsaa lille Christine.
|
|