The Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

The Shadow - Skyggen.

1847

On the shores of the Mediterranean the sun really knows how to shine. It is so powerful that it tans the people a mahogany brown; and the young scholar who came from the north, where all the people are as white as bakers' apprentices, soon learned to regard his old friend with suspicion. In the south one stays inside during most of the day with the doors and shutters closed. The houses look as if everyone was asleep or no one was at home. The young foreigner felt as if he were in prison, and his shadow rolled itself up until it was smaller than it had ever been before. But as soon as the sun set and a candle lighted the room, out came the shadow again. I de hede Lande, der kan rigtignok Solen brænde! Folk blive ganske mahognibrune; ja i de allerhedeste Lande brændes de til Negre, men det var nu kun til de hede Lande, en lærd Mand var kommen fra de kolde; der troede han nu at han kunde l'be om, ligesom der hjemme, jo det blev han snart vant fra. Han og alle fornuftige Folk maatte blive inde, Vindues-Skodder og Døre bleve lukkede den hele Dag; det saae ud som hele Huset sov eller der var ingen hjemme. Den smalle Gade med de høie Huse, hvor han boede, var nu ogsaa bygget saaledes at Solskinnet fra Morgen til Aften maatte ligge der, det var virkeligt ikke til at holde ud! - Den lærde Mand fra de kolde Lande, det var en ung Mand, en klog Mand, han syntes, han sad i en gloende Ovn; det tog paa ham, han blev ganske mager, selv hans Skygge krøb ind, den blev meget mindre end hjemme, Solen tog ogsaa paa den. - De levede først op om Aftenen, naar Solen var nede.
It was truly a pleasure to watch it grow; up the wall it would stretch itself until its head almost reached the ceiling. "The stars seem so much brighter here," thought the scholar, and he walked out onto his balcony where he stretched himself just as his shadow had done. And on all the balconies throughout the city people came out to enjoy the cool evening. Had the town appeared dead and deserted at noon, certainly now it was alive! People were flocking into the streets. The tailors and the shoemakers moved their workbenches outside; the women came with their straight-backed chairs to sit and gossip. Donkeys heavily laden with wares tripped along like little maids. Children were everywhere. They laughed, played, and sometimes cried as children will do, for children can run so fast that they are not certain whether it is a tragedy or a comedy they are enacting. And the lights! Thousands of lamps burned like so many falling stars. A funeral procession, led by little choir boys in black and white, passed with mournful but not sad-looking people following the black-draped horse and wagon. The church bells were ringing. "This is life!" thought the young foreigner, and he tried to take it all in. Only the house directly across from his own was as quiet now as it had been at midday. The street was very narrow and the opposite balcony was only a few yards away. Often he stood and stared at it, but no one ever came out. Yet there were flowers there and they seemed to be flourishing, which meant that they were cared for or else the sun would long since have withered them. "Yes," he concluded, "they must be watered by someone." Besides, the shutters were opened, and while he never saw any light, he sometimes heard music. The scholar thought this music "exquisite," but that may be only because all young northerners think everything "exquisite" the first time they are in the south. He asked his landlord if he knew who lived across the street, but the old man replied that he did not and, in fact, had never seen anyone enter or leave. As for the music, he could hardly express how terrible he thought it. "It's as if someone were practicing," he said. "The same piece, over and over and over again! And it's never played all the way through! It's unbearable!" Det var ordentlig en Fornøielse at see paa; saasnart Lyset blev bragt ind i Stuen, strakte Skyggen sig heelt op ad Væggen, ja saa gar hen ad Loftet, saa lang gjorde den sig, den maatte strække sig for at komme til Kræfter. Den Lærde gik ud paa Altanen, for at strække sig der, og altsom Stjernerne kom frem i den deilige klare Luft, var det for ham, som kom han tillive igjen. Paa alle Altaner i Gaden, og i de varme Lande har hvert Vindue en Altan, kom Folk frem, for Luft maa man have, selv om man er vant til at være mahogni! Der blev saa levende oppe og nede. Skomagere og Skræddere, alle Folk fløttede ud paa Gaden, der kom Bord og Stol, og Lyset brændte, ja over tusind Lys brændte, og den ene talte og den anden sang, og Folk spadserede, Vognene kjørte, Æslerne gik: klingelingeling! de har Klokker paa; der blev Liig begravede med Psalmesang, Gadedrengene skjød med Troldkjællinger, og Kirkeklokkerne ringede, jo der var rigtig nok levende nede i Gaden. Kun i det ene Huus, som laa ligeoverfor hvor den fremmede lærde Mand boede, var der ganske stille; og dog boede der Nogen, for der stod paa Altanen Blomster, de groede saa deiligt i den Solhede, og det kunde de ikke, uden at de bleve vandede, og Nogen maatte jo vande dem; Folk maatte der være. Døren derovre kom ogsaa halv op ud paa Aftenen, men der var mørkt derinde, i det mindste i det forreste Værelse, dybere inde fra lød Musik. Den fremmede lærde Mand syntes, den var ganske mageløs, men det kunde nu ogsaa gjerne være at han kun bildte sig det ind, for han fandt Alting mageløst derude i de varme Lande, naar der kun ingen Sol havde været. Den Fremmedes Vert sagde at han ikke vidste, hvem der havde leiet Gjenboens Huus, man saae jo ingen Folk og hvad Musiken angik, syntes han, at den var gruelig kjedelig. "Det er ligesom om En sad og øvede sig paa et Stykke, han ikke kan komme ud af, altid det samme Stykke. 'Jeg faaer det dog ud!' siger han nok, men han faaer det dog ikke ud hvor længe han spiller."
One night the young foreigner, who slept with his balcony door open, awakened with a start. A breeze had lifted his drapes so that he caught a glimpse of the opposite balcony. The flowers were ablaze with the most beautiful colors and in their midst stood a lovely maiden. For an instant the scholar closed his eyes to make sure that he had had them open. In a single leap he was standing in front of the drapes. Cautiously, he parted them; but the girl had vanished, the light had disappeared, and the flowers looked as they always did. The door, however, had been left open, and from far inside he could hear music; its gentle strains seemed to cast a spell over him, for never before had he taken such delight in his own thoughts. How does one get into that apartment? he wondered; and he perused the street below. There was no private entrance whatever, only a group of small shops; surely one could not enter a home through a store. En Nat vaagnede den Fremmede, han sov for aaben Altandør, Gardinet foran den løftede sig i Vinden, og han syntes at der kom en forunderlig Glands fra Gjenboens Altan, alle Blomsterne skinnede som Flammer, i de deiligste Farver, og midt imellem Blomsterne stod en slank, yndig Jomfru, det var som om ogsaa hun lyste; det skar ham virkeligt i Øinene, han lukkede dem nu ogsaa saa forfærdelig meget op og kom lige af Søvnen; i et Spring var han paa Gulvet, ganske sagte kom han bag Gardinet, men Jomfruen var borte, Glandsen var borte; Blomsterne skinnede slet ikke, men stode meget godt, som altid; Døren var paa klem, og dybt inde klang Musiken saa blød og deilig, man kunde ordentlig falde hen i søde Tanker derved. Det var dog ligesom en Trolddom og hvem boede der? Hvor var den egentlige Indgang? Hele Stue-Etagen var Boutik ved Boutik, og der kunde Folk jo dog ikke altid løbe igjennem.
The next evening the scholar was sitting as usual on his balcony. From his room the lamp burned brightly, and since his shadow was very shy of light, it had stretched itself until it reached the opposite balcony. When the young man moved, his shadow moved. En Aften sad den Fremmede ude paa sin Altan, inde i Stuen bag ved ham brændte Lyset, og saa var det jo ganske naturligt at Skyggen af ham gik over paa Gjenboens Væg; ja der sad den lige over for mellem Blomsterne paa Altanen; og naar den Fremmede rørte sig, saa rørte Skyggen sig ogsaa, for det gjør den.
"I believe my shadow is the only living thing over there," he muttered. "See how it has sat down among the flowers. The balcony door is ajar. Now if my shadow were clever, it would go inside and take a look around; then it would come back and tell me what it had seen. Yes, you ought to earn your keep," he said jokingly. "Now go inside. Did you hear me? Go!" And he nodded to his shadow and his shadow nodded back at him. "Yes, go! But remember to come back again." There the scholar's conversation with his shadow ended. The young man rose, and the shadow on the opposite balcony rose; the young man turned around and the shadow also turned around; but then there happened something that no one saw. The shadow went through the half-open door of the other balcony, while the scholar went into his own room and closed the drapes behind him. "Jeg troer min Skygge er det eneste Levende, man seer derovre!" sagde den lærde Mand. "See hvor net den sidder mellem Blomsterne, Døren staaer paa klem, nu skulde Skyggen være saa snild og gaae indenfor, see sig om, og saa komme og fortælle mig hvad den havde seet! ja Du skulde gjøre Gavn!" sagde han i Spøg! "Vær saa god at træde indenfor! naa! gaaer Du?" og saa nikkede han til Skyggen og Skyggen nikkede igjen. "Ja saa gaa, men bliv ikke borte!" og den Fremmede reiste sig og hans Skygge ovre paa Gjenboens Altan reiste sig ogsaa; og den Fremmede dreiede sig og Skyggen dreiede sig ogsaa; ja dersom Nogen ordentligt havde lagt Mærke dertil, da havde de tydeligt kunnet see, at Skyggen gik ind af den halvaabne Altandør hos Gjenboen, lige i det den Fremmede gik ind i sin Stue og lod det lange Gardin falde ned efter sig.
The next morning on his way to the cafe where he had his breakfast and read the newspapers, the scholar discovered that he had no shadow. "So it really went away last night!" he marveled. Næste Morgen gik den lærde Mand ud for at drikke Kaffe og læse Aviser. "Hvad er det?" sagde han, da han kom ud i Solskinnet, "jeg har jo ingen Skygge! saa er den virkelig gaaet i Aftes og ikke kommet igjen; det er noget kjedeligt Noget!"
More than anything else, the young man was embarrassed; people were certain to notice, and might demand that he explain or, worse than that, might make up explanations of their own. He returned at once to his room and there he remained for the rest of the day. Og det ærgrede ham, men ikke saa meget fordi at Skyggen var borte, men fordi han vidste, at der var en Historie til om en Mand uden Skygge, den kjendte jo alle Folk hjemme i de kolde Lande, og kom nu den lærde Mand der og fortalte sin, saa vilde de sige, at han gik og lignede efter, og det behøvede han ikke. Han vilde derfor slet ikke tale derom, og det var fornuftigt tænkt.
That evening he walked out onto his balcony for a bit of fresh air. The light streamed from behind him as it had on the evening before. He sat down, stood up, stretched himself; still there was no shadow, and though it was doubtful that anyone could see him, he hurried inside again almost immediately. Om Aftenen gik han ud paa sin Altan igjen, Lyset havde han meget rigtig sat bag ved sig, for han vidste at Skyggen vil altid have sin Herre til Skjærm, men han kunde ikke lokke den; han gjorde sig lille, han gjorde sig stor, men der var ingen Skygge, der kom ingen! Han sagde: hm! hm! men det hjalp ikke.
But in the warm countries everything grows much faster than it does in the north, and less than a week had passed before a shadow began to sprout from the scholar's feet. "The old one must have left its roots behind, what a pleasant surprise!" he thought happily. Within a month he walked the streets unconcerned; his shadow, though a little small, was quite respectable. During the long trip, for the scholar was going home, it continued to grow until even a very big man, which the scholar was not, would not have complained about its size. Ærgerligt var det, men i de varme Lande der voxer nu Alting saa gesvindt, og efter otte Dages Forløb mærkede han, til sin store Fornøielse, at der voxede ham en ny Skygge ud fra Benene, naar han kom i Solskin, Roden maatte været blevet siddende. Efter tre Uger havde han en ganske taalelig Skygge, der, da han begav sig hjem til de nordlige Lande, voxte paa Reisen meer og meer, saa at den tilsidst var saa lang og saa stor at det Halve var nok.
Settled once more in his own country, the scholar wrote books about all that is true and beautiful and good. The days became years. The scholar was now a philosopher; and the years became many. Saa kom den lærde Mand hjem og han skrev Bøger om hvad der var Sandt i Verden, og om hvad der var Godt og hvad der var Smukt, og der gik Dage og der gik Aar; der gik mange Aar.
One evening when he was sitting alone in his room there was a very gentle knock at the door. Da sidder han en Aften i sin Stue og saa banker det ganske sagte paa Døren.
"Come in," he called. But no one came, so the philosopher opened the door himself. Before him stood the thinnest man that he had ever seen but, judging from his clothes, a person of some importance. "Kom ind!" siger han, men der kom Ingen; saa lukker han op og der stod for ham saadan et overordentligt magert Menneske, saa han blev ganske underlig. Forresten var Mennesket særdeles fiint klædt paa, det maatte være en fornem Mand.
"Whom do I have the honor of addressing?" the philosopher asked. "Hvem har jeg den Ære at tale med?" spurgte den Lærde.
"I thought as much," replied the stranger. "You don't recognize me, now that I have a body of my own and clothes to boot. You never would have believed that you would meet your old shadow again. Things have gone well for me since we parted. If need be, I can buy my freedom!" The shadow jiggled its purse, which was filled with gold pieces, and touched the heavy gold chain that it wore around its neck. On all of its fingers were diamond rings, and every one was genuine. "Ja det tænkte jeg nok!" sagde den fine Mand, "at De ikke kjendte mig! jeg er blevet saa meget Legeme, jeg har ordentlig faaet Kjød og Klæder. De har nok aldrig tænkt at see mig i saadan en Velmagt. Kjender De ikke deres gamle Skygge? Ja De bar vist ikke troet at jeg mere kom igjen. Mig er det gaaet særdeles vel siden jeg sidst var hos dem, jeg er i alle Henseender bleven meget formuende! skal jeg kjøbe mig fri fra Tjenesten, saa kan jeg!" og saa raslede han med et heelt Bundt kostbare Signeter, som hang ved Uhret, og han stak sin Haand ind i den tykke Guldkjæde, han bar om Halsen; nei hvor alle Fingrene glimrede med Diamants Ringe! og det var Altsammen virkeligt.
"I must be dreaming!" exclaimed the philosopher. "What is happening?" "Nei, jeg kan ikke komme til mig selv!" sagde den lærde Mand, "hvad er dog alt det!"
"Well, it isn't something that happens every day," said the shadow, "but then, you're not an ordinary person. Nobody knows that better than I do, didn't I walk in your first footsteps? . . . As soon as you found that I could stand alone in the world, you let me go. The results are obvious. Without bragging, I can say few could have done better. . . . Of late, a longing has come over me to talk with you before you die--you must die, you know. Besides, I wanted to see this country again, only a rogue does not love his native land. . . . I know that you have a new shadow. If I owe you or it anything, you will be so kind as to tell me." "Ja noget Almindeligt er det ikke!" sagde Skyggen, "men De selv hører jo heller ikke til det Almindelige, og jeg, det veed De nok, har fra Barnsbeen traadt i deres Fodspoer. Saasnart De fandt, jeg var moden til at gaae alene ud i Verden, gik jeg min egen Vei; jeg er i de allerbrillanteste Omstændigheder, men der kom en Slags Længsel over mig efter engang at see Dem før de døer, De skal jo døe! jeg vilde ogsaa gjerne gjensee disse Lande, for man holder dog altid af Fædrelandet! - Jeg veed De har faaet en anden Skygge igjen, har jeg noget at betale til den eller dem? De vil bare være saa god at sige det."
"Is it really you?" cried the philosopher. "It's so incredible! I wouldn't have believed that one's shadow could come back to one as a human being!" "Nei, er det virkelig Dig!" sagde den lærde Mand, "det er dog høist mærkværdig! aldrig havde jeg troet at Ens gamle Skygge kunde komme igjen som Menneske!"
"Tell me how much I owe you," insisted the shadow. "I hate to be in debt." "Siig mig hvad jeg har at betale!" sagde Skyggen, "for jeg vil nødig staae i nogen Slags Gjæld!"
"How can you talk like that?" replied the philosopher. "What debt could there be to pay? Be as free as you wish! I am only happy to see you again. And I rejoice in your good luck. Sit down, old friend," he invited most cordially. "Tell me how all this came about, and what you saw that night in the house across the street." "Hvor kan Du tale saaledes!" sagde den lærde Mand. "Hvad Gjæld er her at snakke om! vær saa fri, som Nogen! jeg glæder mig overordentlig ved din Lykke! sid ned, gamle Ven og fortæl mig bare lidt om hvorledes det er gaaet til, og hvad Du saae ovre hos Gjenboens, der i de varme Lande!"
"Yes, I will tell you about it," agreed the shadow, and sat down. "But first you must promise me that you will never tell anyone that I once was your shadow. I've been thinking of becoming engaged; after all, I am quite rich enough to support a large family." "Ja, det skal jeg fortælle Dem," sagde Skyggen og satte sig ned, "men saa maa De ogsaa love mig, at De aldrig til Nogen her i Byen, hvor De endogsaa træffer mig, siger at jeg har været deres Skygge! jeg har isinde at forlove mig; jeg kan føde mere end een Familie!"
"Don't give it another moment's thought," the philosopher said. "I will never tell anyone who you really are. Here is my hand on it. A man is no better than his word." "Vær ganske rolig!" sagde den lærde Mand, "jeg skal ikke sige Nogen hvem Du egenlig er! her er min Haand! jeg lover det og en Mand et Ord!"
"And a word is a shadow," remarked the shadow, because it could not speak otherwise. "Et Ord en Skygge!" sagde Skyggen, og saaledes maatte den jo tale.
It was really amazing, how human the shadow appeared. It was dressed completely in black, but everything was of the finest quality from its patent leather boots to its hat of the softest felt. The gold chain and the rings have already been described, but one's eye fell upon them so often that one cannot help mentioning them again. Yes, the shadow was well dressed, and clothes make the man. Det var ellers virkelig ganske mærkværdigt hvormeget Men neske den var; ganske sortklædt var den og i det allerfineste sorte Klæde, lakerede Støvler, og Hat der kunde smække sammen, saa at den blev bar Pul og Skygge, ikke at tale om hvad vi allerede veed her var, Signeter, Guldhalskjæde og Diamantringe; jo, Skyggen var overordentlig godt klædt paa, og det var just det, som gjorde at den var ganske et Menneske.
"Now I shall begin," announced the shadow, and it stamped its boots as hard as it could on the philosopher's new shadow, which was curled up like a poodle at the feet of the man. Perhaps it did this because it hoped to attach the philosopher's shadow to itself, or maybe just because it was arrogant; but the new shadow did not appear ruffled. It lay perfectly still and listened, for it too wanted to know how one could be free and become one's own master. "Nu skal jeg fortælle!" sagde Skyggen, og saa satte den sine Been med de lakerede Støvler saa haardt, den kunde, ned paa Ærmet af den lærde Mands nye Skygge, der laa som en Puddelhund ved hans Fødder, og det var nu enten af Hovmod eller maaskee for at faae den til at hænge ved; og den liggende Skygge, holdt sig saa stille og rolig, for ret at høre efter; den vilde nok vide hvorledes man saaledes kunde komme løs og tjene sig op til sin egen Herre.
"Do you know who lived in the house across the street?" asked the shadow. "That's the best of all, it was Poetry! I was there for three weeks, and that is just as edifying as having lived three thousand years and read everything that's ever been composed or written. This I say, and what I say is true! I have seen all and I know all!" "Poetry!" cried the philosopher. "Yes . . . yes. She is often a hermit in the big cities. I saw her myself once, but only for a short moment and my eyes were drowsy from sleep. She was standing on the balcony and it was as if the northern lights were shining around her. . . . Go on, go on! There you were on the balcony; then you walked through the doorway and . . . and . . ." "Veed De, hvem der boede i Gjenboens Huus?" sagde Skyggen, "det var den deiligste af Alle, det var Poesien! Jeg var der i tre Uger og det er ligesaa virkende, som om man levede i tre tusind Aar og læste Alt hvad der var digtet og skrevet, for det siger jeg og det er rigtigt. Jeg har seet Alt og jeg veed Alt!" "Poesien!" raabte den lærde Mand! "ja, ja - hun er tidt Eremit i de store Byer! Poesien! ja jeg har seet hende et eneste kort Øieblik, men Søvnen sad mig i Øinene! hun stod paa Altanen og skinnede som Nordlyset skinner! Fortæl, fortæl! Du var paa Altanen, Du gik ind ad Døren og saa - -!"
"I was in the entrance hall. That's what you sat looking at all the time, the vestibule. There was no lamp in there, and that's why from the outside the apartment appeared dark. But there was a door. It opened onto another room, which opened onto another, which opened onto another. There was a long row of rooms and anterooms before one reached the innermost where Poetry lived. And these were ablaze with more than enough light to kill a shadow, so I never saw the maiden up close. I was cautious and patient, and that is the same as being virtuous." "Saa var jeg i Forgemakket!" sagde Skyggen. "De har altid siddet og seet over til Forgemakket. Der var slet intet Lys, der var en Slags Tusmørke, men den ene Dør stod aaben ligefor den anden i en lang Række Stuer og Sale; og der var lyst op, jeg var reent blevet slaaet ihjel af Lys, var jeg kommet heelt ind til Jomfruen; men jeg var besindig, jeg gav mig Tid og det skal man gjøre!"
"Come, come," commanded the philosopher curtly. "Tell me what you saw." "Og hvad saae Du saa?" spurgte den lærde Mand.
"Everything! And I'll tell you about it, but first . . . It has nothing whatever to do with pride, but out of respect to my accomplishments, not to speak of my social position, I wish you wouldn't address me so familiarly." "Jeg saae Alting, og jeg skal fortælle Dem det, men, - det er slet ingen Stolthed af mig, men - som Fri og med de Kundskaber jeg har, ikke at tale om min gode Stilling, mine fortræffelige Omstændigheder, -saa ønskede jeg gjerne at de vilde sige De til mig!"
"Forgive me!" exclaimed the philosopher. "It is an old habit, and they are the hardest to get rid of. But you are quite right, and I'll try to remember. . . . Please do continue, for I am immensely interested." "Om Forladelse!" sagde den lærde Mand, "det er gammel Vane, som sidder fast! - De har fuldkommen Ret! og jeg skal huske det! men nu fortæller De mig Alt hvad De saae!"
"Everything! I have seen all, and I know all!" "Alting!" sagde Skyggen, "for jeg saae Alt og jeg veed Alt!"
"I beg you to tell me about the innermost room where Poetry dwelled. Was it like the beech forest in spring? Was it like the interior of a great cathedral? Or was it like the heavens when one stands on a mountaintop?" "Hvorledes saae der ud i de inderste Sale?" spurgte den lærde Mand. "Var der som i den friske Skov? Var der som i en hellig Kirke? Vare Salene som den stjerneklare Himmel, naar man staaer paa de høie Bjerge?"
"Everything was there!" replied the shadow. "Of course, I never went all the way in. The twilight of the vestibule suited me better, and from there I had an excellent view. I saw everything and I know all. I was at the court of Poetry, in the entrance hall." "Alting var der!" sagde Skyggen. "Jeg gik jo ikke ganske heelt ind, jeg blev i det forreste Værelse i Tusmørket, men der stod jeg særdeles godt, jeg saae Alting og jeg veed Alting! Jeg har været ved Poesiens Hof, i Forgemakket."
"But what did you see?" urged the philosopher. "Did Thor and Odin walk those halls? Did Achilles and Hector fight their battles again? Or did innocent children play there and tell of their dreams?" "Men hvad saae De? Gik gjennem de store Sale alle Oldtidens Guder? Kjæmpede der de gamle Helte? Legede søde Børn og fortalte deres Drømme?"
"I am telling you that I was there. And you understand, I saw everything that there was to see. You could not have stayed there and remained a human being, but it in made a human being of me! I quickly came to understand my innermost nature, that part of me which from birth can claim kinship to Poetry. When I lived with you, I didn't even think about such things. You'll remember that I was always larger at sunrise and at sunset, and that I was more noticeable in the moonlight than you were. Still, I had no understanding of my nature; that did not come until I was in the vestibule, and then I became a human being. "I was fully mature when I came out; by then you had already left the south. Being human made me ashamed to go around as I was; I needed boots, clothes, and all the other trimmings that make a man what he is. So there was nothing else for me to do but hide. . . . I wouldn't say this to anyone but you, and you mustn't mention it in any of your books. . . . I hid under the skirts of the woman who sold gingerbread men in the market. Luckily, she never found out how much her petticoats concealed. I came out only in the evening; then I would walk around in the moonlight, stretching myself up the walls to get the kinks out of my back. Up and down the streets I went, peeping through the windows of the attics as well as the drawing rooms. And I saw what no one ever sees, what no one ever should see! It's really a horrible world, and I wouldn't be human if it weren't so desirable. I saw things that ought to be unthinkable; and these were not only done by husbands and wives, but by parents and the sweet, innocent children! I saw," said the shadow, "I saw everything that man must not know, but what he most ardently wishes to know--his neighbor's evil! If I had written a newspaper, everyone would have read it; but instead I wrote directly to the persons themselves, and I wreaked havoc in every city that I came to. People feared me so much and were so fond of me! The universities gave me honorary degrees, the tailors gave me clothes, and the women said that I was handsome. In a word, each donated what he could, and so I became the man that I am. . . . But it is getting late, and I must say good-by. Here is my card. I live on the sunnier side of the street and am always home when it rains." "Jeg siger Dem, jeg var der og De begriber, jeg saae Alting, hvad der var at see! havde De kommet derover, var de ikke blevet Menneske, men det blev jeg! og tillige lærte jeg at kjende min inderste Natur, mit Medfødte, det Familieskab, jeg havde med Poesien. Ja den Gang jeg var hos Dem, tænkte jeg ikke over det, men altid, De veed det, naar Sol gik op og Sol gik ned, blev jeg saa underlig stor; i Maaneskin var jeg næsten ved at være tydeligere end De selv; jeg forstod ikke den Gang min Natur, i Forgemakket gik det op for mig! jeg blev Menneske! Moden kom jeg ud, men De var ikke længere i de varme Lande; jeg skammede mig som Menneske ved at gaae som jeg gik, jeg trængte til Støvler, til Klæder, til hele denne Menneske-Fernis, som gjør et Menneske kjendeligt. - Jeg tog Vei, ja, Dem siger jeg det, De sætter det jo ikke i nogen Bog, jeg tog Vei til Kagekonens Skjørt, under det skjulte jeg mig; Konen tænkte ikke paa hvor meget hun gjemte; først om Aftenen gik jeg ud; jeg løb om i Maaneskinnet paa Gaden; jeg gjorde mig lang op ad Muren, det killer saa deiligt i Ryggen! jeg løb op og jeg løb ned, kiggede ind af de høieste Vinduer, ind i Salen og paa Taget, jeg kiggede hvor Ingen kunde kigge og jeg saae hvad ingen Andre saae, hvad Ingen skulde see! Det er i Grunden en nedrig Verden! jeg vilde ikke være Menneske, dersom det nu ikke engang var antaget at det var noget at være det! Jeg saae det Allerutænkeligste hos Konerne, hos Mændene, hos Forældrene og hos de søde mageløse Børn; - jeg saae", sagde Skyggen, "hvad ingen Mennesker maatte vide, men hvad de Allesammen saa gjerne vilde vide, Ondt hos Naboen. - Havde jeg skrevet en Avis, den var bleven læst! men jeg skrev lige til Personen selv, og der blev en Forfærdelse i alle Byer hvor jeg kom. De bleve saa bange for mig! og de holdt saa overordentlig af mig. Professorerne gjorde mig til Professor, Skræderne gav mig ny Klæder, jeg er godt forsynet; Myntmesteren slog Mynt for mig, og Konerne sagde, jeg var saa kjøn! - og saa blev jeg den Mand jeg er! og nu siger jeg Farvel; her er mit Kort, jeg boer paa Solsiden og er altid hjemme i Regnvejr!" og saa gik Skyggen.
"How strange!" remarked the philosopher after the shadow had left. "Det var dog mærkeligt!" sagde den lærde Mand.
The years and the days passed, and the shadow came again. Aar og Dag gik, saa kom Skyggen igjen.
"How are things going?" it asked. "Hvorledes gaaer det?" spurgte den.
"Oh," replied the philosopher, "I have been writing about all that is true and beautiful and good, but no one cares to hear about anything like that, and I am terribly disappointed because those are the things that are dear to me." "Ak!" sagde den lærde Mand, "jeg skriver om det Sande og det Gode og det Skjønne, men Ingen bryder sig om at høre Sligt, jeg er ganske fortvivlet, for jeg tager mig det saa nær!"
"Well, they aren't to me," said the shadow. "I've been concentrating on gaining weight, and that there's some point in. You don't understand the world, that's what's the matter with you. You ought to travel. I am going on a trip this summer, would you like to join me? If you would like to travel as my shadow it would be a pleasure to have you along. I'll pay for your trip!" "Men det gjør jeg ikke!" sagde Skyggen, "jeg bliver feed, og det er det man skal see at blive! ja De forstaaer dem ikke paa Verden. De bliver daarlig ved det. De maa reise! jeg gjør en Reise til Sommer; vil De med? Jeg gad nok have en Reisekammerat! vil De reise med, som Skygge? Det skal være mig en stor Fornøielse at have Dem med, jeg betaler Reisen!"
"You go too far!" retorted the philosopher. "Det gaaer vel vidt?" sagde den lærde Mand.
"It all depends how you look at it. The trip will do you good and, traveling as my shadow, you'll have all your expenses paid by me." "Det er ligesom man tager det!" sagde Skyggen. "De vil have grumme godt af at reise! vil De være min Skygge saa skal De faae Alting frit paa Reisen!"
"Monstrous!" shouted the philosopher. "Det er for galt!" sagde den lærde Mand.
"But that's the way of the world, and it isn't going to change," said the shadow, and left. "Men saadan er nu Verden!" sagde Skyggen, "og saaledes bliver den!" og saa gik Skyggen.
Matters did not improve for the philosopher; on the contrary, sorrow and misery had attached themselves to his coattails. For the most part, whenever he spoke of the true and the beautiful and the good, it was like setting roses before a cow. Finally he became seriously ill. Den lærde Mand havde det slet ikke godt, Sorg og Plage fulgte ham, og hvad han talte om det Sande og det Gode og det Skjønne, det var for de Fleste ligesom Roser for en Ko! - han var ganske syg tilsidst.
"You look like a shadow of your former self," people would say, and when he heard these words a shiver went down his spine. "De seer virkelig ud ligesom en Skygge!" sagde Folk til ham, og det gjøs i den lærde Mand, for han tænkte ved det.
"You ought to go to a health resort," suggested the shadow when it came to visit him again. "There's no other alternative. I will take you along for old time's sake. I'll pay the expenses, and you'll talk and try to amuse me along the journey. I'm going to a spa, myself, because my beard won't grow. That's a disease too, you know, because beards are a necessity. If you're sensible, you'll accept. We'll travel as friends." "De skal tage til Bad!" sagde Skyggen, som kom og besøgte ham, "der er ikke andet for! jeg vil tage Dem med for gammelt Bekjendtskabs Skyld, jeg betaler Reisen og De gjør Beskrivelsen og er saadan lidt morsom for mig paa Veien! jeg vil til et Bad, mit Skjæg groer ikke ud som det skulde, det er ogsaa en Sygdom., og Skjæg maa man have! Vær De nu fornuftig og tag imod Tilbudet, vi reise jo som Kammerater!"
And so they traveled, the shadow as master and the master as shadow, for whether they were being driven in a coach, riding horseback, or simply walking, they were always side by side and the shadow kept itself a little in the fore or in the rear, according to the direction of the sun. It knew how to create the impression that it was the superior. The philosopher, however, was not aware of any of this. He had a kind heart, which did not even have a guest room reserved for envy. The journey was not yet over when the philosopher suggested to the shadow, "Now that we're traveling companions--and when you consider the fact that we've grown up together, shouldn't we call each other by first names? It makes for a much pleasanter atmosphere." Og saa reiste de; Skyggen var da Herre og Herren var da Skygge; de kjørte med hinanden, de rede og gik sammen, Side ved Side, forud og bag efter, saaledes som Solen stod; Skyggen vidste altid at holde sig paa Herrepladsen; og det tænkte den lærde Mand nu ikke saadanne over; han var et meget godt Hjerte, og særdeles mild og venlig, og da sagde han en Dag til Skyggen: "da vi nu saaledes ere blevne Reisekammerater, som vi er det og vi tillige ere voxne op fra Barndommen sammen, skulle vi saa ikke drikke Duus, det er dog mere fortroligt!"
"There's something in what you say," began the shadow, who now was the real master. "You have spoken frankly, and what you have said was well meant; therefore, I ought to be honest with you. As a philosopher, you know how strange nature can be. Some people cannot bear to have a rough piece of material next to their bodies, and others can't hear a nail scratching on glass without it upsetting their nervous systems. Well, I would have the same feeling if you were to call me by my first name. I would have the feeling that I was being pressed to the ground, as if my relationship to you had never changed. You understand it's merely a feeling, it has nothing whatever to do with pride. But I could call you by your first name and satisfy half of your request." "De siger noget!" sagde Skyggen, som jo nu var den egentlige Herre. "Det er meget ligefremt og velmeent sagt, jeg vil være ligesaa velmenende og ligefrem. De, som en lærd Mand, veed vistnok hvor underlig Naturen er. Somme Mennesker kunne ikke taale at røre ved graat Papir, saa faae de ondt; Andre gaaer det gjennem alle Lemmer, naar man lader et Søm gnide mod en Glasrude; jeg har ligesaadan en Følelse ved at høre Dem sige Du til mig, jeg føler mig ligesom trykket til Jorden i min første Stilling hos Dem. De seer at det er en Følelse, det er ikke Stolthed; jeg kan ikke lade Dem sige Du til mig, men jeg skal gjerne sige Du til Dem, saa er det halve gjort!"
From then on, the shadow always spoke and referred to the philosopher by his first name. Og saa sagde Skyggen Du til sin forrige Herre.
"He goes too far," thought the man. "He's hardly civil to me." But when one is poor, one does more thinking than speaking. "Det er dog vel galt," tænkte han, "at jeg maa sige De og han siger Du," men nu maatte han holde ud.
At last they arrived at the famous resort where people came from all over the world to be cured. Among the guests was a beautiful princess who suffered from seeing too clearly, which is a very painful disease. Saa kom de til et Bad, hvor der vare mange Fremmede og imellem disse en deilig Kongedatter, som havde den Sygdom at hun saae altfor godt og det var nu saa ængsteligt.
She noticed at once that one of the new arrivals was very different from everyone else. He had come to make his beard grow, she was told. "But that's not the real reason," she muttered to herself. Ligestrax mærkede hun at han, der var kommet, var en ganske anden Person end alle de Andre; "han er her for at faae sit Skjæg til at voxe, siger man, men jeg seer den rette Aarsag, han kan ikke kaste Skygge."
And to satisfy her curiosity, she went right up and spoke to the stranger, for the daughter of a king need not stand on ceremony with anyone. "Your trouble is that you cannot cast a shadow," the princess announced. Nysgjærrig var hun blevet; og saa gav hun sig strax paa Spadsereturen i Tale med den fremmede Herre. Som en Kongedatter behøvede hun ikke at gjøre mange Omstændigheder, og saa sagde hun, "Deres Sygdom er at De ikke kan kaste Skygge."
"Your Royal Highness is getting well!" exclaimed the shadow. "I know that you suffered from seeing too clearly, but you must be getting over it. You show signs of perfect health. . . . I grant you that it is a very unusual one, but I do have a shadow. Other people have just ordinary shadows, but I despise the ordinary. You know how one dresses one's servants so that their livery is finer than ones own clothes; well, I let my shadow pretend that he is human. As you can see, I have even bought him a shadow. It was very expensive, but I am fond of doing the original." "Deres kongelige Høihed maa være betydelig i Bedring!" sagde Skyggen, "jeg veed, Deres Onde er at De seer alt for godt, men det har tabt sig, De er helbredet, jeg har just en ganske usædvanlig Skygge! Seer de ikke den Person, som altid gaaer med mig! Andre Mennesker have en almindelig Skygge, men jeg holder ikke af det Almindelige. Man giver tidt sin Tjener finere Klæde i Liberiet end man selv bruger, og saaledes har jeg ladet min Skygge pudse op til Menneske! ja, De seer, at jeg endogsaa. har givet ham en Skygge. Det er meget kostbart, men jeg holder af have noget for mig selv!"
"What!" thought the princess. "Have I really been cured? This is the finest spa there is. How fortunate I am to be born in the time when these marvelous waters were discovered. . . . But just because I am well is no reason to leave. I'm enjoying myself here. That stranger interests me, I hope his beard won't grow too quickly." "Hvad?" tænkte Prindsessen, "skulde jeg virkelig være kommet mig! Dette Bad er det første der er til! Vandet har i vor Tid ganske forunderlige Kræfter. Men jeg tager ikke bort, for nu bliver her morsomt; den Fremmede synes jeg overordenligt om. Bare hans Skjæg ikke voxer, for saa reiser han!"
That night there was a grand ball that everyone attended, and the shadow danced with the princess. The princess was light on her toes, but the shadow was even lighter; such a graceful partner she had never had before. They discovered that he had once visited her country while she was abroad. There, too, the shadow had peeped through all of the windows, those that faced the street and those that did not. He had seen both this and that; and he knew how to tell about some of what he had seen and how to hint at the rest, which was even more impressive. The princess was astounded. She had never spoken to anyone who was so worldly wise, and out of respect for what he knew, she danced with him again. The next time they danced together the princess fell in love. The shadow noticed the sudden change with relief. "She's finally been cured of seeing too clearly," he thought. The princess would have confessed her feelings immediately if she hadn't been so prudent. She thought of her realm and of the people she ruled. "He knows well the ways of the world, that's a good sign," she commented silently. "He dances well, that is also a virtue. But is he really educated, for that is very important? I'd better test him." Then she began to ask the shadow questions so difficult that she herself did not know the answers. An expression of confusion came over the shadow's face. Om Aftenen i den store Balsal dandsede Kongedatteren og Skyggen. Hun var let, men han var endnu lettere, saadan en Dandser havde hun aldrig havt. Hun sagde ham fra hvad Land hun var, og han kjendte Landet, han havde været der, men da var hun ikke hjemme, han havde kiget ind af Vinduerne foroven og forneden, han havde seet baade det Ene og det Andet, og saa kunde han svare Kongedatteren og gjøre Antydninger, saa hun blev ganske forundret; han maatte være den viseste Mand paa hele Jorden! hun fik saadan en Agtelse for hvad han vidste, og da de saa dandsede igjen, saa blev hun forliebt, og det kunde Skyggen godt mærke, for hun var færdig at see lige igjennem ham. Saa dandsede de nok engang og saa var hun lige ved at sige det, men hun var besindig, hun tænkte paa sit Land og Rige og paa de mange Mennesker, hun skulde regjere over. "En viis Mand er han," sagde hun til sig selv, "det er godt! og deiligt dandser han, det er ogsaa godt, men mon han har grundige Kundskaber, det er ligesaa vigtigt! han maa examineres." Og saa begyndte hun saa smaat at spørge ham om noget af det Allervanskeligste, hun kunde ikke selv have svart paa det; og Skyggen gjorde et ganske underligt Ansigt.
"You cannot answer!" exclaimed the princess. "Det kan de ikke svare paa!" sagde Kongedatteren.
"I learned the answers to questions like that in childhood," said the shadow. I believe that even my shadow, who is sitting over there by the door, could respond correctly." "Det hører til min Børne-Lærdom," sagde Skyggen, "jeg troer saagar min Skygge der henne ved Døren kan svare derpaa!"
"Your shadow! That really would be remarkable!" "Deres Skygge!" sagde Kongedatteren, "det vilde være høist mærkeligt!"
"I can't say for certain," continued the shadow. "I just wouldn't be surprised if he could. After all, he's never done anything but follow me around and listen to what I say. Yes," he cried in a sudden burst of enthusiasm, "I believe he will be able to answer you! . . . But, Your Royal Highness, if you will allow me to make a suggestion. My shadow is so proud of being thought to be human, if Your Royal Highness wishes to create the right atmosphere, so that the shadow will be able to do his best, please treat him as if he were a man." "Ja, jeg siger ikke bestemt at han kan!" sagde Skyggen, "men jeg skulde troe det, han har nu i saa mange Aar fulgt mig, og hørt efter, -jeg skulde troe det! men deres Kongelige Høihed tillader, at jeg gjør Dem opmærksom paa, at han har saa megen Stolthed af at gaae for et Menneske, at naar han skal være i rigtig Humeur, og det maa han være for at svare godt, saa maa han behandles ganske som et Menneske."
"I'd prefer it that way," said the kings daughter, "Det kan jeg godt lide!" sagde Kongedatteren.
and she joined the philosopher, who was alongside the door. She questioned him about the sun and the moon, and about the human race, both inside and out; and he answered every query both cleverly and politely. Og saa gik hun hen til den lærde Mand ved Døren, og hun talte med ham om Sol og Maane, og om Menneskene baade uden paa og inden i og han svarede saa klogt og godt.
"What must the man be worth, if his shadow is so wise!" thought the princess. "It would be a blessing for my people if I chose him for my husband. I shall do it!" "Hvad det maa være for en Mand, der har saa viis en Skygge!" tænkte hun, "det vil være en reen Velsignelse for mit Folk og Rige om jeg valgte ham til min Gemal; - jeg gjør det!"
The shadow was very amenable. It agreed without hesitation that their plans must not be revealed until the princess had returned home. Og de vare snart enige, baade Kongedatteren og Skyggen, men Ingen skulde vide derom før hun kom hjem i sit eget Rige.
"I will not even tell my shadow," he said, while he thought how admirably the world had been created. "Ingen, ikke engang min Skygge!" sagde Skyggen, og det havde han nu saadan sine egne Tanker ved!
Not long after they came to the land which the princess ruled whenever she was there. Saa vare de i Landet hvor Kongedatteren regjerede naar hun var hjemme.
"My good friend," the shadow began to the philosopher. "Now that I am as happy and as powerful as anyone can hope to be, I'd like to share my good fortune with you. You may live with me always, here in the castle; you may drive with me in the royal coach; and you will be paid one hundred thousand gold pieces a year. In return, all I ask is that you let everyone call you a shadow; that you never admit to anyone that you have ever been a human being; and that once a year, when I sit on the balcony so that the people can pay me homage, you lie at my feet as a shadow should. . . . I might as well tell you that I am marrying the princess, and the wedding is tonight." "Hør min gode Ven!" sagde Skyggen til den lærde Mand, "nu er jeg blevet saa lykkelig og mægtig, som Nogen kan blive, nu vil jeg ogsaa gjøre noget særdeles for Dig! du skal altid boe hos mig paa Slottet, kjøre med mig i min kongelige Vogn og have hundrede tusinde Rigsdaler om Aaret; men saa maa Du lade dig kalde Skygge af Alle og Enhver; Du maa ikke sige at du har nogensinde været Menneske og engang om Aaret, naar jeg sidder paa Altanen i Solskin og lader mig see, maa Du ligge ved mine Fødder, som en Skygge skal! jeg skal sige dig, jeg gifter Kongedatteren, i Aften skal Brylluppet holdes."
"No, this cannot happen!" cried the philosopher. "I don't want to do it, and I won't! You are a fraud! I will tell everything! You've fooled both the people and the princess; but now I will tell them that I am a human being and that you are only my shadow, who's been masquerading as a man!" "Nei det er dog altfor galt!" sagde den lærde Mand, "det vil jeg ikke, det gjør jeg ikke! det er at bedrage hele Landet og Kongedatteren med! Jeg siger Alting! at jeg er Mennesket, og at du er Skyggen, du er bare klædt paa!"
"No one will believe you," warned the shadow. "Now be reasonable or I'll call the guard." "Det er der Ingen som troer!" sagde Skyggen, "vær fornuftig, eller jeg kalder paa Vagten!"
"I intend to ask for an audience with the princess," replied the philosopher. "But I will speak with her first," said the shadow, "and you will be imprisoned." The shadow's threat very quickly became a reality, for the royal sentry knew whom the princess had chosen to be her husband. "Jeg gaaer lige til Kongedatteren!" sagde den lærde Mand. "Men jeg gaaer først!" sagde Skyggen, "og du gaaer i Arrest!" og det maatte han, for Skildvagterne de lystrede ham, som de vidste Kongedatteren vilde have.
"You are shivering," remarked the princess as soon as he entered her chambers. "You must not get sick this evening, not for the wedding!" "Du ryster!" sagde Kongedatteren, da Skyggen kom ind til hende, "er der skeet Noget? Du maa ikke blive syg til iaften, nu vi skal have Bryllup."
"I've just had the most horrible experience that one can have," replied the shadow. "Imagine! . . . Oh, how fragile a shadow's brain must be! . . . Imagine, my shadow has gone mad. He believes he is a man. And that I . . . that I am his shadow!" "Jeg har oplevet det Grueligste, der kan opleves!" sagde Skyggen, "tænk Dig - ja, saadan en stakkels Skyggehjerne kan ikke holde meget ud! - Tænk Dig, min Skygge er blevet gal, han troer at han er Mennesket og at jeg - tænk dig bare, - at jeg er hans Skygge!"
"How dreadful!" she exclaimed. "He isn't running around loose, I hope." "Det er frygteligt!" sagde Prindsessen, "han er dog spærret inde?"
"No, no, he's not," he said softly. "I am so afraid he will never get well." "Det er han! Jeg er bange han kommer sig aldrig."
"Poor shadow," continued the princess. "He must be suffering terribly. It would really be kinder to free him from that particle of life he has. Yes, the more I think about it, the more convinced I am that it's necessary for him to be done away with. . . . Quietly, of course." "Stakkels Skygge!" sagde Prindsessen, "han er meget ulykkelig; det er en sand Velgjerning at frie ham fra den Smule Liv han har, og naar jeg rigtig tænker over det, saa troer jeg det bliver nødvendigt at det bliver gjort af med ham i al Stilhed!"
"It seems so cruel," said the shadow, "when I think of how loyal a servant it was," and a sound resembling a sigh escaped from the shadow's lips. "Det er rigtignok haardt!" sagde Skyggen, "for det var en tro Tjener!" og saa gav han ligesom et Suk.
"How noble you are!" exclaimed the princess. "De er en ædel Characteer!" sagde Kongedatteren.
That night the whole city was brilliantly lighted. The cannons were shot off. Bum! Bum! Bum! The soldiers presented arms. Oh, what a wedding it was! The shadow and the princess came out onto the balcony, and the people screamed, "Hurrah!" Om Aftenen var hele Byen illumineret, og Kanonerne gik af: bum! og Soldaterne præsenterede Gevær. Det var et Bryllup! Kongedatteren og Skyggen gik ud paa Altanen for at lade sig see og faae nok en Gang Hurra!
The philosopher heard nothing of all of this, for they had already taken his life. Den lærde Mand hørte ikke noget til Alt det, for ham havde de taget Livet af.

Copyright Anchor Books Doubleday
Hans Christian Andersen:
The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories

Translated from Danish by Erik Christian Haugaard

Copyright:
The Hans Christian Andersen Project