Saturday, 27 April 2024

Hans Christian Andersen: 'Studie efter Naturen' (1830)

 


Studie efter Naturen

 

Fände sich ein Niederländer hier,

Er nähme wahrlich gleich Quartier,

Und was er sieht, und was er mahlt,

Wird hundert Jahre nachgezahlt.

Göthe

 

Solen skinner i Naboens Gaard, Husene ere saa lave,

Gaarden har Plads til en Møding kun og en trealens Have.

Haven er i sin egen Maneer, den har slet ingen Gange;

Men den eier een Stikkelsbær-Busk, der er saa god, som saa mange.

Mutter i Dag har næstendeels skjult baade Møding og Have,

Thi sine Sengklæder, paa et Stillads, har hun i Solen, den brave!

Ungerne sole sig ogsaa lidt, ligge paa Dyne og Pude,

Hver har i Haanden et Smørrebrød, som de fortære derude;

Smørret smelter i Solens Brand, — Søvnen over dem daler,

Gaardhanen stikker sit Hoved frem, bryster sig stolt og galer.

 

 

Nature Study

 

Fände sich ein Niederländer hier,

Er nähme wahrlich gleich Quartier,

Und was er sieht, und was er mahlt,

Wird hundert Jahre nachgezahlt.

Goethe

 

Sunshine gleams in the neighbour’s yard, buildings here are quite spartan.

There’s only room for a dungheap and a very small patch of garden.

It’s a garden that has its own style, paths it doesn’t have any;

Though it has its own gooseberry bush, which is as good as so many.

Mother has dungheap and patch today almost hidden completely,

For she’s her bedclothes hung on a frame out in the sun twice weekly.

All of her offspring sunbathe there too, lying on pillows and blankets

Each with a sandwich is well equipped for an al fresco banquet;

Sun’s heat causes the butter to melt, – heavy their eyelids start growing

Out now the farm cock stretches his head, swaggers and struts, starts crowing.



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