Hans Christian Andersen: 'Møllerens Datter'

 

 Møllerens Datter

 

Bag Ellekrattet nede, hvor Møllehjulet gaaer,

Der tjente jeg hos Mølleren i fire Ungdomsaar;

Paa Stænten jeg om Aftenen satte mig tidt,

Og talte med Møllerens Datter da lidt.

 

Det var som man fra Øinene ind i Hjertet saae,

Jeg kunde hele Natten ligge og tænke derpaa.

Hun deelte mine Sorger, jeg sagde hende Alt,

Men aldrig om min Elskov jeg hende har fortalt.

 

Men havde hun mig kjær, som jeg hende har paa Jord,

Da havde hun nok vidst det uden et eneste Ord;

Tidt bad jeg i mit Hjerte: »lad min Elskov forgaae,

Jeg fattige Knøs kan dog aldrig hende faae!«

 

Hun trykkede mig Haanden, da jeg var syg og bleg,

Men derved af mit Hjerte ei Kjærligheden veg!

Hun saae saa venlig til mig, hun bad mig være glad,

Og Vorherre og mit Hjerte, de gjorde som hun bad.

 

Jeg følte saadan Drift, saadan Lyst i min Sjæl;

Saa mødtes vi ved Lunden forleden i Qvæld.

Da tog hun mig i Haanden og sagde: »er Du her?

Du hilser en Trolovet, min Fæstensring er her!«

 

»Ja Guld og rige Perler gav mig hans Kjærlighed,

Og Du, Du er den Første, der om min Lykke veed!«

Jeg kyssede paa Haanden, men sagde ei et Ord,

Det var som al min Tanke var lagt i sorten Jord.

 

Om Aftnen var der Gilde og jeg var ogsaa med,

Jeg sad ved Siden af dem, paa det fornemste Sted.

Vi klinkede, vi drak, sang Viser ovenpaa; –

Jeg maatte være glad, thi de Alle paa mig saae!

 

Men Morgenen derefter og hver en Dag, der kom,

Saa løb det mig i Hovedet underligt om;

Alt gik mig, som jeg ønsked’, det Ene mangled’ kun!

De holdt jo Alle af mig, selv Kjæresten og hun!

 

De trykked’ mig i Haanden, de vidste ei min Vee,

De kyssede hinanden, det var stor Lyst at see! –

Da fik jeg saadan Længsel at see mig lidt om,

Jeg pakkede da sammen, ei veed jeg, hvor det kom!

 

Jeg sagde: »jeg vil see Alverden og dens Lyst!«

Men meente: »jeg vil glemme den Verden i mit Bryst!«

Hun saae paa mig og sagde, o Gud, det var saa haardt!

»Vi holde Alle af Dig! hvorfor vil Du da bort?«

 

Da kom jeg til at græde, men dengang gik det an,

Man græder naar man skilles, det sagde ogsaa han.

De fulgte mig paa Veien – da faldt jeg paa en Steen,

Det var Vorherres Villie, jeg brød mit ene Been.

 

Nu ligger jeg i Møllen, hun pleier mig der,

Hver Dag hun kommer til mig, og med sin Hjertenskjær.

Til Juli holdes Bryllup, »kom med«, igaar de bad’,

»For saa er Du helbredet og skal ret være glad.«

 

Jeg hører Vandet bruse og Hjulene at gaae,

Gud give at jeg derude under Møllehjulet laae!

Da blev jeg bedst helbredet og i mit Hjerte glad,

Og derom var det jo, de to Elskende bad.

 

 

The Miller’s Daughter

 

Down past the elder scrub, where the mill wheel slowly turns,

Four years as an apprentice the miller’s trade I learned;

When evening came I’d often sit out there on the stile,

And with the miller’s daughter I’d talk there for a while.

 

It often seemed our eyes in each other’s heart could see,

And all night I lay thinking about this constantly.

My sorrows she did share, my outpourings were all heard,

Though never of my love did I speak a single word.

 

But had she loved me such as I loved her on this earth,

She would have known this too, though of words there was a dearth;

I often begged my heart: ‘Let my love come to an end,

A simple chap like me to her heart can ne’er pretend.’

 

She pressed my hand whenever I lay there sick and pale,

But in my heart my love strong as ever did prevail!

She looked at me so kindly, and asked me to be glad,

The Lord God and my heart did exactly as she bade.

 

A great urge and desire I could feel my soul now drove;

When just the other evening we met down in the grove

She took my hand and said: ‘Is that you who’s standing there?

You’re greeting one betrothed, my engagement ring I wear!’

 

Yes, gold and finest pearls show his love will never cloy,

And you, you are the first one to know of my great joy!’

I kissed her on the hand, but I did not say a word,

It was as if my thoughts in black earth were now interred.

 

Soon came the celebration and I was also there,

Was seated close beside them, an honour that was rare.

We toasted one another, we drank, sang songs all three; –

I had to seem so glad then, for all eyes were on me!

 

But on the day that followed and every day that came,

Strange thoughts ran through my head, for now nothing was the same;

I had things as I wanted, just one thing did deter!

All were so fond of me, e’en the fiancé and her!

 

They shook me by the hand, unaware of all my woe,

They often kissed each other, such love they had to show! –

I felt a sudden longing to see the world anew,

I packed my things, but knew not what caused me so to do.

 

I said: ‘To see the world is what now would suit me best!’

But really meant ‘forget the whole world within my breast!’

She looked at me and said ‘O dear God, it seems so hard!

We’re all so fond of you! Why on earth will you depart?’

 

And then I started weeping, but all could see the need,

One always weeps when parting, that even he agreed.

They went along beside me – I tripped up on a stone,

God wished it so, leg broken I could not go alone. 

 

I’m lying at the mill now, she gives me tender care,

Each day she comes to see me, he too, they both are there.

Their wedding’s in July, yesterday they both me bade,

‘Come too, for you’re recovered by then and shall be glad.’

 

I hear the water roaring, I hear the wheels at play,

God grant that I was out there and ’neath the mill wheel lay!

That’s the best cure for me now, my heart would then be glad,

And that is just precisely what the betrothed pair bade.