Hans Christian Andersen: 'Der voxed et Træ i min Moders Gaard'

 

Der voxed et Træ i min Moders Gaard

 

Der voxed et Træ i min Moders Gaard,

Hvert Blad saae ud som et Hjerte;

Men Skjæbnen syntes mig altfor haard,

Og jeg reiste bort i min Smerte.

 

Som Fuglen jeg fløi og min Tanke med,

Vi To var’ aldrig alene,

Men hver Gang vi satte os ned et Sted,

Sad vi paa de samme Grene!

 

Jeg saae paa Solen, saa at Øiet blev dødt,

Det Træ var Skyld i min Smerte,

Ak, da stod det just med Grønt og med Rødt,

Hvert Blad saae ud som et Hjerte.

 

Med Fisken jeg svømmed' til Havsens Bund,

Der vilde jeg boe og bygge,

Men gjennem Vandet til Hjertets Grund

Det Træ har Rødder og Skygge.

 

Da søgte jeg mig i Graven Læ,

Det var jo det Bedste og Sidste;

Men hver en Midnat dufter det Træ,

Saa jeg maa staae op af min Kiste!

 

 

A tree there once grew in my mother’s yard

 

A tree there once grew in my mother’s yard,

Each leaf on its branches was heart-shaped;

But fate I felt to be much too hard,

So I travelled afar with my heartache.

 

I flew like a bird and my thoughts did too,

And never once were we parted,

But each time we sat on a branch, we two,

We were still as close as we started!

 

I gazed at the sun, saw its eye grow dead,

That tree had caused all my heartache,

Ah, it stood there clad in green and in red.

Each leaf on its branches was heart-shaped.

 

With fishes I swam to the deep sea floor,

I wanted to build a home there,

But through the water to heart’s deep core

That tree’s roots and shade still roamed there.

 

Then down in the grave at last I went,

To spare myself woe in the offing;

But every midnight the tree’s strong scent

Just forces me up from my coffin!