Saturday, 8 June 2024

Hans Christian Andersen: 'De tre Gaver' (1830)

 




 

The three gifts

 

A woodland tree rises straight and tall

And the birds high up so sweetly call:

There four cheerful journeymen wended.

 

Each one to it some attention pays;

Then they all  go their separate ways,

For day there is almost ended.

 

The first one a carver was by trade

And of the tree he swiftly made

A man of handsome bearing.

 

The second fellow was tailor Dick;

Who made fine clothes for it, neat and slick;

Its lack of mind though was glaring!

 

A budding poet was the third

The block he perused without a word,

With life and mind he bestowed it.

 

The new man bowed and went his way;

But wonders more and more: ‘Who, pray,

With the finest gift me has loaded?’

 

His fortune in town was quickly made,

For it always helps with clothes well made;

With titles they simply adorned him.

 

Each lady’s heart it was all afire,

He is indeed a handsome young sire.

– For lack of mind nobody scorned him.

 

 

 To see the original poem, go to here.




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