Hans Christian Andersen: 'The Blackthorn'

 

Slaaentjørnen

 

Vor Junker kom i Skoven, der Grethe han saae,

Hun gik og samled Jordbær, hun trak dem paa Straa,

De modneste de bedste, hvert af dem frisk og sødt.

»Ei Grethelil,« saa talte han: »det er jo heldigt mødt.

Jeg vil hjelpe med at plukke!

 

Det rødeste det bedste, jeg fandt denne Stund,

De sødeste meest friske, det groer paa din Mund,

Du veed ei selv din Rigdom, men Grethe jeg veed den,

Og derfor vil jeg hjelpe Dig, jeg er en ærlig Ven.

Jeg vil hjelpe med at plukke!«

 

I Skoven stod en Slaaentjørn, den hørte derpaa,

Før Junkeren det vidste i Tjørnen han laae,

Og Grethe løb, hun smilte, og sagde mange Tak!

Den Slaaentjørn havde Torne og alle Torne stak.

Jeg vil hjelpe med at plukke!

 

 

Trykt som Nr. 3 af Fire Sange for een Syngestemme med Accompagnement af Pianoforte, komponeret af H. S. Løvenskjold Op. 23, Kjøbenhavn. (December 1849). 

 

 

The Blackthorn

 

Our young lord spied young Grethe out on his forest walk,

Her strawberries once picked, she was threading on a stalk,

The ripest and the best, and with each one fresh and sweet.

‘Oh, Gretchen,’ he remarked: ‘how delightful we should meet.

I will help you with your picking!

 

The reddest and the best I found a while ago,

The sweetest and the freshest, on own your lips they grow,

You fail to see your treasure, but Grethe, it I spy,

And that is why I’ll help you, an honest friend am I.

I will help you with your picking!’

 

Close by there grew a blackthorn, it heard all that was said

Before the young lord knew it, the blackthorn was his bed,

And Grethe ran off smiling, and said my thanks to you!

The blackthorn it was prickly, its thorns pierced through and through.

I will help you with your picking!

 

 

Printed as No. 3 of Four Songs for Singing Voice and Piano Accompaniment, composed by H. S. Løvenskjold, Op. 23, Copenhagen (December 1849).