Andersen's fairy tales
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"Yes, this is a song for very small children!" declared Aunt Malle. "As much as I should like to, I cannot follow this 'Dance, Dance, Doll of Mine!'"
"Ja, det er nu en vise for meget små børn!" forsikrede tante Malle; "jeg kan med bedste vilje ikke følge med!"
But little Amalie could; she was only three years old, played with dolls, and brought them up to be just as wise as Aunt Malle.
Men lille Amalie kunne det; hun var kun tre år, legede med dukker og opdrog disse til at blive lige så kloge, som tante Malle.
There was a student who came to the house to help her brothers with their lessons, and he frequently spoke to little Amalie and her dolls; he spoke differently from anyone else, and the little girl found him very amusing, although Aunt Malle said he didn't know how to converse with children - their little heads couldn't possibly grasp that silly talk. But little Amalie did. Yes, the student even taught her the whole song, "Dance, Dance, Doll of Mine!" and she sang it to her three dolls; two were new, one a girl doll and the other a boy doll, but the third doll was old; her name was Lise-moér. She also heard the song, and was even in it.
Der kom en student i huset; han læste lektier med brødrene; han talte så meget til den lille Amalie og hendes dukker, talte ganske anderledes end alle andre; det var så morsomt, fandt den lille, og dog sagde tante Malle, at han slet ikke forstod at omgås børn; de små hoveder kunne umuligt bære den snak. Lille Amalie kunne det, ja lærte endogså udenad af studenten en hel vise: "Danse, danse dukke min!" og hun sang den for sine tre dukker, de to var nye, den ene en frøken, den anden et mandfolk, men den tredje dukke var gammel og hed Lise. Hun fik også sangen at høre og var med i den.
Dance, dance, doll of mine!
Danse, danse dukke min!
Girl doll's dress is very fine.
nej, hvor frøkenen er fin!
Boy doll is a dandy, too;
kavaleren ligeså,
He wears gloves and hat and shoe;
han har hat og handsker på,
White pants, blue coat, him adorn;
bukser hvide, kjole blå,
On his toe he has a corn.
ligtorn på den store tå.
He is fine and she is fine.
Han er fin, og hun er fin.
Dance, dance, doll of mine!
Danse, danse dukke min!
Old doll's name is Lise-moér;
Her er gamle Lisemor!
She is from the year before;
hun er dukke fra i fjor;
Hair is new; it's made of flax,
håret nyt, det er af hør,
Forehead polished up with wax.
panden vasket er med smør;
Young again, not old and done.
hun er ganske ung igen.
Come along, my cherished one,
Kom du med, min gamle ven!
Let us dance a fast gavotte;
I skal danse alle tre.
To watch it is worth a lot.
Det er penge værd at se.
Dance, dance, doll of mine!
Danse, danse dukke min!
Watch your steps and get in line;
gør de rette dansetrin!
One foot forward; watch your feet.
foden ud ad, hold dig rank,
Dancing makes you slender, sweet.
så er du så sød og slank!
Bow and twist and turn around;
neje, dreje, snurre rundt,
That will make you hale and sound.
det er overmåde sundt!
What a sight it is to see!
Det er nydeligt at se.
You are doing fine, all three.
I er søde alle tre!
And the dolls understood the song; little Amalie understood it, and so did the student, but then he had written it himself and said it was excellent. Only Aunt Malle didn't understand it; she had passed over the fence of youth. "Silly song!" she said. But not little Amalie! She sings it.
Og dukkerne forstod visen, lille Amalie forstod den, studenten forstod den; han havde selv digtet den og sagde, at den var så udmærket; kun Tante Malle forstod den ikke; hun var kommet ud over barnlighedens plankeværk, "pjankeværk!" sagde hun, men det var ikke lille Amalie, hun synger den.
It is from her that we know it.
Fra hende har vi den.