Andersen's fairy tales
Compare this story in two languages
It sizzled and fizzled as the flames fired the cauldron.. it was the Tallow Candle's cradle - and out of the warm cradle came a flawless candle; solid, shining white and slim it was formed in a way that made everyone who saw it believe that it was a promise of a bright and radiant future – promises that everyone who looked on believed it would really want to keep and fulfil.
Det sydede og bruste, mens Ilden flammede under Gryden, det var Tællelysets Vugge - og ud af den lune Vugge gled Lyset for[m]fuldendt, helstøbt, skinnende hvidt og slankt det var dannet paa en Maade, som fik Alle, der saae det til at troe at det maatte give Løvte om en lys og straalende Fremtid – og Løvterne, som Alle saae, skulde det virkelig holde og opfylde.
The sheep – a fine little sheep – was the candle's mother, and the melting pot its father. Its mother had given it a shiny white body and an inkling about life, but from its father it had been given a craving for the flaming fire that would eventually go through its marrow and bone and shine for it in life.
Faaret - et nydeligt lille Faar - var Lysets Moder og Smeltegryden var dets Fader. Fra dets Moder havde det arvet sin blendende hvide Krop og en Ahnelse om Livet; men fra / dets Fader havde det faaet Lysten til den flammende Ild, der engang skulde gaae det igjennem Marv og Been – og "lyse" for det i Livet.
That's how it was born and had grown; and with the best and brightest anticipation cast itself into existence. There it met so many, many strange creations that it became involved with, wanting to learn about life – and perhaps find the place where it would best fit in. But it had too much faith in the world that only cared about itself, and not at all about the Tallow Candle. A world that failed to understand the value of the candle, and thus tried to use it for its own benefit, holding the candle wrongly; black fingers leaving bigger and bigger blemishes on its pristine white innocence which eventually faded away, completely covered by the dirt of a surrounding world that had come much too close; much closer than the candle could endure, as it had been unable to tell grime from purity – although it remained pristine and unspoiled inside.
Ja saadan var det skabt og udviklet, da det med de bedste, de lyseste Forhaabninger kastede sig ud i Livet. Der traf det saa underlig mange Medskabninger som det indlod sig med; thi det vilde lære Livet at kjende – og maaskee derved finde den Plads, hvor det selv passede bedst. Men det troede altfor godt om Verden; den brød sig kun om sig selv og slet ikke om Tællelyset; thi den kunde ikke forstaae, til hvad Gavn det kunde være, og derfor søgte den saa at bruge det til Fordeel for sig selv og toge forkeert fat paa Lyset, de sorte Fingre satte større og større Pletter paa den reene Uskyldsfarve; denne svandt efterhaanden ganske bort og blev heelt tildækket af Smuds / fra Omverd[e]nen, der var kommet i altfor svær Berøring med det, meget nærmere end Lyset kunde taale, da det ikke havde kundet skjelne Reent fra Ureent, – men endnu var det i sit Inderste uskyldig og ufordærvet.
False friends found they could not reach its inner self and angrily cast the candle away as useless.
Da saae de falske Venner, at de ikke kunde naae det Indre – og vrede kastede de Lyset bort som en unyttig Tingest.
The filthy outer shell kept all the good away – scared as they were to be tainted with grime and blemishes – and they stayed away.
Men de[n] ydre sorte Skal holdt alle de Gode borte, – de vare bange for at smittes af den sorte Farve, for at faae Pletter paa sig, – og saa holdt de sig borte.
So there was the poor Tallow Candle, solitary and left alone, at a loss at what to do. Rejected by the good, it now realised it had only been a tool to further the wicked. It felt so unbelievably unhappy, because it had spent its life to no good end – in fact it had perhaps sullied the better parts of its surroundings. It just could not determine why it had been created or where it belonged; why it had been put on this earth – perhaps to end up ruining itself and others.
Nu stod det stakkels Tællelys saa ene og forladt, det vidste hverken ud eller ind. Det saae sig forstødt af det Gode og det opdagede nu, at det kun havde været et Redskab til at fremme det slette, det følte sig da saa uendelig ulyksalig, fordi det havde tilbragt dets Liv til ingen Nytte, ja det havde maaskee endogsaa sværtet det Bedre i sin Omgang –, det kunde ikke fatte, hvorfor eller hvortil det egentlig / var skabt, hvorfor det skulde leve paa Jorden – og maaskee ødelægge sig selv og andre.
More and more, and deeper and deeper, it contemplated – but the more it considered itself, the more despondent it became, finding nothing good, no real substance for itself, no real goal for the existence it had been given at its birth. As if the grimy cape had also covered its eyes.
Meer og meer, dybere og dybere grublede det, men jo meere det tænkte, desto større blev dets Mismod, da det slet ikke kunde finde noget Godt, noget virkeligt Indhold for sig selv – eller see det Maal, som det havde faaet ved dets Fødsel. – Det var ligesom det sorte Dække ogsaa havde tilsløret dets Øine.
But then it met a little flame, a tinder box. It knew the candle better than the Tallow Candle knew itself. The tinder box had such a clear view – straight through the outer shell – and inside it found so much good. It came closer and there was bright expectation in the candle – it lit and its heart melted.
Men da traf det en lille Flamme, et Fyrtøi; det kjendte Lyset bedre, end Tællelyset kjendte sig selv; thi Fyrtøiet saae saa klart – tværs igjennem den ydre Skal – og der inden for fandt det saa meget Godt; derfor nærmede det sig til det, og lyse Formodninger vaktes hos Lyset; det antændtes og Hjertet smæltede i det.
Out burst the flame, like the triumphant torch of a blissful wedding. Light burst out bright and clear all around, bathing the way forward with light for its surroundings – its true friends – who were now able to seek truth in the glow of the candle.
Flammen straalede ud – som Formælingens Glædesfakkel, Alt blev lyst og klart rundt omkring, og det oplyste Veien for dets Omgivelser, dets sande Venner – og med Held søgte de nu Sandheden under Lysets Skue.
The body too was strong enough to give sustenance to the fiery flame. One drop upon another, like the seeds of a new life, trickled round and chubby down the candle, covering the old grime with their bodies.
Men ogsaa Legemet var kraftigt nok / til at nære og bære den flammende Ild. – Draabe paa Draabe som Spirer til nyt Liv trillede runde og buttede ned ad stammen og dækkede med deres Legemer – Fortidens Smuds.
They were not just the bodily, but also the spiritual issue of the marriage.
De vare ikke blot Formælingens legemlige men ogsaa deres [a]andelige Udbytte. –
And the Tallow Candle had found its right place in life – and shown that it was a real candle, and went on to shine for many a year, pleasing itself and the other creations around it.
Og Tællelyset havde fundet dets rette Plads i Livet – og viist, at det var et rigtigt Lys, som lyste længe til Glæde for sig selv og dets Medskabninger -