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Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Shadow, part 2

The Shadow, part 2

The learned foreigner thought it quite marvellous, but now—it might be that he only imagined it--for he found everything marvellous out there, in the warm lands, if there had only been no sun. The stranger's landlord said that he didn't know who had taken the house opposite, one saw no person about, and as to the music, it appeared to him to be extremely tiresome. "It is as if some one sat there, and practised a piece that he could not master--always the same piece. 'I shall master it!' says he; but yet he cannot master it, however long he plays." * The word mahogany can be understood, in Danish, as having two meanings. In general, it means the reddish-brown wood itself; but in jest, it signifies "excessively fine," which arose from an anecdote of Nyboder, in Copenhagen, (the seamen's quarter.) A sailor's wife, who was always proud and fine, in her way, came to her neighbor, and complained that she had got a splinter in her finger. "What of?" asked the neighbor's wife. "It is a mahogany splinter," said the other. "Mahogany! It cannot be less with you!" exclaimed the woman--and thence the proverb, "It is so mahogany!" --(that is, so excessively fine)—is derived.

One night the stranger awoke--he slept with the doors of the balcony open--the curtain before it was raised by the wind, and he thought that a strange lustre came from the opposite neighbor's house; all the flowers shone like flames, in the most beautiful colors, and in the midst of the flowers stood a slender, graceful maiden--it was as if she also shone; the light really hurt his eyes. He now opened them quite wide--yes, he was quite awake; with one spring he was on the floor; he crept gently behind the curtain, but the maiden was gone; the flowers shone no longer, but there they stood, fresh and blooming as ever; the door was ajar, and, far within, the music sounded so soft and delightful, one could really melt away in sweet thoughts from it. Yet it was like a piece of enchantment. And who lived there? Where was the actual entrance? The whole of the ground-floor was a row of shops, and there people could not always be running through.

One evening the stranger sat out on the balcony. The light burnt in the room behind him; and thus it was quite natural that his shadow should fall on his opposite neighbor's wall. Yes! there it sat, directly opposite, between the flowers on the balcony; and when the stranger moved, the shadow also moved: for that it always does.

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The Shadow, part 2 Der Schatten, Teil 2 La Sombra, parte 2 L'Ombre, partie 2 L'ombra, parte 2 ザ・シャドウ その2 A Sombra, parte 2 Тень, часть 2 Gölge, Bölüm 2 阴影，第 2 部分 陰影，第 2 部分

The learned foreigner thought it quite marvellous, but now—it might be that he only imagined it--for he found everything marvellous out there, in the warm lands, if there had only been no sun. Der gelehrte Fremde fand es ganz wunderbar, aber jetzt - vielleicht bildete er es sich nur ein - denn er fand alles wunderbar da draußen, in den warmen Ländern, wenn nur die Sonne nicht gewesen wäre. The learned foreigner thought it quite marvellous, but now—it might be that he only imagined it--for he found everything marvellous out there, in the warm lands, if there had only been no sun. The stranger's landlord said that he didn't know who had taken the house opposite, one saw no person about, and as to the music, it appeared  to him to be extremely tiresome. Der Vermieter des Fremden sagte, dass er nicht wisse, wer das Haus gegenüber eingenommen habe, man sehe keine Person dort, und was die Musik angehe, so erscheine sie ihm äußerst lästig. "It is as if some one sat there, and practised a piece that he could not master--always the same piece. "Es ist, als ob jemand da säße und ein Stück übte, das er nicht beherrschte - immer das gleiche Stück. 'I shall master it!' Ich werde es meistern! says he; but yet he cannot master it, however long he plays." * The word mahogany can be understood, in Danish, as having two meanings. * Das Wort Mahagoni kann im Dänischen in zwei Bedeutungen verstanden werden. In general, it means the reddish-brown wood itself; but in jest, it signifies "excessively fine," which arose from an anecdote of Nyboder, in Copenhagen, (the seamen's quarter.) Im Allgemeinen ist damit das rötlich-braune Holz selbst gemeint, aber im Scherz bedeutet es "übermäßig fein", was einer Anekdote aus Nyboder in Kopenhagen (dem Seemannsviertel) entstammt. A sailor's wife, who was always proud and fine, in her way, came to her neighbor, and complained that she had got a splinter in her finger. Eine Seemannsfrau, die auf ihre Art immer stolz und fein war, kam zu ihrer Nachbarin und beklagte sich, dass sie einen Splitter im Finger habe. "What of?" "Wovon?" asked the neighbor's wife. fragte die Frau des Nachbarn. "It is a mahogany splinter," said the other. "Mahogany! It cannot be less with you!" Mit dir kann es nicht weniger werden!" No puede ser menos contigo". exclaimed the woman--and thence the proverb, "It is so mahogany!" rief die Frau aus - und daher das Sprichwort: "Es ist so mahagoniartig!" --(that is, so excessively fine)—is derived.

One night the stranger awoke--he slept with the doors of the balcony open--the curtain before it was raised by the wind, and he thought that a strange lustre came from the opposite neighbor's house; all the flowers shone like flames, in the most beautiful colors, and in the midst of the flowers stood a slender, graceful maiden--it was as if she also shone; the light really hurt his eyes. Eines Nachts erwachte der Fremde - er schlief bei offener Balkontür - der Vorhang davor wurde vom Wind hochgezogen, und er glaubte, ein seltsamer Glanz käme aus dem gegenüberliegenden Nachbarhaus; alle Blumen leuchteten wie Flammen, in den schönsten Farben, und inmitten der Blumen stand ein schlankes, anmutiges Mädchen - es war, als würde auch sie leuchten; das Licht tat ihm richtig weh in den Augen. He now opened them quite wide--yes, he was quite awake; with one spring he was on the floor; he crept gently behind the curtain, but the maiden was gone; the flowers shone no longer, but there they stood, fresh and blooming as ever; the door was ajar, and, far within, the music sounded so soft and  delightful, one could really melt away in sweet thoughts from it. Er öffnete sie nun ganz weit - ja, er war ganz wach; mit einem Sprung war er auf dem Boden; er kroch leise hinter den Vorhang, aber das Mädchen war fort; die Blumen leuchteten nicht mehr, aber sie standen da, frisch und blühend wie immer; die Tür war angelehnt, und weit drinnen klang die Musik so sanft und lieblich, daß man in süßen Gedanken davon zerfließen konnte. Yet it was like a piece of enchantment. Und doch war es wie ein Stück Verzauberung. And who lived there? Where was the actual entrance? Wo war der eigentliche Eingang? The whole of the ground-floor was a row of shops, and there people could not always be running through. Das gesamte Erdgeschoss bestand aus einer Reihe von Geschäften, und da konnten nicht immer Leute durchlaufen.

One evening the stranger sat out on the balcony. The light burnt in the room behind him; and thus it was quite natural that his shadow should fall on his opposite neighbor's wall. Das Licht brannte in dem Raum hinter ihm, und so war es ganz natürlich, dass sein Schatten auf die gegenüberliegende Nachbarwand fiel. Yes! there it sat, directly opposite, between the flowers on the balcony; and when the stranger moved, the shadow also moved: for that it always does. Dort saß er, direkt gegenüber, zwischen den Blumen auf dem Balkon; und wenn der Fremde sich bewegte, bewegte sich auch der Schatten, denn das tut er immer.