Andersen's Fairy Tales, The shoes of fortune, III. The Watchman's Adventure, part 2

The shoes of fortune, III. The Watchman's Adventure, part 2

Such verses as these people write when they are in love! But no man in his senses ever thinks of printing them. Here one of the sorrows of life, in which there is real poetry, gave itself vent; not that barren grief which the poet may only hint at, but never depict in its detail--misery and want: that animal necessity, in short, to snatch at least at a fallen leaf of the bread-fruit tree, if not at the fruit itself. The higher the position in which one finds oneself transplanted, the greater is the suffering. Everyday necessity is the stagnant pool of life--no lovely picture reflects itself therein. Lieutenant, love, and lack of money--that is a symbolic triangle, or much the same as the half of the shattered die of Fortune. This the lieutenant felt most poignantly, and this was the reason he leant his head against the window, and sighed so deeply.

"The poor watchman out there in the street is far happier than I. He knows not what I term privation. He has a home, a wife, and children, who weep with him over his sorrows, who rejoice with him when he is glad. Oh, far happier were I, could I exchange with him my being—with his desires and with his hopes perform the weary pilgrimage of life! Oh, he is a hundred times happier than I!" In the same moment the watchman was again watchman. It was the shoes that caused the metamorphosis by means of which, unknown to himself, he took upon him the thoughts and feelings of the officer; but, as we have just seen, he felt himself in his new situation much less contented, and now preferred the very thing which but some minutes before he had rejected. So then the watchman was again watchman.

"That was an unpleasant dream," said he; "but 'twas droll enough altogether. I fancied that I was the lieutenant over there: and yet the thing was not very much to my taste after all. I missed my good old mother and the dear little ones; who almost tear me to pieces for sheer love." He seated himself once more and nodded: the dream continued to haunt him, for he still had the shoes on his feet. A falling star shone in the dark firmament.

"There falls another star," said he: "but what does it matter; there are always enough left. I should not much mind examining the little glimmering things somewhat nearer, especially the moon; for that would not slip so easily through a man's fingers. When we die--so at least says the student, for whom my wife does the washing--we shall fly about as light as a feather from one such a star to the other. That's, of course, not true: but 'twould be pretty enough if it were so. If I could but once take a leap up there, my body might stay here on the steps for what I care." Behold--there are certain things in the world to which one ought never to give utterance except with the greatest caution; but doubly careful must one be when we have the Shoes of Fortune on our feet. Now just listen to what happened to the watchman.

The shoes of fortune, III. The Watchman's Adventure, part 2 Die Schuhe des Glücks, III. Das Abenteuer des Wächters, Teil 2 Τα παπούτσια της τύχης, III. Η περιπέτεια του φύλακα, μέρος 2 Los zapatos de la fortuna, III. La aventura del vigilante, parte 2 Les chaussures de la fortune, III. L'aventure du veilleur, partie 2 Os sapatos da fortuna, III. A aventura do vigilante, parte 2 Ботинки судьбы, III. Приключение сторожа, часть 2 Talihin ayakkabıları, III. Bekçinin Macerası, 2. bölüm 财富之鞋，III。守望者的冒险，第二部分

Such verses as these people write when they are in love! |poetic lines||||||||| Que versos escrevem estas pessoas quando estão apaixonadas! But no man in his senses ever thinks of printing them. Mas nenhum homem de bom senso pensa em imprimi-los. Here one of the sorrows of life, in which there is real poetry, gave itself vent; not that barren grief which the poet may only hint at, but never depict in its detail--misery and want: that animal necessity, in short, to snatch at least at a fallen leaf of the bread-fruit tree, if not at the fruit itself. |||||||||||||||expressed itself|||Unproductive|||||||||||portray in detail||||Desperation and need||desperate need|||||||grab quickly||||||crumb of food||||||||||| Aqui, uma das tristezas da vida, em que há verdadeira poesia, deu vazão a si mesma; não aquela dor estéril que o poeta pode apenas insinuar, mas nunca descrever nos seus pormenores - miséria e carência: aquela necessidade animal, em suma, de arrancar pelo menos uma folha caída da árvore do fruto do pão, se não o próprio fruto. The higher the position in which one finds oneself transplanted, the greater is the suffering. The more|||||||||||||| Quanto mais elevada é a posição em que nos encontramos transplantados, maior é o sofrimento. Everyday necessity is the stagnant pool of life--no lovely picture reflects itself therein. ||||Unchanging and dull|||||||||in it A necessidade quotidiana é a piscina estagnada da vida - nenhuma imagem bonita se reflecte nela. Lieutenant, love, and lack of money--that is a symbolic triangle, or much the same as the half of the shattered die of Fortune. ||||||||||||||||||||broken into pieces||| O tenente, o amor e a falta de dinheiro - é um triângulo simbólico, ou seja, muito parecido com a metade do dado quebrado da Fortuna. This the lieutenant felt most poignantly, and this was the reason he leant his head against the window, and sighed so deeply. |||||deeply emotionally|||||||rested||||||||| Foi isso que o tenente sentiu de forma mais pungente, e foi por isso que encostou a cabeça à janela e suspirou tão profundamente.

"The poor watchman out there in the street is far happier than I. He knows not what I term privation. ||||||||||||||||||call deprivation|Lack of necessities "O pobre vigia na rua é muito mais feliz do que eu. Ele não sabe o que eu chamo de privação. He has a home, a wife, and children, who weep with him over his sorrows, who rejoice with him when he is glad. |||||||||cry|||||||celebrate with him|||||| Ele tem um lar, uma esposa e filhos, que choram com ele nas suas tristezas, que se alegram com ele quando ele está feliz. Oh, far happier were I, could I exchange with him my being—with his desires and with his hopes perform the weary pilgrimage of life! |||||||||||||||||||||tiring|journey of life|| Oh, muito mais feliz seria eu, se pudesse trocar com ele o meu ser - com os seus desejos e com as suas esperanças realizar a peregrinação cansativa da vida! Oh, he is a hundred times happier than I!" In the same moment the watchman was again watchman. No mesmo instante, o vigilante voltou a ser vigilante. It was the shoes that caused the metamorphosis by means of which, unknown to himself, he took upon him the thoughts and feelings of the officer; but, as we have just seen, he felt himself in his new situation much less contented, and now preferred the very thing which but some minutes before he had rejected. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||less satisfied|||||||||||||| So then the watchman was again watchman.

"That was an unpleasant dream," said he; "but 'twas droll enough altogether. ||||||||it was|amusingly odd|| "Foi um sonho desagradável", disse ele; "mas foi bastante engraçado. I fancied that I was the lieutenant over there: and yet the thing was not very much to my taste after all. |imagined|||||||||||||||||||| I missed my good old mother and the dear little ones; who almost tear me to pieces for sheer love." ||||||||||||||||||pure, intense| Tinha saudades da minha boa e velha mãe e dos queridos pequeninos, que quase me desfazem em pedaços por puro amor". He seated himself once more and nodded: the dream continued to haunt him, for he still had the shoes on his feet. |||||||||||trouble or disturb|||||||||| Sentou-se de novo e acenou com a cabeça: o sonho continuava a persegui-lo, pois ainda tinha os sapatos nos pés. A falling star shone in the dark firmament. |||||||night sky Uma estrela cadente brilhava no firmamento escuro.

"There falls another star," said he: "but what does it matter; there are always enough left. "Cai outra estrela", disse ele: "mas o que é que isso importa; sobram sempre muitas. I should not much mind examining the little glimmering things somewhat nearer, especially the moon; for that would not slip so easily through a man's fingers. Não me importaria muito de examinar as pequenas coisas cintilantes um pouco mais de perto, especialmente a lua, porque isso não escaparia tão facilmente aos dedos de um homem. When we die--so at least says the student, for whom my wife does the washing--we shall fly about as light as a feather from one such a star to the other. Quando morrermos - pelo menos é o que diz o estudante, para quem a minha mulher lava a roupa -, voaremos tão leves como uma pena de uma estrela para a outra. That's, of course, not true: but 'twould be pretty enough if it were so. ||||||it would||||||| É claro que isso não é verdade, mas seria bastante bonito se assim fosse. If I could but once take a leap up there, my body might stay here on the steps for what I care." Se eu pudesse dar um salto até lá acima, o meu corpo poderia ficar aqui nos degraus, se me importasse." Behold--there are certain things in the world to which one ought never to give utterance except with the greatest caution; but doubly careful must one be when we have the Shoes of Fortune on our feet. Take note|||||||||||||||speak carefully||||||||||||||||||||| Now just listen to what happened to the watchman.