Hørren stod i blomster. Den har sådanne dejlige blå blomster så bløde som vingerne på et møl og endnu meget finere. - Solen skinnede på hørren og regnskyerne vandede den, og det var lige så godt for den som det er for småbørn at blive vasket, og så få et kys af moder; de bliver jo deraf meget dejligere. Og det blev også hørren.
The flax was in full bloom; it had pretty little blue flowers as delicate as the wings of a moth, or even more so. The sun shone, and the showers watered it; and this was just as good for the flax as it is for little children to be washed and then kissed by their mother. They look much prettier for it, and so did the flax.
"Folk siger jeg står så udmærket godt;" sagde hørren, "og at jeg bliver så dejlig lang, der vil komme et prægtigt stykke lærred af mig! Nej, hvor jeg er lykkelig! Jeg er bestemt den allerlykkeligste af alle! Jeg har det så godt, og jeg skal blive til noget! Hvor det solskin muntrer op og hvor den regn smager og forfrisker! Jeg er mageløs lykkelig, jeg er den allerlykkeligste!"
"People say that I look exceedingly well," said the flax, "and that I am so fine and long that I shall make a beautiful piece of linen. How fortunate I am; it makes me so happy, it is such a pleasant thing to know that something can be made of me. How the sunshine cheers me, and how sweet and refreshing is the rain; my happiness overpowers me, no one in the world can feel happier than I am."
"Ja, ja, ja!" sagde gærdestavene, "Du kender ikke verden, men det gør vi, der er knuder i os!" og så knagede de så ynkeligt:
"Ah, yes, no doubt," said the fern, "but you do not know the world yet as well as I do, for my sticks are knotty;" and then it sung quite mournfully–
"Snip snap snurre
"Snip, snap, snurre,
Basselurre,
Basse lurre:
Visen er ude!"
The song is ended."
"Nej, den er ikke!" sagde hørren; "solen skinner i morgen, regnen gør så godt, jeg kan høre hvor jeg vokser, jeg kan føle jeg har blomst! jeg er den allerlykkeligste!"
"No, it is not ended," said the flax. "To-morrow the sun will shine, or the rain descend. I feel that I am growing. I feel that I am in full blossom. I am the happiest of all creatures."
Men en dag kom der folk og tog hørren i toppen og ruskede den op med rod, det gjorde ondt; og den blev lagt i vand ligesom den skulle druknes, og så kom den over ild, ligesom den skulle steges, det var grueligt!
Well, one day some people came, who took hold of the flax, and pulled it up by the roots; this was painful; then it was laid in water as if they intended to drown it; and, after that, placed near a fire as if it were to be roasted; all this was very shocking.
"Man kan ikke altid have det godt!" sagde hørren, "man må prøve noget, så ved man noget!"
"We cannot expect to be happy always," said the flax; "by experiencing evil as well as good, we become wise."
Men det blev rigtignok slemt. Hørren blev knækket og brækket, skættet og heglet, ja hvad vidste den hvad det hed; den kom på rokken, snurre rur! det var ikke muligt at holde tankerne samlede.
And certainly there was plenty of evil in store for the flax. It was steeped, and roasted, and broken, and combed; indeed, it scarcely knew what was done to it. At last it was put on the spinning wheel. "Whirr, whirr," went the wheel so quickly that the flax could not collect its thoughts.
"Jeg har været overordentlig lykkelig!" tænkte den i al sin pine! "Man må være glad ved det gode, man har haft! Glad, glad, oh!" - og det sagde den endnu da den kom på væven, - og så blev den til et dejligt stort stykke lærred. Al hørren, hver eneste urt, blev til det ene stykke!
"Well, I have been very happy," he thought in the midst of his pain, "and must be contented with the past;" and contented he remained till he was put on the loom, and became a beautiful piece of white linen. All the flax, even to the last stalk, was used in making this one piece.
"Ja, men det er jo mageløst! Det havde jeg aldrig troet! Nej, hvor jeg har lykken med mig! Jo gærdestavene de vidste rigtig nok god besked med deres
"Well, this is quite wonderful; I could not have believed that I should be so favored by fortune. The fern was not wrong with its song of
'Snip snap snurre
'Snip, snap, snurre,
Basselurre!'
Basse lurre.'
Visen er slet ikke ude! Nu begynder den just! Det er mageløst! Ja, har jeg lidt noget, så er jeg også nu blevet noget for det; jeg er den lykkeligste af alle! - Jeg er så stærk, og så blød, så hvid og så lang! Det er noget andet end kun at være urter, selv om man har blomst! Man bliver ikke passet, og vand får man kun når det regner. Nu har jeg opvartning! Pigen vender mig hver morgen, og med vandkanden får jeg regnbad hver aften; ja præstekonen selv har holdt tale over mig og sagt, at jeg var det bedste stykke i sognet. Jeg kan ikke blive lykkeligere!"
But the song is not ended yet, I am sure; it is only just beginning. How wonderful it is, that after all I have suffered, I am made something of at last; I am the luckiest person in the world– so strong and fine; and how white, and what a length! This is something different to being a mere plant and bearing flowers. Then I had no attention, nor any water unless it rained; now, I am watched and taken care of. Every morning the maid turns me over, and I have a shower-bath from the watering-pot every evening. Yes, and the clergyman's wife noticed me, and said I was the best piece of linen in the whole parish. I cannot be happier than I am now."
Nu kom lærredet i hus, nu kom det under saks. Hvor man klippede, hvor man skar, hvor man stak med synåle, for det gjorde man! Det var ingen fornøjelse. Men lærredet blev til tolv stykker lintøj, af det man ikke nævner, men som alle mennesker må have; det var tolv stykker af det.
After some time, the linen was taken into the house, placed under the scissors, and cut and torn into pieces, and then pricked with needles. This certainly was not pleasant; but at last it was made into twelve garments of that kind which people do not like to name, and yet everybody should wear one.
"Nej, se nu blev jeg først til noget! Så det var min bestemmelse! Ja, men det er jo velsignet! nu gør jeg gavn i verden, og det er det man skal gøre, det er den rette fornøjelse. Vi er blevet tolv stykker, men vi er alle dog ét og det samme, vi er et dusin! Hvor det er en mageløs lykke!"
"See, now, then," said the flax; "I have become something of importance. This was my destiny; it is quite a blessing. Now I shall be of some use in the world, as everyone ought to be; it is the only way to be happy. I am now divided into twelve pieces, and yet we are all one and the same in the whole dozen. It is most extraordinary good fortune."
Og år gik, - og så kunne det ikke holde længere.
Years passed away, and at last the linen was so worn it could scarcely hold together.
"Engang må det jo være forbi!" sagde hvert stykke, "jeg gad jo gerne holdt noget længere, men man må ikke forlange umulige ting!" Og så blev de revet i stumper og laser, de troede at det var rent forbi, for de blev hakket og maset og kogt, ja de vidste ikke selv hvad - og så blev de dejligt fint hvidt papir!
"It must end very soon," said the pieces to each other; "we would gladly have held together a little longer, but it is useless to expect impossibilities." And at length they fell into rags and tatters, and thought it was all over with them, for they were torn to shreds, and steeped in water, and made into a pulp, and dried, and they knew not what besides, till all at once they found themselves beautiful white paper.
"Nej, det er en overraskelse! Og en dejlig overraskelse!" sagde papiret! "Nu er jeg finere end før, og nu skal der skrives på mig! Hvad kan der ikke blive skrevet! Det er dog en mageløs lykke!" Og der blev skrevet på det, de allerdejligste historier, og folk hørte hvad der stod, og det var så rigtigt og godt, det gjorde menneskene meget klogere og bedre; det var en stor velsignelse, der i ord var givet de papirer.
"Well, now, this is a surprise; a glorious surprise too," said the paper. "I am now finer than ever, and I shall be written upon, and who can tell what fine things I may have written upon me. This is wonderful luck!" And sure enough the most beautiful stories and poetry were written upon it, and only once was there a blot, which was very fortunate. Then people heard the stories and poetry read, and it made them wiser and better; for all that was written had a good and sensible meaning, and a great blessing was contained in the words on this paper.
"Det er mere end jeg drømte om, da jeg var en lille blå blomst på marken! hvor kunne jeg tænke, at jeg skulle komme til at bære glæde og kundskaber ud til menneskene. Jeg kan endnu selv ikke forstå det! Men det er nu engang virkelig så! Vorherre ved, at jeg selv slet ingen ting har gjort, uden hvad jeg efter fattig lejlighed måtte gøre, for at være til! Og så bærer han mig således frem til den ene glæde og hæder efter den anden; hver gang jeg tænker: 'Visen er ude!' så går den just over i noget meget højere og bedre; nu skal jeg vist på rejse, sendes hele verden rundt, for at alle mennesker kan læse mig! Det er det rimeligste! Før havde jeg blå blomster, nu har jeg for hver blomst de dejligste tanker! Jeg er den allerlykkeligste!"
"I never imagined anything like this," said the paper, "when I was only a little blue flower, growing in the fields. How could I fancy that I should ever be the means of bringing knowledge and joy to man? I cannot understand it myself, and yet it is really so. Heaven knows that I have done nothing myself, but what I was obliged to do with my weak powers for my own preservation; and yet I have been promoted from one joy and honor to another. Each time I think that the song is ended; and then something higher and better begins for me. I suppose now I shall be sent on my travels about the world, so that people may read me. It cannot be otherwise; indeed, it is more than probable; for I have more splendid thoughts written upon me, than I had pretty flowers in olden times. I am happier than ever."
Men papiret kom ikke på rejse, det kom til bogtrykkeren, og der blev alt, hvad der stod skrevet på det, sat i trykken til en bog, ja til mange hundrede bøger, for så kunne uendelig flere folk få gavn og glæde deraf, end om det eneste papir, som det skrevne var på, havde løbet verden rundt, og var blevet slidt op på halvvejen.
But the paper did not go on its travels; it was sent to the printer, and all the words written upon it were set up in type, to make a book, or rather, many hundreds of books; for so many more persons could derive pleasure and profit from a printed book, than from the written paper; and if the paper had been sent around the world, it would have been worn out before it had got half through its journey.
"Ja, det er nu det allerfornuftigste!" tænkte det beskrevne papir. "Det faldt mig slet ikke ind! Jeg bliver hjemme og holdes i ære ligesom en gammel bedstefader! Det er mig, der er skrevet på, ordene flød af pennen lige ind i mig. Jeg bliver og bøgerne løber omkring! Nu kan der rigtignok blive bestilt noget! Nej, hvor jeg er glad, hvor jeg er lykkelig!"
"This is certainly the wisest plan," said the written paper; "I really did not think of that. I shall remain at home, and be held in honor, like some old grandfather, as I really am to all these new books. They will do some good. I could not have wandered about as they do. Yet he who wrote all this has looked at me, as every word flowed from his pen upon my surface. I am the most honored of all."
Så blev papiret samlet i bundt og lagt på hylde. "Man har godt af at hvile på sin gerning!" sagde papiret. "Det er meget rigtigt at man samler sig og kommer til eftertanke om hvad der bor i en. Nu først ved jeg rigtigt, hvad der står i mig! Og kende sig selv, det er det egentlige fremskridt. Hvad mon der nu vil komme, noget fremad sker der, det går altid fremad!"
Then the paper was tied in a bundle with other papers, and thrown into a tub that stood in the washhouse. "After work, it is well to rest," said the paper, "and a very good opportunity to collect one's thoughts. Now I am able, for the first time, to think of my real condition; and to know one's self is true progress. What will be done with me now, I wonder? No doubt I shall still go forward. I have always progressed hitherto, as I know quite well."
En dag blev alt papiret lagt på skorstenen, det skulle brændes, for det måtte ikke sælges til spækhøkeren og komme om smør og puddersukker. Og alle børnene i huset stod rundt om, de ville se det blusse, de ville se i asken de mange røde ildgnister, der ligesom løber af sted og slukkes, den ene efter den anden, så gesvindt - det er børnene der går af skole, og den allersidste gnist er skolemesteren; tit tror man han er gået, men så kommer han lidt efter alle de andre.
Now it happened one day that all the paper in the tub was taken out, and laid on the hearth to be burnt. People said it could not be sold at the shop, to wrap up butter and sugar, because it had been written upon. The children in the house stood round the stove; for they wanted to see the paper burn, because it flamed up so prettily, and afterwards, among the ashes, so many red sparks could be seen running one after the other, here and there, as quick as the wind. They called it seeing the children come out of school, and the last spark was the schoolmaster. They often thought the last spark had come; and one would cry, "There goes the schoolmaster;" but the next moment another spark would appear, shining so beautifully. How they would like to know where the sparks all went to! Perhaps we shall find out some day, but we don't know now.
Og alt papiret lå i et bundt på ilden. Uh! hvor det slog op i lue. "Uh!" sagde det, og lige i det samme blev det en hel flamme; den gik så højt i vejret, som aldrig hørren havde kunnet løfte sin lille blå blomst, og skinnede som aldrig det hvide linned havde kunnet skinne; alle de skrevne bogstaver blev i et øjeblik ganske røde, og alle ord og tanker gik op i lue.
The whole bundle of paper had been placed on the fire, and was soon alight. "Ugh," cried the paper, as it burst into a bright flame; "ugh." It was certainly not very pleasant to be burning; but when the whole was wrapped in flames, the flames mounted up into the air, higher than the flax had ever been able to raise its little blue flower, and they glistened as the white linen never could have glistened. All the written letters became quite red in a moment, and all the words and thoughts turned to fire.
"Nu går jeg lige op i solen!" sagde det inde i flammen, og det var som tusinde stemmer sagde det i én, og flammen slog gennem skorstenen helt oven ud; – – og finere end flammen, ganske usynlig for menneskenes øjne, svævede små bitte væsner, lige så mange som der havde været blomster på hørren. De var endnu lettere end flamme, der førte dem, og da den slukkedes og der kun var tilbage af papiret den sorte aske, dansede de endnu en gang hen over den og hvor de rørte så man deres fodspor, det var de røde gnister: "Børnene gik af skole og skolemesteren var den sidste;" det var en fornøjelse at se på, og husets børn stod og sang ved den døde aske:
"Now I am mounting straight up to the sun," said a voice in the flames; and it was as if a thousand voices echoed the words; and the flames darted up through the chimney, and went out at the top. Then a number of tiny beings, as many in number as the flowers on the flax had been, and invisible to mortal eyes, floated above them. They were even lighter and more delicate than the flowers from which they were born; and as the flames were extinguished, and nothing remained of the paper but black ashes, these little beings danced upon it; and whenever they touched it, bright red sparks appeared. "The children are all out of school, and the schoolmaster was the last of all," said the children. It was good fun, and they sang over the dead ashes,–
"Snip snap snurre
"Snip, snap, snurre,
Basselurre!
Basse lure:
Visen er ude!"
The song is ended."
Men de små usynlige væsener sagde hver: "Visen er aldrig ude! Det er det dejligste ved det hele! Jeg ved det, og derfor er jeg den allerlykkeligste!"
But the little invisible beings said, "The song is never ended; the most beautiful is yet to come."
Men det kunne børnene hverken høre eller forstå, og det skulle de ikke heller, for børn må ikke vide alting.
But the children could neither hear nor understand this, nor should they; for children must not know everything.