Between the Baltic and the North Sea there lies an old swan's nest, wherein swans are born and have been born that shall never die.
Mellem Østersøen og Nordhavet ligger en gammel svanerede og den kaldes Danmark; i den er født og fødes svaner, hvis navne aldrig skal dø.
In olden times a flock of swans flew over the Alps to the green plains around Milan, where it was delightful to dwell. This flight of swans men called the Lombards. Another flock, with shining plumage and honest eyes, soared southward to Byzantium; the swans established themselves there close by the Emperor's throne, and spread their wings over him as shields to protect him. They received the name of Varangians.
I oldtiden fløj en svaneflok herfra hen over alperne ned til Majlandets grønne sletter, hvor der var dejligt at bo; svaneflokken kaldtes longobarder. En anden skare, med skinnende fjer og trofaste øjne svang sig ned mod Byzans, satte sig der om kejserens trone og udbredte sine store hvide vinger som skjolde, for at beskærme ham. Den fik navnet væringer.
On the coast of France there sounded a cry of fear, for the blood-stained swans that came from the North with fire under their wings; and the people prayed, "Heaven deliver us from the wild Northmen."
Der lød fra Frankrigs kyst et angstens skrig for de blodige svaner, der med ild under vingen kom fra Norden og folket bad: "Fri os Gud fra de vilde normanner!"
On the fresh sward of England stood the Danish swan by the open seashore, with the crown of three kingdoms on his head; and he stretched out his golden sceptre over the land.
På Englands engfriske grønsvær ved den åbne strand stod den danske svane med tredobbelt kongekrone på hovedet, sit gyldne scepter strakte den hen over landet.
The heathens on the Pomerian coast bent the knee, and the Danish swans came with the banner of the Cross and with the drawn sword.
I knæ bøjede hedningerne sig på Pommerns kyster, og de danske svaner kom med korsets flag og med draget sværd.
"That was in the very old times," you say.
Det var i de ældgamle dage! siger du.
In later days two mighty swans have been seen to fly from the nest.
Også nærmere vor tid blev set mægtige svaner flyve ud fra reden.
A light shone far through the air, far over the lands of the earth; the swan, with the strong beating of his wings, scattered the twilight mists, and the starry sky was seen, and it was as if it came nearer to the earth. That was the swan Tycho Brahe.
Det lyste gennem luften, det lyste hen over verdens lande, svanen spredte ved sine stærke vingeslag den dæmrende tåge, og stjernehimlen blev mere synlig, det var som om den kom Jorden nærmere; det var svanen Tycho Brahe.
"Yes, then," you say; "but in our own days?" We have seen swan after swan soar by in glorious flight. One let his pinions glide over the strings of the golden harp, and it resounded through the North. Norway's mountains seemed to rise higher in the sunlight of former days; there was a rustling among the pine trees and the birches; the gods of the North, the heroes, and the noble women, showed themselves in the dark forest depths.
"Ja den gang!" siger du, "men nu i vore dage!" Da så vi svane flyve ved svane i herlig flugt. En lod sin vinge glide hen over guldharpens strenge og det klang gennem Norden, Norges fjelde løftede sig højere i oldtids sollys; det susede i gran og i birk; Nordens guder, helte og ædle kvinder viste sig i den dybe mørke skovgrund.
We have seen a swan beat with his wings upon the marble crag, so that it burst, and the forms of beauty imprisoned in the stone stepped out to the sunny day, and men in the lands round about lifted up their heads to behold these mighty forms.
Vi så en svane slå med vingen mod marmorfjeldet, så at det brast og de i stenen bundne skønhedsskikkelser skred frem ved solklar dag, og menneskene rundt om i landene løftede deres hoveder for at se disse mægtige skikkelser.
We have seen a third swan spinning the thread of thought that is fastened from country to country round the world, so that the word may fly with lightning speed from land to land.
Vi så en tredje svane spinde tanketråden, der fæstes nu fra land til land, rundt om jorden, så at ordet flyver med lynets fart gennem landene.
And our Lord loves the old swan's nest between the Baltic and the North Sea. And when the mighty birds come soaring through the air to destroy it, even the callow young stand round in a circle on the margin of the nest, and though their breasts may be struck so that their blood flows, they bear it, and strike with their wings and their claws.
Vor Herre har kær den gamle svanerede mellem Østersø og Nordhav. Lad mægtige fugle kun komme gennem luften for at sønderrive den: "Det skal ej ske!" Selv de dunløse unger stiller sig i kreds på redens kant, det har vi set, de lader sig hugge i det unge bryst, så deres blod flyder, de slår med næb og med klo.
Centuries will pass by, swans will fly forth from the nest, men will see them and hear them in the world, before it shall be said in spirit and in truth, "This is the last swan, the last song from the swan's nest."
Århundreder vil endnu gå hen, svaner flyver fra reden, ses og høres rundt om i verden, før den tid kommer, at der i ånd og sandhed skal kunne siges, "det er den sidste svane, den sidste sang fra svanereden!"