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Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Shadow, part 6

The Shadow, part 6

"I saw everything, and I shall tell all to you: but--it is no pride on my part--as a free man, and with the knowledge I have, not to speak of my position in life, my excellent circumstances--I certainly wish that you would say YOU* to me!" * It is the custom in Denmark for intimate acquaintances to use the second person singular, "Du," (thou) when speaking to each other. When a friendship is formed between men, they generally affirm it, when occasion offers, either in public or private, by drinking to each other and exclaiming, "thy health," at the same time striking their glasses together. This is called drinking "Duus": they are then, "Duus Brodre," (thou brothers) and ever afterwards use the pronoun "thou," to each other, it being regarded as more familiar than "De," (you). Father and mother, sister and brother say thou to one another--without regard to age or rank. Master and mistress say thou to their servants the superior to the inferior. But servants and inferiors do not use the same term to their masters, or superiors--nor is it ever used when speaking to a stranger, or anyone with whom they are but slightly acquainted—they then say as in English--you.

"I beg your pardon," said the learned man; "it is an old habit with me. YOU are perfectly right, and I shall remember it; but now you must tell me all YOU saw!" "Everything!" said the shadow. "For I saw everything, and I know everything!" "How did it look in the furthest saloon?" asked the learned man. "Was it there as in the fresh woods? Was it there as in a holy church? Were the saloons like the starlit firmament when we stand on the high mountains?" "Everything was there!" said the shadow. "I did not go quite in, I remained in the foremost room, in the twilight, but I stood there quite well; I saw everything, and I know everything! I have been in the antechamber at the court of Poesy." "But WHAT DID you see? Did all the gods of the olden times pass through the large saloons? Did the old heroes combat there? Did sweet children play there, and relate their dreams?" "I tell you I was there, and you can conceive that I saw everything there was to be seen. Had you come over there, you would not have been a man; but I became so! And besides, I learned to know my inward nature, my innate qualities, the relationship I had with Poesy. At the time I was with you, I thought not of that, but always--you know it well—when the sun rose, and when the sun went down, I became so strangely great; in the moonlight I was very near being more distinct than yourself; at that time I did not understand my nature; it was revealed to me in the antechamber!


The Shadow, part 6 L'Ombre, partie 6 ザ・シャドウ その6 Тень, часть 6 Тінь, частина 6 影子，第 6 部分

"I saw everything, and I shall tell all to you: but--it is no pride on my part--as a free man, and with the knowledge I have, not to speak of my position in life, my excellent circumstances--I certainly wish that you would say YOU* to me!" "Ich habe alles gesehen, und ich werde dir alles erzählen: aber - es ist kein Stolz meinerseits - als freier Mann und mit dem Wissen, das ich habe, ganz zu schweigen von meiner Stellung im Leben, meinen ausgezeichneten Verhältnissen - ich wünschte wirklich, du würdest DU* zu mir sagen!" * It is the custom in Denmark for intimate acquaintances to use the second person singular, "Du," (thou) when speaking to each other. * In Dänemark ist es üblich, dass vertraute Personen die zweite Person Singular, "Du", verwenden, wenn sie miteinander sprechen. When a friendship is formed between men, they generally affirm it, when occasion offers, either in public or private, by drinking to each other and exclaiming, "thy health," at the same time striking their glasses together. Wenn eine Freundschaft zwischen Männern entstanden ist, bekräftigen sie diese im Allgemeinen, wenn sich die Gelegenheit bietet, entweder in der Öffentlichkeit oder privat, indem sie aufeinander trinken und "auf deine Gesundheit" ausrufen, während sie gleichzeitig ihre Gläser zusammenschlagen. This is called drinking "Duus": they are then, "Duus Brodre," (thou brothers) and ever afterwards use the pronoun "thou," to each other, it being regarded as more familiar than "De," (you). Dies nennt man "Duus" trinken: Sie sind dann "Duus Brodre" (du Brüder) und verwenden danach immer das Pronomen "du" füreinander, da es als vertrauter angesehen wird als "De" (du). Father and mother, sister and brother say thou to one another--without regard to age or rank. Vater und Mutter, Schwester und Bruder sagen zueinander "Du" - ohne Rücksicht auf Alter oder Rang. Master and mistress say thou to their servants the superior to the inferior. Herr und Herrin sagen zu ihren Dienern, der Obere zu dem Unteren. But servants and inferiors do not use the same term to their masters, or superiors--nor is it ever used when speaking to a stranger, or anyone with whom they are but slightly acquainted—they then say as in English--you. Aber Diener und Untergebene verwenden diesen Ausdruck nicht gegenüber ihren Herren oder Vorgesetzten - und auch nicht, wenn sie mit einem Fremden oder jemandem sprechen, den sie nur flüchtig kennen - sie sagen dann wie im Englischen "you".

"I beg your pardon," said the learned man; "it is an old habit with me. "Ich bitte um Verzeihung", sagte der Gelehrte, "das ist eine alte Gewohnheit von mir. YOU are perfectly right, and I shall remember it; but now you must tell me all YOU saw!" DU hast vollkommen Recht, und ich werde mich daran erinnern; aber jetzt musst du mir alles erzählen, was DU gesehen hast!" "Everything!" said the shadow. "For I saw everything, and I know everything!" "Denn ich habe alles gesehen und weiß alles!" "How did it look in the furthest saloon?" asked the learned man. "Was it there as in the fresh woods? "War es dort wie in den frischen Wäldern? Was it there as in a holy church? Were the saloons like the starlit firmament when we stand on the high mountains?" Waren die Salons wie das sternenklare Firmament, wenn wir auf dem Hochgebirge stehen?" "Everything was there!" said the shadow. "I did not go quite in, I remained in the foremost room, in the twilight, but I stood there quite well; I saw everything, and I know everything! "Ich bin nicht ganz hineingegangen, ich bin im vordersten Zimmer geblieben, im Zwielicht, aber ich stand ganz gut da; ich habe alles gesehen, und ich weiß alles! I have been in the  antechamber at the court of Poesy." Ich war im Vorzimmer am Hofe der Poesie." "But WHAT DID you see? Did all the gods of the olden times pass through the large saloons? Gingen alle Götter der alten Zeit durch die großen Salons? Did the old heroes combat there? Haben die alten Helden dort gekämpft? Did sweet children play there, and relate their dreams?" Haben dort süße Kinder gespielt und ihre Träume erzählt?" "I tell you I was there, and you can conceive that I saw everything there was to be seen. "Ich sage Ihnen, dass ich dort war, und Sie können sich vorstellen, dass ich alles gesehen habe, was es zu sehen gab. Had you come over there, you would not have been a man; but I became so! Wärst du dorthin gekommen, wärst du kein Mann geworden; aber ich bin es geworden! And besides, I learned to know my inward nature, my innate qualities, the relationship I had with Poesy. Außerdem lernte ich mein inneres Wesen kennen, meine angeborenen Eigenschaften, meine Beziehung zu Poesie. At the time I was with you, I thought not of that, but always--you know it well—when the sun rose, and when the sun went down, I became so strangely great; in the moonlight I was very near being more distinct than yourself; at that time I did not understand my nature; it was revealed to me in the antechamber! Als ich bei dir war, dachte ich nicht daran, aber immer - du weißt es ja - wenn die Sonne aufging und wenn die Sonne unterging, wurde ich so seltsam groß; im Mondlicht war ich fast deutlicher als du; damals verstand ich mein Wesen nicht; es wurde mir im Vorzimmer offenbart!