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Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Shadow, part 9

The Shadow, part 9

She directly observed that the stranger who had just come was quite a different sort of person to all the others; "He has come here in order to get his beard to grow, they say, but I see the real cause, he cannot cast a shadow." She had become inquisitive; and so she entered into conversation directly with the strange gentleman, on their promenades. As the daughter of a king, she needed not to stand upon trifles, so she said, "Your complaint is, that you cannot cast a shadow?" "Your Royal Highness must be improving considerably," said the shadow, "I know your complaint is, that you see too clearly, but it has decreased, you are cured. I just happen to have a very unusual shadow! Do you not see that person who always goes with me? Other persons have a common shadow, but I do not like what is common to all. We give our servants finer cloth for their livery than we ourselves use, and so I had my shadow trimmed up into a man: yes, you see I have even given him a shadow. It is somewhat expensive, but I like to have something for myself!" "What!" thought the princess. "Should I really be cured! These baths are the first in the world! In our time water has wonderful powers. But I shall not leave the place, for it now begins to be amusing here. I am extremely fond of that stranger: would that his beard should not grow, for in that case he will leave us!" In the evening, the princess and the shadow danced together in the large ball-room. She was light, but he was still lighter; she had never had such a partner in the dance. She told him from what land she came, and he knew that land; he had been there, but then she was not at home; he had peeped in at the window, above and below--he had seen both the one and the other, and so he could answer the princess, and make insinuations, so that she was quite astonished; he must be the wisest man in the whole world! She felt such respect for what he knew! So that when they again danced together she fell in love with him; and that the shadow could remark, for she almost pierced him through with her eyes. So they danced once more together; and she was about to declare herself, but she was discreet; she thought of her country and kingdom, and of the many persons she would have to reign over.

"He is a wise man," said she to herself--"It is well; and he dances delightfully--that is also good; but has he solid knowledge? That is just as important! He must be examined." So she began, by degrees, to question him about the most difficult things she could think of, and which she herself could not have answered; so that the shadow made a strange face.


The Shadow, part 9 Der Schatten, Teil 9 La Sombra, parte 9 L'Ombre, partie 9 ザ・シャドウ その9 A Sombra, parte 9 Тень, часть 9 Gölge, 9. bölüm 影子》,第 9 部分

She directly observed that the stranger who had just come was quite a different sort of person to all the others; "He has come here in order to get his beard to grow, they say, but I see the real cause, he cannot cast a shadow." Sie bemerkte sofort, dass der Fremde, der gerade gekommen war, ein ganz anderer Mensch war als alle anderen: "Er ist hierher gekommen, um seinen Bart wachsen zu lassen, sagt man, aber ich sehe den wahren Grund, er kann keinen Schatten werfen." She had become inquisitive; and so she entered into conversation directly with the strange gentleman, on their promenades. Sie war neugierig geworden, und so kam sie bei ihren Spaziergängen direkt mit dem fremden Herrn ins Gespräch. As the daughter of a king, she needed not to stand upon trifles, so she said, "Your complaint is, that you cannot cast a shadow?" Als Königstochter hatte sie es nicht nötig, sich mit Kleinigkeiten aufzuhalten, also sagte sie: "Du beklagst dich, dass du keinen Schatten werfen kannst?" "Your Royal Highness must be improving considerably," said the shadow, "I know your complaint is, that you see too clearly, but it has decreased, you are cured. "Eurer Königlichen Hoheit geht es sicher schon viel besser", sagte der Schatten, "ich weiß, dass Ihr zu deutlich seht, aber das hat sich verringert, Ihr seid geheilt. I just happen to have a very unusual shadow! Ich habe nur zufällig einen sehr ungewöhnlichen Schatten! Do you not see that person who always goes with me? Siehst du nicht die Person, die immer mit mir geht? Other persons have a common shadow, but I do not like what is common to all. Andere Personen haben einen gemeinsamen Schatten, aber ich mag nicht, was allen gemeinsam ist. We give our servants finer cloth for their livery than we ourselves use, and so I had my shadow trimmed up into a man: yes, you see I have even given him a shadow. Wir geben unseren Dienern feineren Stoff für ihre Kleidung, als wir selbst benutzen, und so habe ich meinen Schatten zu einem Mann zurechtgestutzt: ja, du siehst, ich habe ihm sogar einen Schatten gegeben. It is somewhat expensive, but I like to have something for myself!" Es ist zwar etwas teuer, aber ich habe gerne etwas für mich!" "What!" thought the princess. dachte die Fürstin. "Should I really be cured! "Sollte ich wirklich geheilt sein! These baths are the first in the world! In our time water has wonderful powers. In unserer Zeit hat Wasser wunderbare Kräfte. But I shall not leave the place, for it now begins to be amusing here. Aber ich werde den Ort nicht verlassen, denn jetzt beginnt es hier lustig zu werden. I am extremely fond of that stranger: would that his beard should not grow, for in that case he will leave us!" Ich habe diesen Fremden sehr gern; ich wünschte, sein Bart würde nicht wachsen, denn dann würde er uns verlassen!" In the evening, the princess and the shadow danced together in the large ball-room. She was light, but he was still lighter; she had never had such a partner in the dance. Sie war leicht, aber er war noch leichter; sie hatte noch nie einen solchen Tanzpartner gehabt. She told him from what land she came, and he knew that land; he had been there, but then she was not at home; he had peeped in at the window, above and below--he had seen both the one and the other, and so he could answer the princess, and make insinuations, so that she was quite astonished; he must be the wisest  man in the whole world! Sie sagte ihm, aus welchem Land sie käme, und er kannte das Land; er war dort gewesen, aber da war sie nicht zu Hause; er hatte durch das Fenster hineingespäht, oben und unten - er hatte sowohl das eine als auch das andere gesehen, und so konnte er der Prinzessin antworten und Andeutungen machen, so daß sie ganz erstaunt war; er mußte der weiseste Mann auf der ganzen Welt sein! She felt such respect for what he knew! Sie hatte großen Respekt vor dem, was er wusste! So that when they again danced together she fell in love with him; and that the shadow could remark, for she almost pierced him through with her eyes. Als sie wieder zusammen tanzten, verliebte sie sich in ihn, und das konnte der Schatten bemerken, denn sie durchbohrte ihn fast mit ihren Augen. So they danced once more together; and she was about to declare herself, but she was discreet; she thought of her country and kingdom, and of the many persons she would have to reign over. So tanzten sie noch einmal miteinander, und sie wollte sich erklären, aber sie war diskret und dachte an ihr Land und ihr Reich und an die vielen Menschen, über die sie herrschen sollte.

"He is a wise man," said she to herself--"It is well; and he dances delightfully--that is also good; but has he solid knowledge? "Er ist ein weiser Mann", sagte sie zu sich selbst, "das ist gut; und er tanzt herrlich, das ist auch gut; aber hat er ein solides Wissen? That is just as important! Das ist genau so wichtig! He must be examined." Er muss untersucht werden." So she began, by degrees, to question him about the most difficult things she could think of, and which she herself could not have answered; so that the shadow made a strange face. So begann sie nach und nach, ihn über die schwierigsten Dinge auszufragen, die ihr einfielen und die sie selbst nicht hätte beantworten können, so dass der Schatten ein seltsames Gesicht machte.