Gåsepigen


The goose girl


Der var engang en gammel dronning, hvis mand var død for mange år siden. Hun havde en smuk datter, som, da hun blev stor, blev lovet bort til en prins, der boede langt borte. Da brylluppet nærmede sig, og prinsessen skulle rejse til det fremmede land, pakkede den gamle mange kostbare sager sammen til hende, guld og sølv, kostbare bægre og smykker, kort sagt alt, hvad der hørte til en kongelig medgift, for hun elskede sit barn højt. Hun lod også en kammerjomfru drage med, som skulle overgive hende til prinsen. Så fik de hver en hest at ride på, og prinsessens hed Falada og kunne tale. Da afskedstunden slog, gik den gamle mor ind i sovekammeret, tog en kniv og skar hende i fingeren, så den blødte. Derpå lod hun tre dråber falde på en hvid klud, gav datteren den og sagde: "Pas godt på den, mit barn, du vil få brug for den undervejs."
There lived once an old Queen, whose husband had been dead many years. She had a beautiful daughter who was promised in marriage to a King's son living a great way off. When the time appointed for the wedding drew near, and the old Queen had to send her daughter into the foreign land, she got together many costly things, furniture and cups and jewels and adornments, both of gold and silver, everything proper for the dowry of a royal Princess, for she loved her daughter dearly. She gave her also a waiting gentlewoman to attend her and to give her into the bridegroom's hands; and they were each to have a horse for the journey, and the Princess's horse was named Falada, and he could speak. When the time for parting came, the old Queen took her daughter to her chamber, and with a little knife she cut her own finger so that it bled; and she held beneath it a white napkin, and on it fell three drops of blood; and she gave it to her daughter, bidding her take care of it, for it would be needful to her on the way.

Bedrøvet sagde de farvel til hinanden, og prinsessen stak kluden ind på sit bryst, steg til hest og red af sted til sin brudgom. Da de havde redet en times tid, var hun meget tørstig, og sagde til kammerjomfruen: "Gå ned og hent mig noget vand fra bækken i det bæger, som du har taget med. Jeg vil så gerne have noget at drikke." - "Hvis I er tørstig, kan I selv gå ned og lægge jer ved vandet og drikke," svarede kammerjomfruen, "jeg gider ikke være eders pige." Kongedatteren var så tørstig, at hun steg af, bøjede sig over bækken og drak af den, for hun turde ikke drikke af guldbægeret. "Ak, Gud hjælpe mig," sukkede hun, og de tre bloddråber svarede: "Hvis din mor vidste det, ville hendes hjerte briste." Men kongedatteren var blid og god og sagde ikke noget og steg igen til hest. De red nu nogle mil, men det var varmt og solen brændte, og hun blev tørstig igen. Da de kom til en flod sagde hun til kammerjomfruen, for hun havde ganske glemt de stygge ord: "Hent mig lidt vand i mit guldbæger." Men kammerjomfruen svarede endnu mere uforskammet: "Skaf jer selv noget at drikke. Jeg vil ikke være jeres pige." Tørsten plagede prinsessen så stærkt, at hun steg af hesten og grædende bøjede sig over vandet. "Gud hjælpe mig," sagde hun, og bloddråberne svarede igen: "Hvis din mor vidste det, ville hendes hjerte briste." Medens hun drak og lænede sig langt ud faldt kluden med bloddråberne i vandet og flød af sted med strømmen, og hun var så angst, at hun slet ikke lagde mærke til det. Men kammerjomfruen havde set det og glædede sig over, at hun nu fik magt over prinsessen. Da hun havde mistet bloddråberne havde nemlig hendes styrke og kraft forladt hende. Da hun igen ville stige op på sin hest, som hed Falada, sagde kammerjomfruen: "Jeg skal sidde på Falada. Sæt du dig op på min hest," og bruden måtte gøre det. Så befalede hun med hårde ord prinsessen at tage sine pragtfulde klæder af, og hendes tarvelige på, og til sidst tvang hun hende til at sværge, derude under åben himmel, at hun ikke ville fortælle det til noget menneske. Hvis hun ikke aflagde denne ed, skulle hun straks dø. Men Falada så det altsammen og lagde nøje mærke til det.
Then they took leave of each other; and the Princess put the napkin in her bosom, got on her horse, and set out to go to the bridegroom. After she had ridden an hour, she began to feel very thirsty, and she said to the waiting-woman, "Get down, and fill my cup that you are carrying with water from the brook; I have great desire to drink." - "Get down yourself," said the waiting-woman, "and if you are thirsty stoop down and drink; I will not be your slave." And as her thirst was so great, the Princess had to get down and to stoop and drink of the water of the brook, and could not have her gold cup to serve her. "Oh dear!" said the poor Princess. And the three drops of blood heard her, and said, "If your mother knew of this, it would break her heart." But the Princess answered nothing, and quietly mounted her horse again. So they rode on some miles farther; the day was warm, the sun shone hot, and the Princess grew thirsty once more. And when they came to a water-course she called again to the waiting-woman and said, "Get down, and give me to drink out of my golden cup." For she had forgotten all that had gone before. But the waiting-woman spoke still more scornfully and said, "If you want a drink, you may get it yourself; I am not going to be your slave." So, as her thirst was so great, the Princess had to get off her horse and to stoop towards the running water to drink, and as she stooped, she wept and said, "Oh dear!" And the three drops of blood heard her and answered, "If your mother knew of this, it would break her heart!" And as she drank and stooped over, the napkin on which were the three drops of blood fell out of her bosom and floated down the stream, and in her distress she never noticed it; not so the waiting-woman, who rejoiced because she should have power over the bride, who, now that she had lost the three drops of blood, had become weak, and unable to defend herself. And when she was going to mount her horse again the waiting-woman cried, "Falada belongs to me, and this jade to you." And the Princess had to give way and let it be as she said. Then the waiting-woman ordered the Princess with many hard words to take off her rich clothing and to put on her plain garments, and then she made her swear to say nothing of the matter when they came to the royal court; threatening to take her life if she refused. And all the while Falada noticed and remembered.

Kammerjomfruen satte sig nu op på Falada og prinsessen på den dårlige hest, og de red videre, til de kom til det kongelige slot. Der blev stor glæde over deres ankomst. Kongesønnen løb dem i møde, løftede kammerjomfruen ned af hesten og troede, hun var hans brud. Han førte hende nu ind i slottet, men prinsessen måtte blive udenfor. Da den gamle konge så ud af vinduet, fik han øje på hende og så, hvor smuk og blid hun var. Han gik straks ind i prinsens værelse og spurgte bruden, hvem det var, hun havde taget med sig og som holdt dernede i gården.
The waiting-woman then mounting Falada, and the Princess the sorry jade, they journeyed on till they reached the royal castle. There was great joy at their coming, and the King's son hastened to meet them, and lifted the waiting woman from her horse, thinking she was his bride; and then he led her up the stairs, while the real Princess had to remain below. But the old King, who was looking out of the window, saw her standing in the yard, and noticed how delicate and gentle and beautiful she was, and then he went down and asked the seeming bride who it was that she had brought with her and that was now standing in the courtyard.

"Å, jeg tog hende med for at have lidt selskab på vejen," svarede hun, "giv hende noget at bestille så hun ikke går og driver." Men den gamle konge vidste ikke, hvad han skulle sætte hende til, og til sidst sagde han: "Hun kan jo hjælpe den lille dreng, som vogter gæs." Drengen hed Konrad, og prinsessen måtte nu hjælpe ham med at vogte gæssene.
"Oh!" answered the bride, "I only brought her with me for company; give the maid something to do, that she may not be for ever standing idle." But the old King had no work to give her; until he bethought him of a boy he had who took care of the geese, and that she might help him. And so the real Princess was sent to keep geese with the goose-boy, who was called Conrad.

Kort tid efter sagde den falske brud til den unge konge: "Vil du ikke gøre mig en tjeneste, kære mand?" - "Jo, det vil jeg gerne," svarede han. "Lad så rakkeren hugge hovedet af den hest, jeg red herhen på. Den har ærgret mig sådan undervejs." I virkeligheden var hun bange for, at hesten skulle fortælle, hvordan hun havde båret sig ad mod prinsessen. Men det kom prinsessen for øre, at den tro Falada skulle dø, og hun lovede da rakkeren nogle penge, hvis han ville gøre hende en tjeneste. I byen var der en stor, mørk port, og hver morgen og aften drev hun gæssene derigennem. Der bad hun ham nagle Faladas hovede fast, så at hun endnu engang kunne se det. Rakkeren lovede det, og da han havde hugget hovedet af hesten, slog han det op under den mørke port.
Soon after the false bride said to the Prince, "Dearest husband, I pray thee do me a pleasure." - "With all my heart," answered he. "Then "said she, "send for the knacker, that he may carry off the horse I came here upon, and make away with him; he was very troublesome to me on the journey." For she was afraid that the horse might tell how she had behaved to the Princess. And when the order had been given that Falada should die, it came to the Princess's ears, and she came to the knacker's man secretly, and promised him a piece of gold if he would do her a service. There was in the town a great dark gate-way through which she had to pass morning and evening with her geese, and she asked the man to take Falada's head and to nail it on the gate, that she might always see it as she passed by. And the man promised, and he took Falada's head and nailed it fast in the dark gate-way.

Da prinsessen og Konrad ganske tidligt næste morgen gik gennem porten, sagde hun:
Early next morning as she and Conrad drove their geese through the gate, she said as she went by:

"Å, Falada, der hænger du,"
"O Falada, dost thou hang there?"

og hovedet svarede:
And the head answered:

"Ak, hvis din stakkels moder nu
"Princess, dost thou so meanly fare?

din tunge, tunge skæbne vidste, da
But if thy mother knew thy pain,

ville hendes hjerte briste."
Her heart would surely break in twain."

Så gik de ud af byen og drev gæssene ind på engen. Der satte hun sig ned, løste sit hår, der skinnede som det pure guld, og Konrad glædede sig over den gyldne glans og ville rive et par hår af. Men da sagde hun:
But she went on through the town, driving her geese to the field. And when they came into the meadows, she sat down and undid her hair, which was all of gold, and when Conrad saw how it glistened, he wanted to pull out a few hairs for himself. And she said:

"Blæs nu, alle vilde vinde,
"O wind, blow Conrad's hat away,

tag fra Konrad rask hans hat,
Make him run after as it flies,

og lad ham den ikke finde
While I with my gold hair will play,

førend jeg
And twist it up

mit hår har sat."
in seemly wise."

Da kom der sådan et vindpust, at hatten fløj af Konrad, og han måtte af sted efter den, langt hen over engen. Da han kom tilbage, havde hun redt og ordnet sit hår, og han kunne ikke få noget af det. Han blev vred og talte ikke et ord til hende, og så vogtede de gæssene til det blev aften, og de gik hjem.
Then there came a wind strong enough to blow Conrad's hat far away over the fields, and he had to run after it; and by the time he came back she had put up her hair with combs and pins, and he could not get at any to pull it out; and he was sulky and would not speak to her; so they looked after the geese until the evening came, and then they went home.

Da de næste morgen gik gennem den mørke port sagde prinsessen:
The next morning, as they passed under the dark gate-way, the Princess said:

"Å, Falada, der hænger du,"
"O Falada, dost thou hang there?"

og hesten svarede:
And Falada answered:

"Ak, hvis din stakkels moder nu
"Princess, dost thou so meanly fare?

din tunge, tunge skæbne vidste, da
But if thy mother knew thy pain,

ville hendes hjerte briste."
Her heart would surely break in twain."

Ude på engen satte hun sig igen til at rede sig, og da Konrad greb efter hendes hår, sagde hun hurtigt:
And when they reached the fields she sat down and began to comb out her hair; then Conrad came up and wanted to seize upon some of it, and she cried:

"Blæs nu, alle vilde vinde,
"O wind, blow Conrad's hat away,

tag fra Konrad rask hans hat,
Make him run after as it flies,

og lad ham den ikke finde,
While I with my gold hair will play,

førend jeg
And do it up

mit hår har sat."
in seemly wise."

Straks fløj hatten af ham og han måtte løbe langt bort efter den. Da han kom tilbage havde hun sat sit hår, og han kunne ikke få fat i noget af det. Så vogtede de gæs, til det blev aften.
Then the wind came and blew Conrad's hat very far away, so that he had to run after it, and when he came back again her hair was put up again, so that he could pull none of it out; and they tended the geese until the evening.

Da de kom hjem gik Konrad op til den gamle konge og sagde: "Jeg vil ikke længere vogte gæs med den pige." - "Hvorfor ikke?" spurgte kongen. "Åh, hun ærgrer mig hele dagen," svarede Konrad, og kongen befalede ham nu at fortælle, hvad der da var i vejen med hende. "Jo, når vi om morgenen kommer igennem den mørke port med gæssene, siger hun til et hestehovede, der hænger på muren:
And after they had got home, Conrad went to the old King and said: "I will tend the geese no longer with that girl!" - "Why not?" asked the old King. "Because she vexes me the whole day long," answered Conrad. Then the old King ordered him to tell how it was. "Every morning," said Conrad, "as we pass under the dark gate-way with the geese, there is an old horse's head hanging on the wall, and she says to it:

"Å, Falada, der hænger du,"
'O Falada, dost thou hang there?'

og det svarer:
And the head answers:

"Ak, hvis din stakkels moder nu
'Princess, dost thou so meanly fare?

din tunge, tunge skæbne vidste,
But if thy mother knew thy pain,

da ville hendes hjerte briste."
Her heart would surely break in twain.'"

Og Konrad fortalte nu også, hvordan det gik til ude på engen, og at han måtte rende af sted efter sin hat.
And besides this, Conrad related all that happened in the fields, and how he was obliged to run after his hat.

Kongen befalede ham at gå ud med gæssene igen næste morgen, gik hen og satte sig ved den mørke port og hørte, hvad prinsessen sagde til Falada. Derpå gik han efter dem ud på engen og skjulte sig i en busk. Der så han nu med sine egne øjne, at de drev af sted med gæssene, og lidt efter satte hun sig ned og løste sit lange hår, der skinnede som guld. Så sagde hun:
The old King told him to go to drive the geese next morning as usual, and he himself went behind the gate and listened how the maiden spoke to Falada; and then he followed them into the fields, and hid himself behind a bush; and he watched the goose-boy and the goose-girl tend the geese; and after a while he saw the girl make her hair all loose, and how it gleamed and shone. Soon she said:

"Blæs nu, alle vilde vinde,
"O wind, blow Conrad's hat away,

tag fra Konrad rask hans hat,
And make him follow as it flies,

og lad ham den ikke finde,
While I with my gold hair will play,

førend jeg
And bind it up

mit hår har sat."
in seemly wise."

Da kom der et vindstød, og Konrad måtte styrte af sted efter sin hat, mens pigen redte og flettede sit hår. Den gamle konge så det hele, og listede sig så ubemærket bort. Da gåsepigen kom hjem om aftenen kaldte han på hende og spurgte, hvorfor hun bar sig sådan ad. "Det tør jeg ikke sige jer," svarede hun, "ikke for et menneske tør jeg klage min nød. Jeg har svoret det, ude under den klare himmel, ellers havde jeg måttet lade livet." Hvor meget han trængte ind på hende, ville hun ikke sig det. "Hvis du ikke vil fortælle det til mig, så betro ovnen din sorg," sagde han så og gik sin vej. Hun krøb da ind i ovnen, begyndte at klage og græde og kom frem med alt, hvad der lå hende på hjerte. "Her sidder jeg forladt af alle mennesker," sagde hun, "og så er jeg dog en prinsesse. Min troløse kammerjomfru tvang mig til at tage mine prægtige klæder af, og indtog min plads hos prinsen, mens jeg må tjene som simpel gåsepige. Hvis min mor vidste det, ville hendes hjerte briste af sorg." Den gamle konge stod imidlertid på lur ved røret og hørte alt, hvad hun sagde. Han kom ind, kaldte på hende og lod hende iføre prægtige klæder, og hun var så dejlig, så det næsten var et under. Nu kaldte den gamle konge på sin søn og fortalte ham, at han havde fået en falsk brud, som blot var kammerjomfru. Her stod hans rette brud, og det var hende, der havde været gåsepige. Den unge konge glædede sig af hjertet, da han så hvor smuk og god hun var, og der blev nu fejret et stort gæstebud, hvortil alle venner og bekendte var indbudt. Øverst ved bordet sad brudgommen med kammerjomfruen på den ene side og prinsessen på den anden, men kammerjomfruen var forblindet og kunne ikke kende hende igen i den strålende pragt. Da de havde spist og drukket og var glade og fornøjede sagde den gamle konge til kammerjomfruen, at han ville give hende en gåde. Han fortalte om en, der havde bedraget sin herre ganske på samme måde, som hun havde bedraget prinsessen. "Hvilken dom fortjener sådan et menneske?" spurgte han. "Han skal klædes helt af," svarede den falske brud, "og lægges i en tønde, der indvendig er beslået med spidse søm. To hvide heste skal spændes for tønden og trække den af sted, gade op og gade ned, lige til han dør." - "Du er forbryderen," sagde den gamle konge, "og du har dømt dig selv." Da straffen var fuldbyrdet, fejrede den unge konge sit bryllup med prinsessen, og de regerede længe i fryd og glæde.
Then there came a gust of wind and away went Conrad's hat, and he after it, while the maiden combed and bound up her hair; and the old King saw all that went on. At last he went unnoticed away, and when the goose-girl came back in the evening he sent for her, and asked the reason of her doing all this. "That I dare not tell you," she answered, "nor can I tell any man of my woe, for when I was in danger of my life I swore an oath not to reveal it." And he pressed her sore, and left her no peace, but he could get nothing out of her. At last he said, "If you will not tell it me, tell it to the iron oven," and went away. Then she crept into the iron oven, and began to weep and to lament, and at last she opened her heart and said, "Here I sit forsaken of all the world, and I am a King's daughter, and a wicked waiting-woman forced me to give up my royal garments and my place at the bridegroom's side, and I am made a goose-girl, and have to do mean service. And if my mother knew, it would break her heart." Now the old King was standing outside by the oven-door listening, and he heard all she said, and he called to her and told her to come out of the oven. And he caused royal clothing to be put upon her, and it was a marvel to see how beautiful she was. The old King then called his son and proved to him that he had the wrong bride, for she was really only a waiting-woman, and that the true bride was here at hand, she who had been the goose-girl. The Prince was glad at heart when he saw her beauty and gentleness; and a great feast was made ready, and all the court people and good friends were bidden to it. The bridegroom sat in the midst with the Princess on one side and the waiting-woman on the other; and the false bride did not know the true one, because she was dazzled with her glittering braveries. When all the company had eaten and drunk and were merry, the old King gave the waiting-woman a question to answer, as to what such an one deserved, who had deceived her masters in such and such a manner, telling the whole story, and ending by asking, "Now, what doom does such an one deserve?" - "No better than this," answered the false bride, "that she be put naked into a cask, studded inside with sharp nails, and be dragged along in it by two white horses from street to street, until she be dead." - "Thou hast spoken thy own doom," said the old King, "as thou hast said, so shall it be done." And when the sentence was fulfilled, the Prince married the true bride, and ever after they ruled over their kingdom in peace and blessedness.