LIKSOM EN HERDINNA - EPISTEL NR 80
LIKE A SHEPHERDESS - EPISTLE NO 80

by Carl Michael Bellman


1.
Liksom en herdinna, högtidsklädd,
Like a shepherdess  in her finery,

vid källan          en junidag
by the well-spring, a day in June,

hopletar ur  gräsets rosiga bädd
gathers from the rosy bed of the grass

sin prydnad    och små behag,
her adornments and (little) allurements,

och ej bland väppling,        hägg och siren
and not among trefoil clover, bird-cherry, and lilac

inblandar pärlors strimmande sken
mixes the shimmering lustre of pearls

inom den krans    i blommors val
within the wreath of chosen flowers

hon flätar        med lekande kval.
(that) she twines with playful toil.


2.
Så höljde min nymf på Floras fest ett enkelt och skiftat flor,
Thus my nymph, at the merry-making of Flora, 
was covered by a simple veil,

då hon    utav Mollberg buden till gäst
when she, invited by Mollberg,

ut till Första Torpet for,
travelled to "Första Torpet";

det torpet lilla,    straxt utom tulln,
that little cottage, right outside the tollgate,

där kräftan ljustras röd i kastrulln
where the crayfish is cooked in the pot,

och dit Brunnsvikens bölja klar
and where the bright billow of the Brunnsviken bay

i vattrade vågor sig drar.
surges in watery waves.


3.
Helt tunn i en nankinströja snörd,
In a thin laced-up nankin blouse,

vår Ulla sitt intåg höll;
our Ulla made her entrance;

tunt lyft av sefiren halsduken rörd
the scarf, lifted by the zephyr breeze,

i vicklade skrynklor föll;
was laid in creased folds;

dess front sågs ej i bucklor mer spridd
no more was its front spread into buckles,

och nymfens kjortel, knappad i vidd,
and the skirt        - reduced in width -

ej vådligt mer            i ögat stack,
did no longer dangerously entice the eye,

och skon bar nu ingen       vit klack.
and the shoes no longer had white heels.


4.
Märk, mellan   gärdsgårdars krökta led
See how, among the (curving) ranks of the fences,

hur torpet det sluttar ner;
the cottage    slopes downwards;

till vänster bland granars          mossiga hed
to the left, among the spruce-firs of the mossy moor,

den vägen man rundad ser,
you see the winding road,

där bonden tung          med rullande hjul
where the chubby yeoman, on his rolling wagon,

illfänas till   sitt rankiga skjul
strives towards his rickety shed,

och i solnedgången hinner fram
and arrives there, when the sun is setting,

med kycklingar,    kalvar och lamm.
bringing chickens, calves, and lambs.


5.
Just där     inom torpets höjda gräs,
Right there, among the tall grass of the cottage grounds,

på granrisat farstugolv,
on the porch, covered with spruce twigs,

steg Ulla utur sin gungande schäs
Ulla exited    her rocking chaise

en söndag,  så klockan tolv
on a Sunday at about twelve o'clock,

vid pass, då Jofur åskan bestämt,
when Jofur determined the route of his thunder (and lightning),

och Dandryds klockor                 pinglade jämt,
and the (church) bells of Dand(e)ryd resounded,

och tuppen gol         i källarsvaln,
and the rooster crowed (down) in the cellar,

och svalan flög långt in i saln.
and the swallow flew  into the hall.


6.
Nu började tumlarn gå ikring,
Now the tumbler    made its rounds,

och Mollberg han damp av stoln;
and Mollerg (he) fell off his chair;

vår nymf med sin arm    och blixtrande ring
our nymph, with her arm and her flashing ring

slog tallstrunten ut på kjoln.
spilled the pine-flavoured liquor on her skirt.

Herdinnan trumf i bordet hon slog
The shepherdess played her trump,

och kjorteln över axlarna drog,
and pulled off her skirt,

och mor på torpet utan krus måst borga vårt herrskap sitt rus.
and the matron of the cottage had to sell on credit to our company,
granting them their drink without any fuss.


7.
På backen mot luckan hästen gul
In the stableyard,   the pale (yellow) horse

uppreser sin man i sky,
raises up his mane (towards the sky),

så korg och blankarder,     skenor och hjul
so that hampers and shafts, rails and wheels 

med lossnade skruvar fly.
flee, with their screws slackening.

I eldad brunst  han trängtar sin kos
Aroused in rut, he yearns to go (away)

och frustar  med en gnäggande nos.
and whinnies with his snorting muzzle.

Men Ulla, kullstjälpt som en fru,
But Ulla, toppled like a missus,

med Mollberg hon snarkar ännu.
she and Mollberg still snore together.




Translation by Eva Toller, 2005