Julesnak for lystsejlere

Omkring digtet: A Visit from St. Nicholas
Bedre kendt som: The Night before Christmas
 


The Night before Christmas

er et meget kendt digt i Amerika, hvor alle børn vist kender det. Det er meget populært, men også et af de mest parodierede digte i verden, f. eks. A Texas Christmas, A Politically Correct Christmas, A Gambler's Christmas m. fl.

De kan findes via Google, men ikke den for sejlere, som findes i skemaet længere nede på siden.

Den er fisket i en nyhedsgruppe, og som skrevet står, forfatteren er ukendt.

Først lidt om forfatteren til det originale digt.


Clement Clarke Moore 1779 ~ 1863

Moore was born on July 15, 1779, in a large mansion, on his parents' Chelsea estate that encompassed the area that is now 18th to 24th Streets between Eighth and Tenth Avenues in Manhattan. The house itself was located at what is now Eighth Avenue and West 23rd Street. He was the only child of heiress Charity Clarke and Dr. Benjamin Moore, Episcopal Bishop of New York, Rector of Trinity Church, and President of Columbia College. Moore was educated at home in his early youth and graduated first in his class from Columbia in 1798.

He became a well-known and respected scholar and, typical for an educated person of his period, Moore's publications related to a wide variety of topics such as religion, languages, politics, and poetry. When he wrote A Visit from St. Nicholas in 1822, Moore was a Professor of Oriental andGreek Literature, as well as Divinity and Biblical Learning, at the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Located on land donated by the "Bard of Chelsea" himself, the seminary still stands today on Ninth Avenue between 20th and 21st Streets, in an area known as Chelsea Square. Moore's connection with that institution continued for over twenty-five years.

 

Den originale tekst

T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, --not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
                                                                        "

 

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dacher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
                                                                              "

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack
.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
                                                                                "

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT."

 



 

         

 

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
!


 

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
!

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
!



Amerikansk gendigtning (parodi) for sejlere.

The Night Before Christmas
Author: unknown

T'was the night before Christmas, I swung on the hook
With snowflakes a'landing, asleep with my book
When up on the deck I heard footsteps and stuff
"I've been boarded!" I thought, and I tried to be tough

Then down the companionway hatch came a dude
He was dressed like a nut and I thought, "I'm so screwed"
But he laughed and he hummed as he surveyed my junk
So I figured he must be the resident drunk

His eyes were lit up like a junkie on speed
But he gave me a whole bunch of stuff that I need
Like rum and cigars and new charts and a dinghy
And some kind of fancy electrical thingy

I knew it was stolen but I wasn't telling
I just hoped he was giving and wasn't just selling
And I poured him a grog which he downed with a wink
Then I poured one for me (Lord I needed a drink!)

Then he staggered above to the dark snowy night
As I peeked I beheld an incredible sight
Eight tiny dolphins and a beautiful sleigh
And the dude hopped aboard and prepared to make way

The dolphins were ready to power the sled
But the guy raised a genny and mains'l instead
With a burp and a chuckle he gathered the breeze
And called to the dolphins, now swimming with ease

"Hey Stalker and Fema and Cancer and Nixon!
Or Stinky and Pepper Spray, Mason, and Dixon!
Or whatever your names are, you cute little fishes,
Here's to every last sailor, my best Christmas wishes!"

As he sailed away leaving a wobbly wake
I hoped he had not many stops left to make
He got close to shore and he soon was aground
But the dolphins proceeded to pull him around

And I heard him exclaim as he sailed out of sight

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!"

Mit forsøg på en dansk oversættelse.
(Desværre evner jeg ikke at få det til at rime)

Lillejuleaften.


Det var Lillejuleaften, jeg satte haspen på nedgangslemmen
Det sneede, jeg gik til køjs med en bog
Da hørte jeg trin og støj på dækket
"Jeg er blevet bordet!" tænkte jeg og prøvede at mande mig op

Ad nedgangen kom nu en fyr
Han var klædt som en nar og jeg tænkte "Er jeg skør?"
Men han lo og nynnede mens han kikkede sig omkring
Så jeg tænkte, han nok var den lokale sut

Hans øjne skinnede som en junkie på speed.
Men han gav mig en bunke ting, jeg manglede
Såsom rom, cigarer og nye søkort og en jolle
Og nogle smarte elektriske apparater

Jeg vidste, det var stjålet, men jeg sagde ingenting
Jeg håbede bare, det var gaver og ikke noget, han ville sælge
Jeg skænkede ham en grog, som han drak i en slurk
Så tog jeg selv en (Gud, hvor jeg trængte til en opstrammer)

Så stolpede han op i den mørke og kolde nat
Jeg kikkede op og så et utroligt syn
Otte små delfiner og en pragtfuld kane
Fyren hoppede ombord og gjorde klar til afgang

Delfinerne var parat til at trække kanen,
Men fyre hejste en genoa og et storsejl i stedet
Med en bøvs og en latter, fangede han brisen
Og råbte til delfinerne, som med lethed svømmede med:

"Hej Stalker og Fema og Cancer og Nixon!
Eller Stinky and Pepper Spray, Mason, og Dixon!
Eller hvad jeres navne ellers er, i søde små fisk
Her er til alle sejlere, mine bedste julehilsener!"

Han sejlede af sted i et uroligt hav
Jeg håbede ikke, han manglede mange flere besøg
Han sejlede mod land og var snart på grund
Men delfinerne trak han videre omkring

Og jeg hørte ham råbe, mens han forsvandt af syne:

"Glædelig Jul til alle, og God Nat til alle!"
 

 


Til slut en julehistorie fra det virkelige liv.

Hvert år i begyndelsen af december klager Tante Paula over, at hun altid er så alene: ”Juleaften  er da en aften, hvor familien skal være sammen”.

Derfor har vi de sidste 15 år besøgt hende hver eneste juleaften. Og vi bliver altid hilst velkommen med disse ord: ”Neeej, I ved nok, at I har en tante. Og så endda på en juleaften, jeg bliver helt paf. Nå, men kom nu ind. Her ser forfærdelig ud. Jeg er ikke blevet færdig, for jeg har været så meget på kirkegården.” Men der er altid ryddet pænt op, for Tante er et ordensmenneske, men hun jamrer sig: ”Bare jeg ikke havde påtaget mig at holde alle de gamle gravsteder. Jeg har så meget at rende efter. Og mine ben smerter så meget, bare jeg kunne smide dem væk. I dag kan jeg næsten ikke gå et skridt.” Og så løber hun frem og tilbage fra køkkenet med kopper og tallerkener og kager og hvad ved jeg.

Vi giver hende en striktrøje og hun siger: ”Neej, det er da alt for meget, den kan jeg ikke tage imod. Den passer lige til min grå kjole. Jamen, vi ville jo ikke give hinanden gaver. Av, mine ben.” Så løber hun ind i den anden stue og kommer tilbage med gaver til os, lommetørklæder og forskellige æggevarmere, og så siger vi: ”Nej, nej, vi ville jo ikke give hinanden gaver. Lommetørklæderne passer fint til vore næser.”

Til kaffen og kagerne fortæller hun: ”Mange mennesker føler ikke noget for julen. Den gamle Bundgård overfor siger, at for ham er det jul, bare han får gåsesteg. Forleden dag mødte jeg ham på trappen, han var sløj, men det var fordi han havde forspist sig. Pedersen’s datter inde ved siden af har fået et barn igen, det har heller ikke nogen far. Viceværten, den frække hund, skulle jeg have givet en lussing. Den gamle nar sagde, jeg skulle feje kældertrappen, når jeg havde hentet kul. Jeg svarede høfligt, at jeg ikke ville lade mig belære af en gammel, senil mimreolding. Nå ja, og Fru Kruese er kommet på sygehuset, hendes ben er uhyggelig tykke, vand alt sammen.”

Nu er vi alle godt mætte, men Tante Paula løber igen ud i køkkenet og henter smørrebrød, pølse, ost, kold steg, fisk, æg, øl og meget mere.

Og så fortsætter hun: ”Sidste år, juleaften blev min nabo Poulsen så fuld, at han væltede juletræet og hele stuen brændte. Og det var i julen, som skulle være en tid for ro og betænksomhed. Jeg tænder lige for radioen, nå, den er tændt, den spiller hele tiden. Tag noget mere kalkun! Onkel Villy spiste engang en kalkun helt alene. Da måtte han ligge i sengen i 3 dage, og han vidste ikke, om han var død eller levende. Engang en juleaften fik jeg et hønseben ned i halsen, Frank ville tage det ud, men jeg kom til at bide ham i fingrene. Så sendte vi bud efter lægevagten, han var en kedelig, tør karl, han ødelagde fuldstændig julestemningen. Mange læger er så ubehøvlede. Av, mine ben. Det var dejligt, I kom. Så har vi da set hinanden een gang i år.”

Så følger hun os raskt til banegården, selv om hun har ondt i benene. Undervejs glæder vi os over, at hun om senest 3 dage vil besøge os (fordi hun altid er så alene) , og så vil hun fortælle os om, hvor rodet hun har det,, alle hendes gravsteder og om hendes ben, og om gamle Bundgård, Pedersen’s datter, Fru Kruese’s ben, den fordrukne Poulsen og andre besynderlige juletemaer.  

 

GLÆDELIG JUL