Lance Brett Hall

Stories Make Meaning. How Do We Make Stories?

Two translations of Meißner’s “Die Sonne und der Wind”

Published

Today’s Advent Calendar entry has a catch: it already has a translation. This is an adaptation of Aesop’s fable by August Gottlieb Meißner (1753–1807).

I thought it would be fun to compare my own translation of Meißner’s 17th century German with the one listed in the public domain on Wikipedia.

My translation Public domain Meißner’s German
Once, the Sun and the Wind were quarreling: who between them was the stronger? They were agreed, that he should prevail, who would first make a wanderer, who they saw before them, to discard his cloak. The North Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger, when a traveler came along wrapped in a warm cloak. They agreed that the one who first succeeded in making the traveler take his cloak off should be considered stronger than the other. Einst stritten sich Sonne und Wind: wer von ihnen beiden der Stärkere sei? und man ward einig: derjenige solle dafür gelten, der einen Wanderer, den sie eben vor sich sahen, am ersten nöthigen würde, seinen Mantel abzulegen.
Presently, the Wind began to storm; Rain and Hail supported him. The poor wanderer lamented and faltered, but faster and faster he wrapped himself in his cloak, and continued on his way as best he could. Then the North Wind blew as hard as he could, but the more he blew the more closely did the traveler fold his cloak around him; and at last the North Wind gave up the attempt. Sogleich begann der Wind zu stürmen; Regen und Hagelschauer unterstützten ihn. Der arme Wanderer jammerte und zagte; aber immer fester und fester wickelte er sich in seinen Mantel ein, und setzte seinen Weg fort, so gut er konnte.
Now by turns the Sun let his rays fall plumb and powerfully. Heaven and earth became bright; the air warmed. The wanderer needed not suffer the cloak on his shoulders. He threw it off and revitalized himself in the shadow of a tree, whereas the sun rejoiced in his victory. Then the Sun shined out warmly, and immediately the traveler took off his cloak. And so the North Wind was obliged to confess that the Sun was the stronger of the two. Jetzt kam die Reihe an die Sonne. Senkrecht und kraftvoll ließ sie ihre Strahlen herabfallen. Himmel und Erde wurden heiter; die Lüfte erwärmten sich. Der Wanderer vermochte nicht länger den Mantel auf seinen Schultern zu erdulden. Er warf ihn ab und erquickte sich im Schatten eines Baumes, indes die Sonne sich ihres Sieges erfreute.
Ten times more sure are charity and friendliness, than impetuosity and severity. Zehnmal sicherer wirken Milde und Freundlichkeit, als Ungestüm und Strenge.