Wednesday 20 September 2017

Master Tailor

This is a translation of the old Swedish folktale "Mäster Skräddare". I haven't been able to find a translation for it, and I find it a bit cute and at the same time quite thoughtful. So here's my attempt at a translation. It's far from perfect, and if you have suggestions how to improve it, I'll gladly consider them.

It's hard to capture the nuance and connotations of the original Swedish piece. Especially the Swedish word "bidde" that roughly means "became". But in some kind of cute dialectal form. The word is never used anywhere else but in the folktale, and has because of this become the hallmark of this tale. The word is extremely hard to translate for this reason.

Anyway, here it is:

Master Tailor


Once upon a time a little man went to the tailor with a piece of cloth.

- Good day, Master tailor, said the little man with a bow.
- Good day, said the tailor, sitting on the table sewing with his legs crossed.
- Can I have myself a little coat sewn from this little piece of cloth? asked the little man.
- That should be possible, said the tailor.
- When can you have it done?
- On Saturday.
- OK, Master tailor. Thank you very much, Master tailor. Goodbye, Master tailor.
And the little man walked home.
Saturday came and the little man went to the tailor again.
- Good day, Master tailor, is my coat done?
- Ah, but no.
- It's not done? Why not?
- Ah yes, it wasn't a coat.
- Oh, it wasn't a coat after all? What happened?
- I'm making a pair of pants instead.
- I see, you're making a pair of pants? When will those be done?
- On Saturday.
- OK, Master tailor. Thank you very much, Master tailor. Goodbye, Master tailor.
And the little man walked home.
When Saturday came the little man went to the tailor again.
- Good day, Master tailor, are my pants done?
- Ah, but no.
- They're not done? Why not?
- Ah yes, it wasn't a pair of pants.
- Oh, it wasn't a pair of pants after all? What happened?
- I'm making a vest instead.
- I see, you're making a vest? When will that be done?
- On Saturday.
- OK, Master tailor. Thank you very much, Master tailor. Goodbye, Master tailor.
And the little man walked home.
Saturday came and the little man went to the tailor again.
- Good day, Master tailor, is my vest done?
- Ah, but no.
- It's not done? Why not?
- Ah yes, it wasn't a vest.
- Oh, it wasn't a vest after all? What happened?
- I'm making a pair of mittens instead.
- I see, you're making a pair of mittens? When will those be done?
- On Saturday.
- OK, Master tailor. Thank you very much, Master tailor. Goodbye, Master tailor.
And the little man walked home.
When Saturday came the little man went to the tailor again.
- Good day, Master tailor, are my mittens done?
- Ah, but no.
- They're not done? Why not?
- Ah yes, it wasn't a pair of mittens.
- Oh, it wasn't a pair of mittens after all? What happened?
- I can't make anything.
- I see, you can't make anything at all? OK, Master tailor. Thank you very much, Master tailor. Goodbye, Master tailor.
And the little man walked home and never came back again.

A Swedish version can be found here: Mäster skräddare