Then he became angry. His son had told him my story. "What kind of fool runs away from a good father? What kind of fool throws away a comfortable life? I wouldn't sail with you again for a thousand pounds! You bring misfortune! You cause death!"
2. Seine Worte
His words
taten
hurt
mir
me
weh.
Aber
But
ich sagte
I said
nichts.
nothing.
Ich hatte
I had
zu viel
too much
Stolz,
pride,
um
to
zuzugeben,
admit,
dass
that
er
he
recht
right
hatte.
was
Er redete
He talked
weiter.
on.
"Merk
"Remember
dir
meine Worte.
my words.
Wenn
If
du
you
nicht
not
nach Hause
home
gehst,
go,
wirst
will
du
you
Katastrophe
catastrophe
nach
after
Katastrophe
catastrophe
erleben.
experience.
Der Fluch
The curse
deines Vaters
of your father
wird
will
dir
you
folgen.
follow.
Du wirst
You will
leiden,
suffer,
bis
until
du
you
dir
yourself
wünschst,
wish,
du wärst
you were
tot."
dead."
His words hurt me. But I said nothing. I had too much pride to admit that he was right. He talked on. "Remember my words. If you don't go home, you will experience catastrophe after catastrophe. The curse of your father will follow you. You will suffer until you wish you were dead."
3. Wir trennten
We parted
uns.
Ich sah
I saw
sie
them
nie
never
wieder.
again.
Ich hatte
I had
Geld
money
in
in
meiner Tasche
my pocket
von
from
den freundlichen Menschen
the kind people
von
of
Yarmouth.
Yarmouth.
Ich konnte
I could
nach Hause
home
nach
to
York
York
gehen.
go.
Oder
Or
ich konnte
I could
nach
to
London
London
gehen
go
und
and
ein anderes Schiff
another ship
finden.
find.
Die Wahl
The choice
war
was
meine.
mine.
Aber
But
Scham
shame
traf
made
meine Entscheidung
my decision
für
for
mich.
me.
We parted. I never saw them again. I had money in my pocket from the kind people of Yarmouth. I could go home to York. Or I could go to London and find another ship. The choice was mine. But shame made my decision for me.
4. Wie
How
konnte
could
ich
I
nach Hause
home
gehen?
go?
Alle
Everyone
würden
would
über
at
mich
me
lachen.
laugh.
"Da
"There
ist
is
der Junge,
the boy,
der
who
zur See
to sea
weglief!"
ran away!"
würden
would
sie
they
sagen.
say.
"Ein Sturm
"A storm
und
and
er kam
he came
weinend
crying
nach Hause!"
home!"
Ich konnte
I could
diese Schande
this disgrace
nicht
not
ertragen.
bear.
Mein Stolz
My pride
war
was
stärker
stronger
als
than
mein gesunder Menschenverstand.
my common sense.
Das
That
ist
is
der Wahnsinn
the madness
der Jugend.
of youth.
How could I go home? Everyone would laugh at me. "There is the boy who ran away to sea!" they would say. "A storm and he came home crying!" I could not bear this disgrace. My pride was stronger than my common sense. That is the madness of youth.
5. Wir
We
schämen uns
are ashamed
nicht,
not,
Unrecht
wrong
zu
to
tun.
do.
Aber
But
wir
we
schämen uns,
are ashamed,
es
it
richtig
right
zu
to
machen.
do.
Wir
We
schämen uns
are ashamed
nicht,
not,
Narren
fools
zu
to
sein.
be.
Aber
But
wir
we
schämen uns,
are ashamed,
weise
wise
zu
to
werden.
become.
Also
So
ging
went
ich
I
nach London.
to London.
Auf
On
der Straße
the street
kämpfte
fought
ich
I
mit
with
mir selbst.
myself.
Aber
But
der Stolz
pride
gewann
won
jedes Argument.
every argument.
We are not ashamed to do wrong. But we are ashamed to do it right. We are not ashamed to be fools. But we are ashamed to become wise. So I went to London. On the street I fought with myself. But pride won every argument.
6. In London
In London
blieb
stayed
ich
I
eine Zeit lang.
for a while.
Die Erinnerung
The memory
an
of
den Sturm
the storm
begann
began
zu
to
verblassen.
fade.
Meine Angst
My fear
wurde
became
schwächer.
weaker.
Mein Wunsch
My desire
nach Abenteuer
for adventure
wurde
became
stärker.
stronger.
Ich dachte
I thought
weniger
less
an
about
zu Hause.
home.
Ich dachte
I thought
weniger
less
an
about
die Tränen
the tears
meines Vaters.
of my father.
Ich dachte
I thought
weniger
less
an
about
Gottes Warnungen.
God's warnings.
In London I stayed for a while. The memory of the storm began to fade. My fear became weaker. My desire for adventure became stronger. I thought less about home. I thought less about my father's tears. I thought less about God's warnings.
7. Schließlich
Finally
traf
made
ich
I
meine Wahl.
my choice.
Ich würde
I would
ein anderes Schiff
another ship
finden.
find.
Ich würde
I would
es
it
wieder
again
versuchen.
try.
Ich würde
I would
beweisen,
prove,
dass
that
ich
I
kein Feigling
not a coward
war.
was.
Ich würde
I would
allen
everyone
zeigen,
show,
dass
that
ich
I
ein Seemann
a sailor
sein
be
konnte.
could.
Ich war
I was
der größte Narr,
the biggest fool,
der
who
je
ever
gelebt
lived
hat.
has.
Und
And
ich würde
I would
teuer
dearly
für
for
meine Dummheit
my stupidity
bezahlen.
pay.
Finally I made my choice. I would find another ship. I would try again. I would prove that I was not a coward. I would show everyone that I could be a sailor. I was the biggest fool who ever lived. And I would pay dearly for my stupidity.