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 a comfortable life away? I would not sail with you again for thousand pounds! You bring bad luck! You cause the death!"
2. Zijn woorden
His words
deden pijn.
hurt.
Maar
But
ik
I
zei
said
niets.
nothing.
Ik
I
had
had
te veel
too much
trots
pride
om
to
toe te geven
admit
dat
that
hij
he
gelijk
right
had.
was.
Hij
He
bleef
kept
praten.
talking.
"Let op
"Pay attention to
mijn woorden.
my words.
Als
If
je
you
niet
not
naar huis
home
gaat,
go,
zul
will
je
you
ramp
disaster
na
after
ramp
disaster
tegenkomen.
meet.
De vloek
The curse
van
of
je vader
your father
zal
will
je
you
volgen.
follow.
Je
You
zult
will
lijden
suffer
tot
until
je
you
wenst
wish
dat
that
je
you
dood
dead
was."
were."
His words hurt. But I said nothing. I had too much pride to admit that he was right. He kept talking. "Pay attention to my words. If you don't go home, you will meet disaster after disaster. The curse of your father will follow you. You will suffer until you wish that you were dead."
3. We
We
gingen uit elkaar.
parted ways.
Ik
I
zag
saw
hen
them
nooit meer.
never again.
Ik
I
had
had
geld
money
in
in
mijn zak
my pocket
van
from
de vriendelijke
the kind
mensen
people
van
of
Yarmouth.
Yarmouth.
Ik
I
kon
could
naar huis
home
gaan
go
naar
to
York.
York.
Of
Or
ik
I
kon
could
naar
to
Londen
London
gaan
go
en
and
een ander
another
schip
ship
vinden.
find.
De keuze
The choice
was
was
aan
to
mij.
me.
Maar
But
schaamte
shame
nam
made
mijn beslissing
my decision
voor
for
mij.
me.
We parted ways. 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. Hoe
How
kon
could
ik
I
naar huis
home
gaan?
go?
Iedereen
Everyone
zou
would
om
at
mij
me
lachen.
laugh.
"Daar
"There
is
is
de jongen
the boy
die
who
wegliep
ran away
naar
to
zee!"
sea!"
zouden
would
ze
they
zeggen.
say.
"Eén
"One
storm
storm
en
and
hij
he
kwam
came
huilend
crying
naar huis!"
home!"
Ik
I
kon
could
die
that
schaamte
shame
niet
not
onder ogen zien.
face.
Mijn trots
My pride
was
was
sterker
stronger
dan
than
mijn
my
gezond verstand.
common sense.
Dit
This
is
is
de waanzin
the madness
van
of
de jeugd.
youth.
How could I go home? Everyone would laugh at me. "There is the boy who ran away to sea!" they would say. "One storm and he came crying home!" I could not face that shame. My pride was stronger than my common sense. This is the madness of youth.
5. We
We
schamen
are
ons
ashamed
niet
not
om
to
verkeerd
wrong
te doen.
do.
Maar
But
we
we
schamen
are
ons
ashamed
om
to
het
it
goed
right
te maken.
make.
We
We
schamen
are
ons
ashamed
niet
not
om
to
dwazen
fools
te zijn.
be.
Maar
But
we
we
schamen
are
ons
ashamed
om
to
wijs
wise
te worden.
become.
Dus
So
ging
went
ik
I
naar
to
Londen.
London.
Op
On
de weg
the way
vocht
fought
ik
I
met
with
mezelf.
myself.
Maar
But
trots
pride
won
won
elk
every
argument.
argument.
We are not ashamed to do wrong. But we are ashamed to make it right. We are not ashamed to be fools. But we are ashamed to become wise. So I went to London. On the way I fought with myself. But pride won every argument.
6. In
In
Londen
London
bleef
stayed
ik
I
enige tijd.
some time.
De herinnering
The memory
aan
of
de storm
the storm
begon
began
te vervagen.
to fade.
Mijn angst
My fear
werd
became
zwakker.
weaker.
Mijn verlangen
My desire
naar
for
avontuur
adventure
werd
became
sterker.
stronger.
Ik
I
dacht
thought
minder
less
aan
of
thuis.
home.
Ik
I
dacht
thought
minder
less
aan
of
de tranen
the tears
van
of
mijn vader.
my father.
Ik
I
dacht
thought
minder
less
aan
of
Gods
God's
waarschuwingen.
warnings.
In London I stayed some time. The memory of the storm began to fade. My fear became weaker. My desire for adventure became stronger. I thought less of home. I thought less of my father's tears. I thought less of God's warnings.
7. Eindelijk
Finally
maakte
made
ik
I
mijn keuze.
my choice.
Ik
I
zou
would
een ander
another
schip
ship
vinden.
find.
Ik
I
zou
would
het
it
opnieuw
again
proberen.
try.
Ik
I
zou
would
bewijzen
prove
dat
that
ik
I
geen
not a
lafaard
coward
was.
was.
Ik
I
zou
would
iedereen
everyone
laten zien
show
dat
that
ik
I
een zeeman
a sailor
kon
could
zijn.
be.
Ik
I
was
was
de grootste
the biggest
dwaas
fool
die
who
ooit
ever
leefde.
lived.
En
And
ik
I
zou
would
duur
dearly
betalen
pay
voor
for
mijn dwaasheid.
my foolishness.
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 foolishness.
