Kjære Hr. Meyer!

Kùn et par ord i all hast!

Jeg er rent skamfùld! – Jeg siger Dem tusend

tak! – men det gaar ikke an dette – De maa

være saa venlig at tage tilbake de Kr. 100, som

De har betalt tante Hanna. – De maa være saa

snild at tage dem igjen af de penge, De faar

for træsnittene; – eller vil De absolùt betale

det förste træsnit ("stöilen"), saa lad det være med

5-10 kr. eller höiden 50, som De nævnte i Deres

förste brev; men da skal De tage imod de træ-

snit, som jeg sender nù og senere – ùden betaling.

Ja tusend tak for æplerne og apelsinerne – men

paa denne maade tör jeg ikke oftere bede Dem

om en lignende tjeneste, – det var altformeget

at gjöre Dem ùleilighed med sligt, om De ikke

ogsaa skùlde betale det, – jeg bùrde tænkt mig

om paa forhaand og ikke gjort det.

Ja jeg var skamfùld igaar da jeg fik æplekassen

og Deres brev (ja, jeg fik enda en grùnd til at

                               2

skamme mig: – den mand, som fik æplekassen

hos mig i fjor, og som jeg troede ike vilde betale

kassen, – han kom her samtidig – og gjorde mig 

mange ùndskyldninger for at han ikke havde svaret

paa mine krav eller betalt för, men nù skulde jeg

faa pengene; og jeg skammede mig over, at jeg havde

betvivlet han redelighed).

Nù sendte jeg idag 3 "ùdgaver" af seljekallen i "graat,

sort og hvidt" – den mörkeste er egentlig en gam-

mel tryk, som jeg trykte opigjen lidt, – den kan

ikke gjentages, da jeg har skaaret i pladerne siden

den tid; – der var nemlig enkelte som syntes, at

seljekvisten og kropperne var for grovt gjort og jeg

skar dem derfor tyndere, – men angrede paa det, – jeg

syntes det var ret, som jeg havde det först, – da jeg

jùst vilde have det "lubne" og "yrende" i de

vaarsvùlmende kviste og knopper ("gaasùnger") –

(man maa jo altid overdrive lidt i kùnst) – men

andre syntes, at vaarnatten kom bedre frem ved

spinkelheden i det tynde "nett" af grene. Af de

andre to "seljekaller" kan jeg trykke opigjen om det

skùlde være en af disse som blev foretrukket – helst. 

Af forsökene med "Kornstaùr i maaneskin" sender

jeg to og beder Dem være saa snild at modtage

                                3

det, De liker bedst (eller om De vil begge) – De

kan beholde dem eller give dem bort, efter som De

synes, – men De skal ikke betale dem. –

  Jeg trykte en dag en "fisker" ("den gamle fiskemand"),

og jeg var selv fornöiet med denne trykken – jeg

syntes iallefald at jeg opnaaede en enkel og morsom

virking med "gùlt graat og sort" – den fjerde

farve (paa tröie, sko og sydvest) er opnaaet ved at

trykke graat paa gùlt, – saa der er bare tre farver.

Min kone og jeg vilde gjerne faa give Dem denne

tryk ogsaa, om De bryder Dem om den; – – jeg kom

nù först i dette öieblik til at tænke paa, om

De mùligens skulde have "den gamle fiskermand"

för, – jeg kan ikke hùske det, – men De har ialle-

fald ikke nogen saa god tryk af den, – (og da kan

De jo isaafald give bort den gamle). Vil De være saa

venlig at sende mig en liste over, hvad De har af mine træsnit

i "sort og hvidt".

Ja ùndskyld mit rabl – jeg har en daarlig pen –

og atter tusend tak!

Med de bedste hilsener fra min kone og börn

Hils frùen og familien! Deres Nikolai Astrup

Konvolutt, framside:

Til

Hr. Capt. H. J. Meyer

  Vetrlidsalmenning 27

Bergen

Dear Mr. Meyer!

Just a few words in haste! 

I am positively ashamed! – I convey to You my utmost

thanks! – but this is not possible – You must

be so kind and take back the 100 kroner, which

You have paid aunt Hanna. – You must be so

kind as to retrieve them out of the money You obtain

for the woodcuts; – or if You absolutely wish to pay for

the first woodcut ("the mountain grazing farm"), so let it be for

5-10 kroner or at most 50, as You mentioned in Your

first letter; but then You must accept the wood-

cuts, that I am sending now and later – without payment.

And many thanks for the apples and oranges – but 

in this manner I no longer dare to ask You

for a similar favour, – it was way too much

to inconvenience Yourself with such matters, not to mention

that You should also pay for it, – I should have thought 

twice beforehand and not done so.

Well I was ashamed yesterday when I received the crate of apples

and Your letter (well, I acquired yet another reason to 

                               2

be ashamed: – the man, who received the crate of apples

from me last year, and who I did not believe would pay for

the crate, – he arrived here at the same time – and begged my

forgiveness repeatedly for not having responded to

my claims or paid for it, but now I could 

have the money; and I was ashamed, that I had

doubted his integrity).

I have sent today 3 "versions" of the willow in "grey, 

black and white" – the darkest one is actually an old

print, that I have partly printed over again, – it can-

not be repeated, as I have carved the blocks since

that time; – there were some who thought, that

the willow branches and bodies were too coarsely done and I

therefore carved them more thinly, – but regretted it, – I

think it was correct, the way I had first made it, – as I

wished precisely to retain the "plumpness" and "bursting quality" of the

swelling spring twigs and buds ("pussy willows") –

(one must always exaggerate a little in art) – but

others felt that the spring night was better depicted with

a spindly "network" of branches. The

other two "willows" I can make repeated prints of if one

of these is preferred – preferably. 

Of the attempts at "Grain poles in moonlight" I am sending

two and ask You to kindly accept

                                3

the one, You like best (or if You wish both) – You

can keep them or give them away, as You

wish, – but You shall not pay for them. –

One day I printed a "fisherman" ("the old fisherman"),

and I was satisfied with this print – I

thought at least that I achieved a simple and interesting

effect with "yellow grey and black" – the fourth

colour (on the jersey, shoes and headgear) is achieved by

printing grey over yellow, – so there are only three colours.

My wife and I would like to give You this

print as well, if You might consider it; – – it just now

this very instant occurred to me, that

You might have "the old fisherman"

already, – I cannot remember, – but You at 

least do not have such a good print of it, – (and then

in that case You can give away the old one). Would You be so

kind as to send me a list of, which of my woodcuts You have 

in "black and white".

Well forgive my scribbles – I have a poor pen –

and again many thanks!

With best wishes from my wife and children

Greetings to Your wife and family! Your Nikolai Astrup

Envelope, front:

To

Capt. H. J. Meyer

  Vetrlidsalmenning 27

Bergen