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Transcription
Translation

Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Kramer, Per
1921-05-31
ubb-ms-1808-f-5, MARCUS – Spesialsamlingene ved Universitetsbiblioteket i Bergen

11 Pages

Transcription

Tekst vertikalt, venstre marg: Mottat 31/5 1921.

Kjære ven! Annen håndskrift: Huset på Myklebùst

Tusend tak for dine tvende breve! –

det förste blev ikke besvart; fordi vi troede, 

at dù dog kom i sidste öieblik, – vi fikk nem- 

lig greie paa, at motorbaat gik til Vadheim 

(og postbil til Vasenden – og vor egen bil derfra

hid); – vi opgav derfor ikke haabet om dit

komme förend paaske, nei pintsèugen var

tilende, – men da forstod vi jo, at vanskelighe-

derne maatte have været ùovervindelige selv for 

din bekjendte energi; – nù idag fik jeg da dit 

sidste brev, og da jeg har regnet úd, at det brev kan 

naa dig, hvis det kommer afsted idag – (senere er

det uvisst) – saa vil jeg ihast rable ned et brev. 

Sidst jeg skrev (– ja det var vist et löierligt brev) – 

da var jeg rent daarlig, – det var forresten alle 

her omkring – det var nok en "inflùensa" epede-

mi, – som fik godt tak paa mig i den forkjölede

tilstand, som jeg var i efter reisen; – den kolde

træk paa bilen opover gjorde nemlig forkjölelsen 

værre. – Nù er jeg nogenlùnde bra – har riktig – 

nok en liden ny forkjölelse, ¬– men den gaar nok 

snart over. – Engel er daarlig i foden: aarebetæn-

delse – maa holde sengen, – ellers er alt ved det 

gamle; – nedkomsten lader vente længe paa sig nù, 

synes hùn; – hùn er nok ængstelig for den, da

hun samtidig har denne aarebetændelsen. 

Denne streiken var jo noget djævelskab, – nù

havde vi faaet alt istand med den ene stùen 

i den nye bygning, – og faaet 2 nye senger ind, 

saa vi troede der skulde blevet rigtig hygge- 

ligt for dere, – hæggen stod hvid med blom-

ster næsten ind gjennem vindùet; – men vi var

forresten ikke sikker paa, om Dere ikke foretrak

gamlestùen, efter hvad dú sagde engang, – der

er jo höiere ùnder taket; – men jeg tror, at nu

medens hæggen blomstrede, vilde Dere foretrùk-

ket den nye stùen. ––– Den 17de mai

foregik stille og roligt, – jeg arbeidede lidt 

II

med jorden, og börnene og tjenestepiken, gik i 

flagtog og siden i "festen", hvor börnene skulde

faa lov at være til kl. 12 nat – mens vi sad

oppe og ventede; – til slùt maatte Engel lægge sig – 

da var kl. 2, og jeg blev siddende til jeg sovnede

og vaagnede – först kl. 7 om morgenen 18de – dygtig fros-

sen og forkjölet, da vindùerne stod aabne; – da

var endelig börnene komne hjem saavidt; – jeg

vidste ikke, om jeg skulde prygle dem, eller hvordan 

jeg skulde straffe dem, – det var jo den 17de (eller

rettere den 18de), og der havde været saa morsomt

paa festen med fùlde folk o.s.v., at de havde

ikke kùnnet rive sig lös. Jeg holdt da sjølv- 

fölgelig en tordentale, og til straf skùlde de 

herefter ikke mere faa gaa paa söndags-

skolen, – og heller ikke faa gaa til Sandal 

paa en maaned og heller ikke til Fluge’s. – Kari,– 

(hvem störste skylden faldt paa), faar heller ikke 

gaa paa skolen, – som er hendes störste fornöielse,– 

medens Arnold, som ikke liker skolen, maa gaa. 

Nogit andet af betydning hændte ikke den 17de  

med ùndtagelse af, at vi havde dig i hùkom-

melse ved en dram; – det som særlig bragte tanken 

hen paa dig var forresten et uheld, – et storm-

kast tog nemlig saa sterkt tak i flagget, at

flagssnoren rök af, – og for at tröste os over

ùheldet, maatte vi drikke din skaal et par gange.

Flagtoget optok vort ùheld vistnok som en de- 

monstration, – det traf nettop til at gaa for –

bi samtidig, – (man veed jo, at jeg ikke er

videre begeistret for disse festerne med folk fra

alle kanter). –––

Det var kjedeligt, at jeg ikke blev et par dager

længer i Bergen, saa jeg fik se den franske ud-

stilling. ––– Ja dù nævner tresnittene, – jeg har 

ikke været "oplagt" til at gjøre noget, siden 

jeg kom hjem, – föler meg rent impotent overfor

kùnst – har lagt farver på paletten – det er alt. 

Ellers har vi væsentlig holdt det gaaende med

at holde os fra livet en ren invasion af saùer,

III

som iaar er værre end nogensinde: – en gudelig

mand i nærheden har drevet i aarevis paa med

at avle frem en saùerace, hvis særlige frem-

trædende egenskaber er det at hoppe höit; ved

ùdvalg af særlig flinke dyr i den retning, har

den samme gùdelige mand skaffet sig stadig flin-

kere dyr, og ved streng "indavl" har han drevet 

det til at faa verdens flinkeste "hoppere", som 

nù klarer at hoppe mandshöie gjærder; – og ved

at sùlte dem dygtig ùd om vinteren, har han 

udviklet en slig graadighed hos dem, at de spiser

alt slag, – særlig kultúrplanter og blomsterplanter

samt bærtrær, – ligesom de ikke nöier sig med

at bide gresset af, men slider det likesaa godt

op med roden, saa at man kùnde tro at en æ 

ægyptisk græshoppe-sværm var faret hen over gaar-       

den. Nù tror jeg endelig, at vi – ved ihærdigt

arbeide med gjærdet – har klaret at faa dem

stengt ùde – mangen sten har imidlertid smeldt

i de skindmagre skrottene, – saa den gudelige

mand har nok gjort os til syndere mange 

ganger om dagen – baade ved banding og stenkasting. 

Nù staar den gùdelige mands saùer ùdenfor vort

gjærde og bræger saa gùdsjammerligt, at det

kunde röre en sten, – medens sulten skriker i deres

tarmer; – thi nù har de nemligt faaet smak paa

kultùrplanter og "streiker" da overfor markens vilde

ùrter og græs, som de nù foragter dypt, – de staar

der hele dagen melankolske ùden at smake et 

græsstraa; – det maa være med dem som med 

arbeiderne, som nù ùnder de gyldne tider fik 

smag for vellevnet – og nù ikke kan klare 

sig med hverdagskost; – eller likesom med mig, da

jeg nù havde været hos dere, og saa kommer hjem 

til fattigdommen. –––

Ja saa til slut:Den lille gaarden "Øiene" er

nù ledig, – fuldstændig fri eierene gru bygsel- 

folkenes ene datter (min gamlekjæreste) er kommen

hjem fra Amerika og vil tage alle bygsefolke-

ne med sig til Amerika, – og vilde sælge àlle

hùser og rettigheder; – grùndeieren kom i den an-

ledning til mig og spùrgte, om vi dù og jeg fremdeles 

vedstod vort bùd 8500 –, det var jo vanskeligt 

for mig at sige noget derom nù; – jeg fik ham

IIII

derfor til at forhale saken til pintse, da dù

jo var ventende hit til den tid, – da dù imidler- 

tid ikke kom, vidste jeg ikke, hvad jeg skulde

svare; – bygselfolkene drev paa for at faa hùsene solgt til

hvem som helst, hvis ikke grundeieren gjorde 

alvor af handelen, de havde nemlig ret til at

pakte bort gaarden, hvis ikke grundeieren löste dem 

fra deres rettigheder, som de forlangte 3000 kr. for.  

Saa var det ogsaa et rigtigt spörgsmaal, hvad

man skulde gjöre med gaardens vaararbeider nù

iaar, – det leed langt paa aaret og intet var gjort. – 

Grùndeieren spùrgte da mig, – om han ikke for et aar

kunde pakte gaarden bort; – man kùnde ellers recike-

re at alt arbeide blev forsinket, og kanske blev gaar-

den liggende öde dette aar – og gjærderne blev ikke ved-

likeholdt, – og det værste af alt: man vilde savne

gjödsel paa gaarden til næste vaar. Jeg kùnde jo 

ikke pr. telegram konferere med dig, og tiltog mig da

egenmægtig at tillade bortforpagtning paa et – 1 aar. 

Jeg lod ham imidlertid forstaa, at hvad vi havde

talt om ifjor ikke var bindende nù – iallefald maat- 

te jeg konferere med dig först – sagde jeg. – 

Grùndeieren paktede da gaarden væk paa et aar, efterat

han havde kjöbt af bygselsfolket alle rettigheder samt 

hùsene; – saa vilde han vide, om han nù kunde sælge

til hvem, han vilde, – jeg tùrde hverken negte eller tillade

dette, – indtil videre forbeholdt jeg os ret til at udtage

en del af jorden, – iallefald til hùsetomter og have, – 

ligeledes vilde jeg, at vi skùlde have förste ret til den

Tekst vertikalt: som ikke hörer til bygselbruget; 

men pris og lign. fik jeg först ùnderhandle med dig om. 

Jeg forlangte ogsaa ret til lidt ùdmark, – for at faa en 

eventùel parcel matrikuleret som eget brùg (af hen- 

syn til havneret o.l.gn. (sæterret o.s.v) som kùnde komme vel med).

Vilde dù bygge der (paa en eventùel parcel) skal dù faa mine hùser paa

Myklebùst for mindre end halvdelen af, hvad de kostede 

mig i de gamle billige dage, – attelieret har jeg dog lovet

Fond – og det havde dù vel ikke særlig brùg for heller –

Hùsene paa bygselbrùget (eller rettere gaarden nù) skal 

ikke være rare, – jeg fik en mand til at undersöge det, – 

halvdelen af stuen er bare ùdhus (staver og bordklædning)

Fjös og lade er faldefærdige ogsaa, – der maa i allefald

en masse reparationer til. I det heltaget vil det vel 

kanske skaffe os mere brydere end glæde, förend vi faar

alt i stand, – og jeg for min del er for tiden en forgjældet

V

mand, saa jeg kùnde ikke for det förste klare min

del af udgifterne, især naar jeg samtidig skulde betale

paa et banklaan, som jeg jo blev nödt at tage for at 

klare min del av grundkapitalen – eller kjöbesúmmen. 

En anden sak var det, at det kùnde være meget

koseligt at have et saadant lidet fristed, hvor man 

baade kunde brænde brændevin, stænge elven med fiske – 

greier og gjöre andet ùlovligt ùden kontrol – og

saa ikke mindst, at man kùnde have en liden 

havn for en motorbaat,– det mangler jeg jo fùld- 

stændig her paa stranden, – og skal jeg blive boende

en tid her i bygden, vil jeg absolut have en 

motorbaat, saa man i en fart kan "komme til"

sine motiver. En god badeplads var ogsaa noget værd

Saa er det skinkerne – skal jeg hente dem? 

Manden kunde jo finde paa at sælge dem nù da

flesket gaar lidt op igjen. Veed dù en pris som passer? 

Ja nù er dine materialer endeligt kommet op – bilen 

har været saa overfyldt til stadighed, at det har været

vanskeligt at faa noget op med den. Flùge har

ogsaa havt nok med sit eget en tid, – særlig disse

bæstene til den gùdelige mand med "föflekken" (almindelig 

bare kaldt "Flekken") det er antagelig den "flekken som har

gjort ham "gùdelig". Flùge har også været endel i ar – 

beide hos mig med indredning af vindùer og

döre; – en flink mand, – men "sen". – 

Rabarbraen er nù saa stor, at jeg kan presse af de störste

stilkene, og jeg skal en af de förste dage sende saften 

og nogle stilke til færdiggjæring af vinen; – jeg kom 

til at tænke paa et ypperligt middel, som dù har

til din raadighed: badekarret – hold vandet paa nogen

og tredive grader – aldrig over 40 – lad balonen staa i 

vandet et par dögn eller mere, tag balonen op om natten og pak den ind i klær, saa har dù den prægtig- 

ste eftergjæring gaaende, – men det blir kanske nödvendig 

at tilsætte nogle "haandfùlde" rosiner, da den gamle

gjærsop sikkert er "död"; – kan godt hænde, at de 

opskaarne stilke og rosinerne kan gjöre vinen lidt ùklar, 

men den vil klarne paa et par ùger, naar den sidste

gjæring er over, – i nödstilfælde kan lidt ny gelatin til – 

settes. Skùlde vinen ùnder eftergjæringen tabe all

södhed, kan lidt sùkker tilsettes (udrört i kogt vand) 

den vil da vinde i styrke, hvad der er heldigt for 

holdbarheden, – men ikke meget sukker ad gangen gjerne i flere portioner og 

intet sùkker förend södheden er næsten helt borte. Stadig omrö-

ring af de opskaarne stilke er nödvendig (et par gange dagligt.). 

Ja undskyld mit rodede brev. Skriv naar du kommer. Lev vel! og de

bedste hilsener til dit ganske hùs fra din Astrup

Translation

Vertical text, left margin: Received 31/5 1921.

Dear friend! Different handwriting: The house in Myklebùst

Many thanks for your two letters! –

the first was not answered because we thought, 

that you would in any case arrive at the last moment, – we were informed

you see, that the motorboat went to Vadheim 

(and the post delivery motorcar to Vasenden – and our own motorcar from there

to us); – we therefore did not give up hope of your

arrival before Easter, no Whitsunday week was

over, – but then we understood, that the diffi-

culties must have been insurmountable even for 

your famous vitality; – only today did I receive your 

lastest letter, and since I have calculated, that it a letter can 

reach you, if it is sent off today – (later is

not certain) – I will in haste scribble down a letter. 

The last time I wrote (– well it was perhaps a ridiculous letter) – 

I was very ill, – in fact everyone was 

around here – it was clearly an ”influenza” epide-

mic, – that grabbed hold of me in the sick

condition, that I was in after the trip; – the cold

draft in the motorcar up here made the cold 

worse. – Now I am a little better – though [I] have

a slight new cold, – but it will

soon pass. – Engel’s foot is not well: phle-

bitis – has to stay in bed, – otherwise everything is as

usual; – the birth seems to have been pushed back, 

she feels; – she is anxious about it, since

she has this phlebitis at the same time. 

That strike was the work of the devil, – we

had just got everything in order in one of the living rooms 

in the new building, – and brought 2 new beds in, 

so we thought it would be nice and co- 

sy for you, – the bird cherry was white with blos-

soms [reaching] practically in through the window; – but we 

were not sure, whether You might prefer

the old cabin, based on what you once said, – there

the ceiling is higher; – but I think, that now

while the bird cherry is in bloom, You would pre-

fer the new cabin. ––– The 17th of May

transpired quietly and peacefully, – I worked a little 

II

in the soil, and the children and the housemaid marched in 

the banner parade and later went to “the festivities”, where the children would

be allowed to stay until 12 o’clock midnight – while we sat

up waiting; – Engel had to go to bed finally – 

it was 2 o’clock by then, and I remained sitting up until I fell asleep

and did not awake – until 7 o’clock in the morning of the 18th – quite fro-

zen and with a cold, since the windows were open; – when

the children had just come home; – I

didn’t know, whether I should spank them, or how 

I should punish them, – it was the 17th after all (or

rather the 18th), and it had been so much fun

at the festivities with drunken folk etc., that they had

not been able to tear themselves away. So I of 

course gave them a scolding, and as punishment they would 

from now on not be able to go to Sunday

school, – nor be allowed to go to Sandal 

for a month or to Fluge’s either. – Kari, – 

(who was to blame the most), will not be able to 

go to school either, – which is her greatest pleasure,– 

while Arnold, who doesn’t like school, has to go. 

Nothing else of significance occurred on the 17th  

other than your being in our thoughts 

when we took a dram; – what incidentally made us think 

of you in particular was an accident, – a gust of

wind pulled so violently at the flag, that

the rope broke off, – and to comfort ourselves after

the accident, we had to drink a toast to you a few times.

The banner parade evidently interpreted our accident as a de- 

monstration, – it occurred at precisely the same time 

the parade passed by, – (one is aware, that I am not

exactly enthusiastic about these festivities with people from

every corner). –––

It was a shame, that I did not remain a couple of days

longer in Bergen, so that I was able to see the French ex-

hibition.. ––– Well you mention the woodcuts, – I have 

have not been “in the humour” to do anything, since 

I came home, – feel positively impotent with respect to

art – have applied paint to the palette – that’s all. 

Otherwise we have basically been occupied with

keeping a bay a whole invasion of sheep,

III

which this year are worse than ever: – a pious

man nearby has spent years trying

to breed a race of sheep, whose particularly pro-

minent trait is to jump high; by

selecting clever animals with that particular ability, the

same pious man has managed to breed increasingly cle-

ver animals, and with the help of strict “inbreeding” he has

produced the world’s most agile “jumpers”, which 

now succeed in jumping over fences the height of a man; – and by

starving them quite ruthlessly in winter, he has 

developed such greediness in them, that they eat

everything, – in particular cultivated plants, and flowering plants

as well as berry bushes, – in the same way that they aren’t satisfied with 

biting the grass clean, but just as well pull them

up by the root, so that one might think that a 

swarm of E Egyptian grasshoppers has swept over the 

farm. Now I believe that we finally – by strenuous

efforts with the fence – have managed to keep them

shut out – many stones have in the meantime found a target

in the scrawny carcasses, – so that the pious

man has made us out to be sinners many 

times a day – both for swearing and for stone throwing. 

Now the pious man’s sheep stand outside our

fence bleating so wretchedly, that it

could move a stone, – while hunger screams in their

bowels; – because now they have got a taste for the

cultivated plants and are on “strike” when it comes to wild

herbs and grass, which they now deeply detest, – they stand

there all day long downhearted and without tasting one 

blade of grass; – it must be for them [,] as it is for 

the workers who now during good times have got 

a taste for the good life – and can no longer make do

with everyday fare; – or like me, after

I had now been visiting you, and then return home

to scarcity. –––

Well to conclude then: – The little smallholding “Øiene” is

now available, – completely freethe owners lan one of the cot- 

ters’ daughters (my old girlfriend) has returned 

home from America and wishes to bring all the cot-

tars with her to America, – and wants to sell all

the buildings and rights; – the landowner came to visit me

on that account and asked, whether we you and I continued 

to stand by our offer of 8500 –, it was difficult 

for me to say anything about it at this point; – I therefore got him

IIII

to delay the case until Whitsunday, since you

were expected here around that time, – when you how- 

ever did not come, I did not know, what I should

reply; – the cottars were pushing to have the buildings sold to

anyone at all, if the landowner didn’t come 

through with the deal, they had in fact the right to 

lease out the smallholding, if the landowner didn’t release them 

of their rights, which they demanded 3000 kr. for.  

Then there was the legitimate question, what was

to be done about the smallholding’s spring cultivation

this year, – the season is well upon us and nothing had been done. – 

The landowner then asked me, – whether he might for one year 

lease out the smallholding; – one might otherwise risk

having all the work delayed, and the small-

holding might be left fallow this year – and the fences would not be re-

paired, – and worst of all: one would lack

manure for the smallholding for next year. I could not

confer with you by telegram, and thus took it upon

myself to allow leasing it out for one – 1 year. 

I made him understand however, that what we had

talked about last year was no longer binding – at least I 

had to confer with you first – I said. – 

The landowner then leased out the smallholding for one year, after

he had purchased all the rights from the cottars including 

the buildings; – then he wanted to know, whether he might sell

to whomever he wished, – I didn’t dare to either refuse or allow

this, – until further notice I retained the right for us to separate

a part of the land, – at least for building lots and a garden, – 

I likewise said, that we wished to have first option on that

Vertical text: which does not belong to the leaseholding; 

but the price and such matters I would first negotiate with you. 

I also demanded the right to a little outlying field, – in order to get a 

potential allotment registered as a separate smallholding (for the sake 

of grazing rights etc., (mountain pastures, etc.) which would be advantageous).

If you wanted to build there (on a potential allotment) you shall have my cabins in

Myklebùst for less than half of what they cost 

me in the old inexpensive days, – the studio I have however promised

to Fond – and that you would not have any particular use for either –

The buildings on the leaseholding (or rather freeholding now) are 

not supposed to be very good, – I had a man take a look at them, –

half of the cabin is merely a shed (posts and plank cladding)

The barn and grain shed are dilapidated as well, – there at least

a great deal of repair is required. Altogether it may well 

cause us more inconvenience than pleasure, before we put

everything in order, – and I for my part am presently a man

V

in debt, so that I could not immediately manage my

share of the expenses, especially when I at the same time should pay

down a mortgage, that I would be obliged to take in order 

to manage my part of the base capital – or purchase sum.

On the other hand, it might be very

nice to have such a little haven, where one might 

be able to distil liquor, close off the river with fishing 

nets and conduct other illegal activities without being observed – and

not least, to be able to have a little 

dock for a motorboat, – it is to- 

tally lacking here on the beach, – and if I shall remain living

here in the village for a time, I absolutely wish to have a 

motorboat, so that one can quickly “reach

one’s motifs. A good swimming hole is also worth something.

And then about the hams – shall I fetch them? 

The man might have a mind to sell them now when

pork has gone up a little in price. Do you know of a suitable price? 

Well your materials have finally arrived – the motorcar 

has continuously been so overloaded, that it has been

difficult to have anything delivered with it. Fluge has also

had enough dealing with his own matters lately, – especially those

beasts of that devout man with “the mole” (commonly 

just called “The Mole”) it is probably that “mole which has

made him “devout”. Flùge has also been work- 

ing a bit for me installing windows and

doors; – a clever man, – but “slow”. – 

Rhubarb is so big now, that I can press some of the large

stalks, and I shall any day now send the juice 

and some stalks for the final fermentation of the wine; – I just 

thought of an excellent instrument, which you have 

at your disposition: the bathtub – keep the water at a few

degrees above thirty – never above 40 – let the barrel stand in 

the water a few of days or more,take the barrel up at night pack it in clothes, then you will get the most magnifi- 

cent late fermentation going, – but it may be necessary 

to add a few “handfuls” of raisins, as the old

yeast is surely “dead”; – it may be, that the 

sliced stalks and the raisins can make the wine a little cloudy, 

but it will clear up in a few weeks, when the final

fermentation is over, – in a crisis a little new gelatine might be 

added. Should the wine during the late fermentation lose all of its

sweetness, a little sugar may be added (dissolved in boiled water) 

it will then increase in strength, which is good for its

durability, – but not a lot of sugar at once preferably in several portions and 

no sugar before the sweetness is almost all gone. Continuous stir-

ring of the cut-up stalks is necessary (a couple of times a day.). 

Well forgive my chaotic letter. Write when you are coming. Live well! and

very best wishes to your entire household from your Astrup