The Tomten

Midwinter’s night is cold and hard, the stars, they sparkle and glimmer. All are asleep at a lonely farm during the midnight hour. The moon wanders quietly across the sky, the snow shines white on pine and spruce, and the snow shines white on every roof. Only the tomten is awake.

Standing there by the barn door, gray against the white drift of snow, he is looking, like so many winters before, up at the shining moon. He then looks at the woods, where spruce and pine build a dark wall around the farm. He ponders, though to no avail, over a riddle, mysterious and strange.

He runs his hand through his beard and hair, shaking his head and his hat “no, this riddle is just too hard, this one I simply can’t guess.” Soon, as he has done often before, he pushes these thoughts away. Instead he goes to put things in order, to care for the farm, his home.

He walks to the storehouse and toolshed, he feels the lock to every door. In the stalls the cows are dreaming summer dreams, in the moonlight they’ve forgotten harness, whip and reins. The horse in his stall also has a dream: the manger he is leaning over is filled with sweet-smelling clover.

He goes to the pen for the sheep and lambs, and sees how they sleep inside, he goes to the hens, where the rooster is proudly perched on the highest roost. The dog is content on the straw in his house, he wakes and wags his tail. He knows his tomten, they are good friends.

Lastly the tomten sneaks inside to see the beloved farmer and his wife, long and well has he known that they honor all of his hard work. Then, on tiptoe, to the other bedroom he goes, drawing near the cute little children. No one need worry over this, for they are his greatest joy.

Thus has he watched the children sleep, fathers and sons, unbroken through many generations. They came down to this place, but from where did they come? Family followed after family, and fast: they flowered, grew old, and departed – but where to? And so the riddle that refuses to be answered comes back to the Tomten again.

The Tomten goes up to the loft in the barn where he has his home and castle high up in the scent of hay, close by the swallow’s nest. Now of course the nest is empty, but with spring and leaves and flowers he will be back, followed by his cute little wife.

The he always has much to say, many memories of travel, nonetheless nothing on the riddle that troubles the Tomten’s mind. Through a crack in the wall of the barn the moon shines on the old man’s beard, the streak on the beard shines, the Tomten broods and ponders.

Quiet is the forest and all around, the life out there is frozen, only from a distance comes the slow murmur of the river. The Tomten listens and, half in a dream, he thinks he hears the streams of time, he wonders where it shall lead to, he wonder, from where it has come.

Midwinter’s night is cold and hard, the stars, they sparkle and glimmer. All sleep well at the lonely farm until the morning hour. The moon is quietly setting now, the snow shines white on pine and spruce, and the snow shines white on every roof. Only the Tomten is awake.

The cold of midwinter night is hard,

the stars sparkle and glimmer.

Everyone sleeps in the lonely farm

deep during midnight’s hour

the moon travels it's quiet path,

the snow shines white on pine and spruce,

the snow shines white on all the roofs.

Only the tomten is awake.

Standing there grey by the barndoor,

Grrey against the white drifts,

Looking, like many winters before,

Up at the disc of the moon,

Looking at the forest, where spruce and pine

Drawing around the farm their dark wall,

Pondering, though it is (said not)/(bound not) to help,

Over a curious riddle.

Runs his hand through beard and hair,

Shaking head and hood –

“No, the riddle is far too hard,

No, I cannot guess it”--

Brushes, as is his wont, before long

Such inquiring thoughts away,

Walks to order and putter,

Goes to tend to his chores.

Walks to storehouse and toolshed,

Checks all the locks–

The cows to dream in the moonlight

Summerdreams in the stalls;

Forgetful of harness and whip and rein

Horse in the stall has also a dream:

The manger he is leaning over

Is filled with fragrant clover; –

Walks to the pen for lamb and sheep,

Sees, how they sleep inside;

Goes to the chicken, where the rooster stands

Proud on his highest perch;

Karo in the doghouse’s straw feel well

Wakes and waves slightly with his tail,

Karo recognizes his tomte,

For they are good friends.

The tomten sneaks in last to see

The dear farmfolk,

Long and well has he noticed, that they

Honor his diligence;

The children’s room he later on his toes

Approaches to see the sweet little ones,

Noone may that dislike:

It is his greatest joy.

So has he seen them, father and son

straight/pure though many generations

Slumber as children; but from where

Did they come down here?

Generation followed by generation soon,

Bloomed, aged, left – but where to?

The riddle, that does not allow

Itself to be guessed, comes again.

The tomten wanders to the barn loft:

There has he home and dwelling

High in the loft in the scent of hay,

Nearby the swallow’s nest;

Now is the swallows’ nest well empty,

But to spring with leaf and flower

Comes her probably back,

Followed by her small/cute/sweet mate.

Then has she always twittered about

Many a travel-memory,

Yet nothing on the riddle, which

Moves about in the tomtens mind.

Through a crack in the barn’s wall

Shines the moon on the old man’s beard,

The streak on the beard shines,

The tomten ponders and thinks.

Quiet is the forest and the entire area,

The life out there is frozen,

Only from the distance the water’s fall

Is heard the slow noise.

The tomten listens and, half in a dream,

Thinks to hear the current of time,

Wonders, where it shall go,

Wonders, where the source may be.

The cold of midwinter’s night is hard,

The stars sparkle and glimmer.

Everyone sleep in the lonely farm

Well to the morning hour.

The moon moves down on its quiet pathm

The snow shines white on pine and spruce,

The snow shine white on the roofs,

Only the tomten is awake.