2010-04-04
Is Andersen a Mongolian?

 

          At the scene appeared Andersen. His hat, bow tire and a little stooped walking seemed that he really was such a man. Children applaud rapturously. They really believed that there appeared their beloved writer. They accepted him as they accept Santa Clause. If they stop to believe that way, their childhood would get finished and they would enter ranks of grown-ups. Then would say “Oh, he is opera singer national artist Jamiyanjav”. I had a hard time to find this character. I held Andersen’s photo in my hand, and was looking for men resembling him. At my wit’s end and disappointed I was going home. Then I saw a tall man coming towards me. All of a sudden I cried Andersen! Startled he stopped short. It was I first found a Mongolian Andersen. Then every year on 2 April we began to celebrate festival of children’s books and the participation of Andersen in this party became a tradition. This time he also told them from his wonderful fairy tales and presented “Connoisseur of books” gold medal to book fans who became distinguished in telling Andersen’s fairy tales. The Mongols from ancient time taught and admonished their children equally to learn ten wisdoms. This teaching of ancestors begins with the phrase “Connoisseur of books”, and therefore as token of it we called the prize for children who like books that way.

          Celebrity of book day continued with plays of characters of Andersen’s fairy tales like brave lead warrior, ugly duck fledgling, nude king etc. Then a small girl rising her hand asked a question: “Is Andersen a Mongolian?” People burst out in laughter. Why laughter? It was an interesting question. May be Andersen’s fairy tale she liked as if they were written by a Mongolian. In my childhood I too thought that Andersen was a Mongolian. In that time I attended primary school in a remote settlement with only a few inhabitants. One time our teacher went to a place called Dashinchilen, from where he brought a book with Andersen’s fairy tales and read us. Very interesting tales! Especially, how interesting “Ugly duck fledgling” is? It seemed that about me was written in character of a duck. Like this duck I was a poor weak boy looked down and always beaten by other children. Children often captured me and packed snow into cloth down my neck. Snow melted along my back and I crying came home. I only could imagine in detest that I’ll become a swan with powerful wings and take revenge. I thought that Andersen lived in Dashinchilen. From his fairy tales I saw that he was very good a man. I always thought that in case of mocking children at me and beating, only he could stand by my side, wipe off my tears and caress me.

          Once I asked my teacher where this Dashinchilen is. My teacher showed towards rising sun. When I looked towards rising sun shaded my eyes, it seemed to be seen a tale castle with golden roof. Perhaps, it was the Dashinchilen where the bard Andersen lived. Then I wrote a letter and addressed it “To Andersen in Dashinchilen”. In the letter I asked him to write more beautiful tales for me. For how long I had to wait for an answer! But how could I get an answer? Later I found out that I was waiting a letter from a man who lived and wrote his fairy tales hundred years ago in Copenhagen city thousands kilometers away from us. But this Dashinchilen was a settlement located only sixty kilometers from our county. If I was living in the same century with Andersen, I could anyhow come to Denmark to see him regardless of remote distance.

          To the answer of the girl, instead of saying “Andersen was Danish” he got out of it and said: Let’s continue our party. One boy asked “What of your characters you created you like the best?” Mr. Jamyanjav gave direct answer “Of course, the trader of the opera three significant persons1” /1 Mongolian national opera which is performed most time than all others/ The audience again burst into laughter. As a presider I warned him “Oh! Mr. Andersen, you sure, like all characters of your fairy tales” “Of course! The same as all fathers like all their children” he said quietly and without hesitation continued to tell his fairy tales from match selling girl to water-nymph. Mongols know well about Andersen. As far as I know, 13 of his books are translated in Mongolian language. First of them was or “Fairy tales of Andersen” translated by famous Mongolian writer scientist and academician B.Rinchen in 1935.

An international organization in Mongolia printed each tale of Andersen separately, compiled in two books and gave as present to children of vulnerable group families. The task to prepare them for printing and translate some of them was given to my humble being as a writer. To get engaged in Andersen’s works is a highest fortune for me. He is a virtuous person who for the mankind opened the way how from the ground of philosophy grow up magic fairy tale flowers. In his fairy tales there’s no border between fairy tales for children or grown-ups. Therefore, they attract all of them. From his highly talented skill learn children writers from all over the world. As to me, though I’m striving much to learn from his creative skill, I’m still an “Ugly duck fledgling” of children’s literature. When in Inner Mongolia was organized my literature days, the promotional book dedicated to me was named “Small Mongolian Andersen”. Alas! What happens! Compared to him I’m the smallest, even not compatible to his small finger a person.

          To my explanation that even my readers in the country won’t accept such words, the leaders of Inner Mongolia said nothing else “You don’t worry, it’s the matter of our country” In such situation I couldn’t but become ashamed, if I were ugly duck fledgling I could have hidden my head under my wing.

          Last year famous French scientist, Brothers Grimm prize owner Mr. Jan Pierro about my tales wrote that they are “Mongolian books written in Andersen’s style”. After having read it I became a little hopeful that wings of my words may be are going to get feathered. But still long way ahead until become a fairy tale swan to fly with its wings of eloquent words over oceans. I ventured to include here a little euphony. Book celebration continued. Andersen was asked “Have visited many foreign countries. He says Italy, Spain, France, Turkey, England etc. He also told about his meeting with Charles Dickens in England. I thought how many interesting fairy tales he could write, if he came to the land of Genghis khan. He could have met gifted poet Danzanravjaa born in Great Gobi desert. When he was seven years old while hiding from heavy rain at the door of a rich family he impromptu composed a poem:

          When clouds rise and rain paws

          The same you are at door or behind hearth

          When comes the time of death

The same you are old or young

If he had heard these rhymes, would have wondered, how talented nation it is? He also could have visited my native county Burenkhangai or former Eastern Co Gun province to meet with His Holiness Erdenebanded or poet Agvaan Ishsambuu and may be he would have liked his poem “Confession of an orphan lamb” which became spread as folk tale and have translated in his native Danish. But regretfully in that time Asia and Europe were so far away from each other as different planets.

Book celebration dedicated to Great Andersen finished with cheerful chorus. While going home I couldn’t forget the question of the little girl “Is Andersen a Mongolian?” For Mongolians Andersen really is their most favorite writer. Everywhere, in England or in Japan all young readers consider him as their best writer. An American girl her one dollar which she kept for all her life sent to Andersen as token to have admired him. All nations pretend him to be their own writer. When return flocks of white swans we happily welcome them that they are birds of our country. The same, when they before winter return back to warm counties, people of those countries, no doubt, welcome them as their birds. Like it, Hans Christian Andersen is great king bird of fairy tales flying in the lead of white swan flocks of eloquent fairy tale words.

Бичсэн: Жамбын Дашдондог | цаг: 14:05 | Шүүмж, тэмдэглэл
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