Thys and Trijntje van den Berg (Jan. 30 - 1881)

Pieter Jelles Troelstra (1860-1930)

It's from a famous Frys, but strangely enough not so well known as a poet. His name is Pieter Jelles Troelstra (1860-1930). For most Dutchmen he's known as one of the founders (in 1894) of the Dutch Labour Party, at that time called SDAP (sociaal-democratische arbeiders partij). From 1897 on, he was a member of Parliament for a long time. He was married to Nienke van Hichtum (real name: Sjoukje Bokma de Boer), a famous writer of children-books, including skating-stories. In his youth, Pieter-Jelles Troelstra was engaged in Frysian cultural-life and was a fighter for equal rights of the Frysian language. Troelstra was a sports-fan as well, and therefore some of his poems are dedicated to famous skaters of his days. In the 'Friesch Volksblad' of jan. 30, 1881, he published a poem for the couple Thys en Trijntje van den Berg, because of their famous victory at a couple-race in Leeuwarden/Ljouwert jan. 26. I'm sorry I give it only in Frysian, as my Frysian is too poor to give you a proper translation. But it's said that both Norwegian and English speakers easily read Frysian, so it might be no problem. But if any native Frysian speaker likes to translate, I'll appreciate very much!



As jimme oer de banen stouwe
As jimme waeije oer 't speechlich iis
Kin my 't hert fan nocht optille
'k Siz mei greatskens: 'k bin in Fries.
't Is my jamk, as foar myn eagen
D'ālde Friezen hinne fleagen.

Yn jimme herte brūzet jitte
D'ālde kriich en d'ālde moed;
Noait sill'jimme 't sitte litte,
Steech foarut wol 't Fryske bloed;
Libb'ne tsjūgen sill'jimme bliuwe
Fan dy ālde wetterljiuwe.

Nźst dy nammen, Thys en Tryntsje,
Bliuwt ek jimmes grif bestean;
Van den Berg's romrofte namme
Sil yn Fryslānd noait forgean.
Hwat de tiid ek mei bedjźrre,
Jimme eare sil net stjźrre.
 
Hulde aan Thys en Trynsje van den Berg

Als jullie over de banen vliegen
Als jullie over het spiegelgladde ijs waaien
Dan kan mijn hart van plezier  opengaan
Zeg ik met trots: 'k ben een Fries.
Het doet mij plezier, als ik zie
hoe de oude Friezen wegvliegen.

In jullie hart bruist nog altijd
de oude strijd en de oude moed;
Nooit zullen jullie het laten zitten,
Het Friese bloed wil krachtig vooruit;
Levendige getuigen zullen juliie blijven
van het oude watervolk.

Naast de namen van Thys en Tryntsje,
blijft jullie naam ook zeker bestaan;
van den Berg's roemruchte naam
zal in Friesland nooit vergaan.
Wat de tijd ook moge brengen,
jullie eer zal nooit vergaan.



When you fly in the lanes
When you blow on the mirrorlike flat ice
My hart can open with pleasure
I will say proudly:" I'm Frys"
I take pleasure in
How old Frys fly away

In your hart it sparkles
The old struggle and old courage
You never walk away
The Frys blood want's to go fierce forward
Living wittnesses you wil be
Of the old waternation

Next to the names of Thys and Tryntsje,
You're name lives on;
Van den Berg's glorious name
Won't be forgotten in Frysland
What the time may give
Your credits will never be forgotten

Input material by: Marnix Koolhaas
Added: 25 september 1999, 16 oktober 2000 and 14 July 2001
Translation: Jan en An Vegt and family and Caroline van Staaveren

Last changes on this page 14 July 2001
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