Pelle the Conqueror Page #3

- Not you, Pelle...

- Take cover.

Perhaps Pelle would like to repeat the question?

If a pound of flour costs 12 are,

what's the price of a keg of powder?

Where the hell is the herring? I only eat herring.

Herring, herring, herring.

Do you know the difference between you and a steer?

I don't either.

Erik, did you hear what I just asked him?

Lasse, can't you take my place

at the chaff cutter tonight?

- But it's Saturday.

- Yes.

I can't have any trouble with Anna.

- Thanks for the meal.

- Oh, no, you don't.

He takes after his father.

That must have been ages ago.

I've thought about you lately.

You have been helping Pelle, and you do like the boy.

How about you and me? We could be good together.

You're too old. if I'm going

to have a man, he needs to be dangerous.

You're not dangerous anymore.

Oh, it's like that, is it?

You go for the younger ones.

Be careful, or you'll only get leftovers.

Lasse, can't you get us some more liquor?

Lasse, come on now, damn it. It's Saturday.

You can get your own liquor.

Just because I'm old. People used to respect me.

Where is Lasse? Get Lasse Karlsson.

The girls were after me, even though I was married.

They respected me back then.

Lasse Pa!

I had hoped that I would be able

to save up some money,

so I could buy a small house and maybe find a woman

who could take care of us.

So we could get coffee in bed

on Sunday mornings, Pelle, but...

We could run away. Run away together, Dad.

Run away? What about the authorities?

I don't want to live outside the law.

Far away. To America.

We could go to America and get a house and a wife.

We could save up our money, Dad.

Yes, we have to get away from here.

What are you doing here?

- Stealing eggs. I was so hungry.

- Don't tell them you've seen me.

I know who the father is.

Promise me that you won't tell anyone.

His father would...

If he knew, he would...

I am not good enough for him.

I don't know what to do.

Promise me that you'll never tell anyone.

Never.

Pelle.

Come here.

- What were you doing in the hen coop?

- Stealing eggs.

Come here. Bend over.

- Can I have that coin?

- You must be insane.

I'll need it when I get to America.

I'll give you ten kroner when I grow up.

You'll never grow up. You're a freak.

I'll be on show at marketplaces. And fairgrounds.

- Fairgrounds?

- As a monster. I'll be filthy rich.

But, Pelle...

if I can have it,

you can hit me 100 times with nettles.

- Naked?

- One hundred times.

- You can't take it.

- As hard as you like.

One hundred lashes. Are you ready?

I don't want to do this anymore.

Then you won't get the money.

You hit me so hard.

- Do you or don't you?

- I want the money first.

Can't you tell us anything

about Adam and Eve and the serpent?

Well?

We're waiting.

Have you never heard of Adam and Eve and the serpent?

Haven't you been paying attention?

What did the serpent promise Adam and Eve

if they ate from the apple?

Don't think I'll feel sorry for you.

The serpent promised them that they, like God,

would be able to tell good from evil.

How can you continue here, if you don't

get the most elementary things?

Are his parents present?

Your parents are not even here. Very well, sit down.

- Next.

- Pelle.

Can you tell us what God told the serpent?

And God said unto the serpent, Upon thy...

Upon thy belly shalt thou go...

Upon thy belly shalt thou go...

- And does it still do that?

- Yes, because it has no limbs.

Can you tell me what a limb is?

A limb is...

a hand, for example.

That is correct.

And what sets all limbs apart

from all other parts of the body?

A limb is a...

a body part that can move on its own, yes.

Can you give me an example?

- The ears.

- Really?

- Can you move your ears?

- Yes.

I would like to see that.

Your ears saved your skin.

I told you that you should use your ears.

Rud!

Rud, you idiot! Come back here!

Or you'll never go to heaven.

If you run away, you'll never join

your grandmother in heaven.

You can have my knife, if you come back.

You can't do this to me.

What are you doing?

Don't remove the stones.

That's where the child is buried.

Yes. Anna killed your child here,

and then she was sent to prison.

I did it.

I killed it.

Lasse Pa would never kill me.

Why can't you just leave me alone?

This is my meadow, and you mustn't remove

the stones from the child.

Don't say that. Don't lie to God.

It's buried in consecrated ground.

It's buried here. I have seen

its soul burn over the stones at night.

It's because it can't go to God in heaven.

Niels!

Who is that who has gone out to meet his maker?

It's Niels. He went out with the line.

You have young eyes. Can you see Niels?

Cheerful is the earth

Cheerful is the heaven of God

Beautiful is the pilgrimage of the angels

He was a good boy.

He was my sustenance, my light, my heat.

He never spoke an unkind word,

even though I forbade him his love.

And now I am without my son.

Now I have no family.

And now I wish that he finds peace.

He had no peace of late.

And now he has saved five lives,

so maybe our Lord will receive him.

Come on. Come on, Erik!

Two more inches and you've won a bottle of liquor.

One more, and the bottle is yours.

When will you drink it?

The foreman wants you to work tonight.

He can go to work, that damn foreman.

No one can keep me here

when I'm off to have some fun.

Can I come with you?

No, not now, Pelle.

Not now.

In one year. Remember.

In one year when the snow melts.

Then we'll go out into the real world.

First to America and then to Negroland and China.

The whole goddamned world, Pelle.

Where are you going? You hear?

You damn bastard. Erik!

What's this? Are you ill?

I must have caught a cold. I'm shaking all over.

It's not the mumps, is it? Let's see, Erik.

You're in your finest clothes and your boots.

Are these your grave clothes?

Were you off to order a burial place?

It's about time we buried you. You already smell bad.

I'm not dead yet...

and I don't smell any worse than others.

You're always causing trouble.

- You always complain. You never stop.

- Why don't you hit me?

Go on, hit me.

There are no authorities in this country, are there?

You'd better do your job,

or I'll show you authority.

The foreman orders you to keep the noise down.

What was that, you little coward?

- The foreman orders you--

- Speak up. I can't hear you.

The foreman orders you to keep the noise down.

Will you listen to him? Listen to this little rascal.

He's still a green kid.

Go home and tell him that he can do his own errands.

Cheers!

Cheers, you old bastard!

Jesus Christ...

I'm not dead yet.

- Where are you going, Erik?

- For a rest.

- You're what?

- Resting.

No, you're not. You have to do your job.

- I'm allowed to rest.

- Really? Says who?

- Just like the others.

- That's for me to decide.

Just go back to work, Erik.

- I always have to work.

- Well, isn't that a pity.

You're so good at it, little Erik.

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