Hilbert

Chapter 2 Bárður Oskarsson Hilbert translated from the Faroese by Marita Thomsen Bárður Oskarsson Hilbert translated from the Faroese by Marita Thomsen

– Halló? segði Hilbert í telefonini. – Hilbert? spurdi Bob. – Ja … ? Er tað Bob? spurdi Hilbert varisliga. – Ja, hetta er Bob. Hvat er tað, eg skal hjálpa tær við?

Hilbert answered the phone, ‘Hello?’ ‘Hilbert?’ Bob asked. ‘Yes...? Is this Bob?’ asked Hilbert in a cautious tone. ‘Yes, this is Bob. What do you need my help for?’

Hilbert svaraði ikki beinanvegin, men so segði hann: – Eg dugi ikki at forklára tað, kanst tú ikki bara koma? spurdi Hilbert. – So sært tú, hvat tað er. – Ókey, segði Bob og fór.

Hilbert didn’t reply straight away, but then he said, ‘I don’t know how to explain it, can’t you just come over? You will see what is the matter.’ ‘Okay then,’ said Bob and he went to find Hilbert.

Hann fór at spekulera. Hvat mundi tað vera, hann skuldi hjálpa Hilberti við?

He started wondering. What could Hilbert need his help for?

– Hey, Bob, segði Hilbert, tá hann sá Bob. – Hey, Hilbert, segði Bob. Eina løtu var kvirt. Hilbert bíðaði eftir, at Bob fór at siga okkurt, og Bob visti ikki, hvat hann skuldi siga. Men hann visti, at hann mátti siga okkurt.

‘Hi Bob,’ said Hilbert when he spotted Bob. ‘Hi Hilbert,’ said Bob. Then they were quiet for a bit. Hilbert was waiting for Bob to say something, and Bob didn’t know what to say. But he knew that he had to say something.

– Hvussu ert tú komin har upp? spurdi Bob endiliga. – Eg veit ikki, svaraði Hilbert. – Eg rann bara og hoppaði, og ta einu ferðina, eg hoppaði, bleiv eg bara hangandi, og nú sleppi eg ikki niður aftur.

‘How did you get up there?’ Bob finally asked. ‘I don’t know,’ Hilbert replied. ‘I was just running around, doing some jumps, but then one time when I jumped I just stayed in the air, and now I can’t get down again.’

– Tað var tí, eg ringdi til tín, segði Hilbert. – Eg vil ikki, at nakar annar sær meg hanga her, mitt í luftini. Kanst tú hjálpa mær niður, so eg sleppi heim? – Hmm, segði Bob og hugsaði eina løtu.

‘That was why I called you,’ Hilbert said. ‘I don’t want anyone else to see me hanging up here, midair. Could you help me down, so that I can get home?’ ‘Hmmm,’ Bob said and thought about it for a while.