MIN ASTRAKAN (My Apple Tree)

Ulrika acts as midwife on the stormy night that Kristina gives birth to her first 'American' child. In the isolation of 'Nya Duvemåla', Kristina would have died, but for the help of her neighbour. Little Danjel has come into this big New World. Later, he will be known simply as "Dan".
Kristina can't get used to life in America. She doesn’t speak English and seldom leaves the farm. She can find no peace of mind…her only happiness is her new child.
Secretly she’s longing for her old home country - Sweden : the old province, her parents' house and the 'Astrakan' - the type of apple tree in their garden...

2.11 MIN ASTRAKAN (My Apple Tree) 4:34 Ett barn kan inte komma till ett fattigare hem än detta, [A child could not come to a poorer home than this one,] Men inte heller till en lyckligare mor) [But not to a happier mother either]

KRISTINA:

Allt är stilla, allt är bra, du blev buren över ett hav

(All is still now, all is good, I carried you over the sea )

I modersvärma på din tusenmilsfärd

(In mamma's tummy on your thousand mile trip)

Gränslös trygghet fick du ha, tills du plötsligt kastades ut

(Limitless safety you had, 'til you were suddenly cast out for good)

I denna farliga, främmande värld

(Into this foreign and dangerous world)

En gång ska du fråga din mor

(One day you shall ask me, I’m sure)

Hur det var, hur det blev att jag for

(How it was, how I left… and what for?)

Finns den kvar, den platsen nu

(Is it still there, that place, that view)

Som var ditt hem, frågar du

(From my old home - before you)

All den tid, som mitt hjärta kan slå

(For as long, as my heart beats I'll know)

Finns den kvar, ska för alltid bestå

(It'll be there, as the years pass so slow)

Bortom denna Nya Värld som såg dej födas, min vän

(Beyond this big, New World, which saw your birth, my dear friend)

Där mognar äpplena än

(There all the apples ripen)

Bortom en vid ocean

(Across a wide and deep sea)

Där står min astrakan

(There stands my apple tree)

� [Karl Oscar gathers his young family around him and reads to them the story of Christmas]

Ja, en gång, ska du fråga din mor

(Yes, one day, you shall ask me, I’m sure)