Nyhavn var i fuld julepragt.

Nyhavn was in full Christmas splendor.

Farverige huse strålede med glitrende lys, og den frosne kanal spejlede de smukke dekorationer.

Colorful houses gleamed with sparkling lights, and the frozen canal mirrored the beautiful decorations.

Mikkel, en ung mand med en brændende nysgerrighed, nød udsigten.

Mikkel, a young man with a burning curiosity, enjoyed the view.

Han elskede mysterier og drømte ofte om at afsløre skjulte hemmeligheder.

He loved mysteries and often dreamed of uncovering hidden secrets.

Denne aften ventede en gådefuld skygge på ham.

This evening, a mysterious shadow awaited him.

Hver gang han kiggede ud på isen, så han noget mystisk i refleksionen.

Every time he looked out at the ice, he saw something mysterious in the reflection.

"Freja," kaldte han på sin ven, som stod ved siden af ham.

"Freja," he called to his friend, who stood next to him.

"Ser du også skyggen derude?"

"Do you see the shadow out there too?"

Freja rystede på hovedet og sukkede.

Freja shook her head and sighed.

"Mikkel, du ser skygger, hvor der ingen er," svarede hun pragmatisk.

"Mikkel, you see shadows where there are none," she replied pragmatically.

Hun vidste, at når Mikkel først fik en ide, lod han ikke let det ligge.

She knew that once Mikkel got an idea, he wouldn't easily let it go.

Men Mikkel kunne ikke slippe det.

But Mikkel couldn't shake it off.

Han ville finde sandheden.

He wanted to find the truth.

Historikeren Soren, som kendte alt til Nyhavns historie, kunne måske give svar.

The historian Soren, who knew everything about Nyhavn's history, might be able to provide answers.

Men Soren var hemmelighedsfuld.

But Soren was secretive.

Han talte sjældent om fortiden uden forbehold.

He rarely talked about the past without reservations.

"Jeg vil tale med Soren," besluttede Mikkel bestemt.

"I want to talk to Soren," Mikkel decided firmly.

"Han ved noget, jeg er sikker."

"He knows something, I'm sure."

Freja skubbede let til ham.

Freja nudged him gently.

"Det er jul, Mikkel.

"It's Christmas, Mikkel.

Nyd det nu.

Enjoy it now.

Lad mysteriet vente."

Let the mystery wait."

Men Mikkel kunne ikke lade det ligge.

But Mikkel couldn't let it go.

Sent om natten opsøgte han Soren, mens julefesterne stadig lyste op i byen.

Late at night, he sought out Soren, while the Christmas festivities still lit up the city.

Nyhavn var magisk i natten, og sneen knirkede under hans støvler.

Nyhavn was magical at night, and the snow creaked under his boots.

Endelig stod Mikkel foran Soren.

Finally, Mikkel stood before Soren.

"Jeg har brug for at vide om skyggen på kanalen," sagde han.

"I need to know about the shadow on the canal," he said.

Soren tøvede, men til sidst nikkede han langsomt.

Soren hesitated, but finally nodded slowly.

"Den skygge," begyndte Soren, "kan være forbundet til gamle dage, til en tid byen næsten har glemt."

"That shadow," Soren began, "may be connected to old times, to a period the city has almost forgotten."

Mikkel lyttede, men i det samme kom Freja løbende.

Mikkel listened, but just then, Freja came running.

Hun havde noget i hånden.

She had something in her hand.

"Se," sagde hun ivrigt.

"Look," she said eagerly.

"Jeg fandt dette gamle kort over Nyhavn!

"I found this old map of Nyhavn!

Det viser, hvordan lysene fra dekorationerne kan skabe skygger på en særlig måde."

It shows how the lights from the decorations can create shadows in a special way."

Det gik op for Mikkel, at det hele var et optisk fænomen.

Mikkel realized that it was all an optical phenomenon.

Ingen spøgelser eller glemte legender.

No ghosts or forgotten legends.

Bare en naturlig begivenhed midt i julelysene og de historiske bygninger.

Just a natural event amidst the Christmas lights and historical buildings.

Mikkel følte både lettelse og lidt skuffelse.

Mikkel felt both relief and a bit of disappointment.

Det var ikke en stor afsløring, men en lærerig oplevelse.

It wasn't a big revelation, but a learning experience.

Og han lærte, at venner og fælles juletraditioner kunne være lige så vigtige som mystiske eventyr.

And he learned that friends and shared Christmas traditions could be just as important as mysterious adventures.

Da han gik tilbage gennem Nyhavn, vidste han, at han ville huske denne juleaften.

As he walked back through Nyhavn, he knew he would remember this Christmas Eve.

Sneen faldt blidt, og han lovede sig selv at veje sin nysgerrighed med forsigtighed.

The snow fell gently, and he promised himself to weigh his curiosity with caution.

Det gjaldt at værdsætte de små øjeblikke sammen med dem, man holdt af, især i julens glitrende skær.

It was about appreciating the small moments with those you care about, especially in the glittering glow of Christmas.