Mathias stod foran den store indgang til Tivoli i København.

Mathias stood in front of the large entrance to Tivoli in København.

Påskeferien havde bragt familien til haven fuld af farverige tulipaner og summen af glade familier.

The Easter holiday had brought the family to the garden full of colorful tulips and the buzz of happy families.

Astrid og Lars skubbede til ham.

Astrid and Lars nudged him.

"Kom nu, Mathias!

"Come on, Mathias!

I dag vil vi se, hvor modig du er!"

Today we want to see how brave you are!"

Mathias, den ældste bror, forsøgte at virke cool.

Mathias, the oldest brother, tried to act cool.

"Selvfølgelig.

"Of course.

Jeg kan ikke vente med at prøve alle de store rutsjebaner."

I can't wait to try all the big roller coasters."

Men indeni kunne han mærke nervøsiteten presse.

But inside, he felt the pressure of nervousness.

Han havde altid haft en frygt for højder, en hemmelighed han vogtede nøje.

He had always had a fear of heights, a secret he guarded closely.

De gik gennem parken.

They walked through the park.

Luften var fyldt med duften af sukkersød candyfloss.

The air was filled with the scent of sugary sweet cotton candy.

Musikken fra karrusellen blandede sig med børnenes glade latter.

The music from the carousel mingled with children's joyful laughter.

Endnu ventede dagens store udfordring: den højeste rutsjebane, der tronede op imod den klarblå forårshimmel.

Still, the day's big challenge awaited: the tallest roller coaster that towered against the clear blue spring sky.

"Se den der!"

"Look at that one!"

pegede Lars med spændt stemme.

pointed Lars with an excited voice.

Astrid nikkede entusiastisk.

Astrid nodded enthusiastically.

"Det er den, Mathias.

"That's the one, Mathias.

Kom, vi skal derop nu!"

Come on, we have to go up there now!"

Mathias forsøgte at smile.

Mathias tried to smile.

Hans hjerte bankede.

His heart was pounding.

"Nå, lad os gå."

"Well, let's go."

De stod i køen, mens rutsjebanens vogne susede forbi med en susen, der fik Mathias' hjerne til at tvivle på hans mod.

They stood in line as the roller coaster cars whizzed by with a whoosh that made Mathias' brain doubt his courage.

Astrid og Lars var i deres es.

Astrid and Lars were in their element.

De var ikke bange.

They weren't afraid.

"Mathias," sagde Astrid med et drillende smil, "er du sikker på, at du vil klare den?"

"Mathias," said Astrid with a teasing smile, "are you sure you want to do it?"

Mathias kiggede på dem og trak vejret dybt.

Mathias looked at them and took a deep breath.

Han tænkte på al den tid, han havde brugt på at ønske sig mod.

He thought about all the time he had spent wishing for courage.

"Courage is not the absence of fear," huskede han fra en gammel læresætning.

"Courage is not the absence of fear," he remembered from an old saying.

Mod er at møde sin frygt.

Courage is facing your fear.

Endelig kom de til turen.

Finally, they reached the ride.

Mathias satte sig i vognen ved siden af sine søskende.

Mathias sat in the car next to his siblings.

Vognene begyndte at klatre langsomt op ad den første bakke.

The cars began to climb slowly up the first hill.

Hjertet slog hurtigere end nogensinde før.

His heart beat faster than ever before.

Mathias lukkede øjnene et øjeblik.

Mathias closed his eyes for a moment.

Vognen nåede toppen og dykkede pludselig nedad med en rasende fart.

The car reached the top and suddenly plunged downward at a furious speed.

Mathias skreg først af frygten, men så blev det et skrig af fryd.

Mathias screamed first out of fear, but then it became a scream of joy.

Adrenalinen pumpede, og pludselig følte han sig fri.

The adrenaline pumped, and suddenly he felt free.

Da turen sluttede, og Mathias steg ud, ventede Astrid og Lars med store smil.

When the ride ended, and Mathias got out, Astrid and Lars waited with big smiles.

"Du gjorde det!"

"You did it!"

råbte Lars begejstret.

shouted Lars excitedly.

Mathias grinede og rystede på hovedet.

Mathias laughed and shook his head.

"Ja, det gjorde jeg.

"Yes, I did.

Mod er at være bange, men at gøre det alligevel."

Courage is being scared but doing it anyway."

Fra den dag af vidste Astrid og Lars, at deres storebror virkelig havde det mod, han altid havde søgt.

From that day on, Astrid and Lars knew that their big brother truly had the courage he had always sought.

Sammen gik de videre, krammede og klar til flere eventyr i det travle Tivoli.

Together they moved on, hugged, and were ready for more adventures in the bustling Tivoli.

For Mathias havde fundet sit mod, og foråret i København havde aldrig set så lys og farverig ud.

For Mathias had found his courage, and spring in København had never looked so bright and colorful.