Lars sto på toppen av den store skibakken.

Lars stood at the top of the big ski slope.

Han hadde på seg nye ski, nye skisko og en splitter ny skidress.

He was wearing new skis, new ski boots, and a brand new ski suit.

Skiene glitret i vintersolen.

The skis glittered in the winter sun.

Lars blunket nervøst.

Lars blinked nervously.

Bakken så høy og bratt ut.

The slope looked high and steep.

Men han ville prøve.

But he wanted to try.

Hele dagen hadde han sett på mens andre svingte seg elegant nedover bakken.

All day, he had watched others gracefully maneuver down the slope.

Så nå sto Lars der, på toppen, klar til å ta sitt første skritt mot det ukjente.

So now Lars stood there, at the top, ready to take his first step towards the unknown.

Rundt omkring sto folk og så på Lars.

Around him, people stood and watched Lars.

De smilte og lo litt.

They smiled and chuckled a little.

Lars var kjent for å være litt klønete.

Lars was known to be a bit clumsy.

Han snublet ofte, mistet ting og var alltid den siste til å forstå en vits.

He often stumbled, dropped things, and was always the last one to understand a joke.

Men han var også kjent for å være modig.

But he was also known to be brave.

Lars pleide ikke å gi opp uten kamp.

Lars didn't usually give up without a fight.

Hvis han falt, sto han alltid opp igjen.

If he fell, he always got back up.

"Lars," ropte en stemme.

"Lars," a voice called.

Lars snudde seg.

Lars turned around.

Det var Kari, hans beste venn.

It was Kari, his best friend.

"Lykke til," sa hun og smilte oppmuntrende.

"Good luck," she said, smiling encouragingly.

Lars nikket og tok mot til seg.

Lars nodded and gathered his courage.

Så satte han utfor.

Then he started down the slope.

Han prøvde å huske alt Kari hadde lært ham.

He tried to remember everything Kari had taught him.

Men det gikk ikke.

But it didn't work.

Han falt.

He fell.

Igjen og igjen.

Again and again.

Noen ropte "Se på Lars!

Some shouted, "Look at Lars!"

" og folk lo.

and people laughed.

Lars lå der i snøen.

Lars lay there in the snow.

Han var kald, han var våt og han var flau.

He was cold, wet, and embarrassed.

Han ville gi opp.

He wanted to give up.

Men så tenkte han på Kari.

But then he thought of Kari.

Han husket hennes oppmuntrende smil.

He remembered her encouraging smile.

Så han reiste seg opp, børstet snøen av klærne og forsøkte igjen.

So he got up, brushed the snow off his clothes, and tried again.

Og han falt.

And he fell.

Men han reiste seg opp igjen.

But he got back up.

Og igjen.

And again.

Og igjen.

And again.

Dagen ble til ettermiddag.

The day turned into afternoon.

Skibakkene stengte snart.

The ski slopes would soon close.

Lars var den siste i bakken.

Lars was the last one on the slope.

Kari kom bort til ham.

Kari approached him.

"Du trenger ikke å gjøre dette, Lars," sa hun.

"You don't have to do this, Lars," she said.

"Jeg vet," svarte han.

"I know," he replied.

"Men jeg vil.

"But I want to."

" Kari nikket.

Kari nodded.

"Jeg vet det," sa hun.

"I know," she said.

"Og det er derfor du er min beste venn.

"And that's why you're my best friend."

"Med det, satte Lars utfor.

With that, Lars started down the slope.

Og han falt.

And he fell.

Men han falt litt mindre.

But he fell a little less.

Og kanskje litt mer elegant.

And perhaps a bit more gracefully.

Publikummet begynte å klappe.

The audience began to clap.

"Du gjør det Lars!

"You're doing it, Lars!"

" ropte de.

they shouted.

Og Lars skjønte det.

And Lars understood.

Det var ikke om å gjøre å ikke falle.

It wasn't about not falling.

Det var om å reise seg opp igjen etter at man har falt.

It was about getting back up after you've fallen.

Så når skibakkene stengte, var Lars fremdeles der.

So when the ski slopes closed, Lars was still there.

Han var kald, våt og utmattet.

He was cold, wet, and exhausted.

Men han smilte.

But he smiled.

Han hadde falt, ja, mange ganger.

He had fallen, yes, many times.

Men han hadde og reist seg opp igjen.

But he had also gotten back up.

Og det, visste han nå, var hele poenget med å lære å stå på ski.

And that, he now knew, was the whole point of learning to ski.