På en fin forårsdag i København, ramte solen ned på de gamle brostensbelagte gader, og de skinnende kanaler spejlede den klare himmel. Mennesker var ude, havde picnic i Kongens Have, sejlede i kanalerne og nød de blomstrende træer. Midt i al denne fest, var Lars.

On a beautiful spring day in Copenhagen, the sun shone down on the old cobblestone streets, and the sparkling canals mirrored the clear sky. People were out, having picnics in Kongens Have, sailing in the canals, and enjoying the blossoming trees. Amidst all this excitement was Lars.

Lars var en tapper fyr, stor og bredskuldret med jakkesæt og slips. Men, han havde en skjult frygt. Lars havde aldrig prøvet at cykle før. Overalt i hans elskede by brugte folk deres cykler som en naturlig del af hverdagen. For Lars var denne manglende evne, en kilde til skam. Han besluttede, at det var på tide at ændre det.

Lars was a brave guy, tall and broad-shouldered in a suit and tie. But he had a hidden fear. Lars had never tried riding a bike before. Everywhere in his beloved city, people used their bikes as a natural part of everyday life. For Lars, this lack of ability was a source of shame. He decided it was time to change that.

Lars fandt frem sin nye, glinsende røde cykel midt i Nyhavn. Han var nervøs, rystede lidt. Folk omkring ham stoppede og begyndte at se, hvad der skete. Med et dybt åndedrag, satte Lars foden på pedalen, og skubbede hårdt ned. Og så, gled han fremad.

Lars found his new, shiny red bike in the heart of Nyhavn. He was nervous, trembling a bit. People around him stopped and started to see what was happening. With a deep breath, Lars put his foot on the pedal and pushed hard. And then, he started moving forward.

Og han faldt.

And he fell.

Lars vaklede, vred og vendte og slog ud med arme og ben. Så, med et tungt bump, landede han på den hårde brosten. Folk lo. En lille pige pegede og grinede. En ældre mand nikkede medfølende.

Lars wobbled, twisted and turned, flailing his arms and legs. Then, with a heavy thud, he landed on the hard cobblestones. People laughed. A little girl pointed and giggled. An older man nodded sympathetically.

Lars rejste sig, rystede støvet af sig og forsøgte igen. Og igen. Og igen. Hver gang, faldt han. Folk begyndte at samle sig. Nogle snorkede. Nogen opmuntrede ham. En flok studerende stoppede forbi og begyndte at heppe på ham.

Lars got up, dusted himself off, and tried again. And again. And again. Each time, he fell. People started to gather. Some snickered. Some encouraged him. A group of students stopped by and began cheering him on.

Og Lars forsøgte igen. Med et fast greb på styret, skubbede han hårdt på pedalen. Han vaklede, men holdt balancen, og så... cyklede han. Et par skridt. Så et par til. Og så, endelig, cyklede Lars ned ad gaden, lo.

And Lars tried again. With a firm grasp on the handlebars, he pushed down on the pedal. He wobbled but maintained his balance, and then... he rode. A few steps. Then a few more. And finally, Lars rode down the street, laughing.

Folk klappede. Den lille pige hoppede og jublede. Den ældre mand tørrede en tåre væk.

People clapped. The little girl jumped and cheered. The older man wiped away a tear.

Lars standsede ved kanalen og så ud over vandet. Han var kommet i gang. Han var cyklet. Han åndede lette ud, følte lettelse og glæde. Han vidste, at han skulle falde igen. Men for nu, for dette øjeblik, var han fri.

Lars stopped by the canal and looked out over the water. He had gotten started. He had ridden. He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of relief and joy. He knew he would fall again. But for now, for this moment, he was free.

Og med det, hoppede Lars tilbage på cyklen, og cyklede hjem. Han var ikke længere bekymret for at falde. Han vidste nu, at de mange fald var en del af læringen, en del af rejsen. Han kunne nu endelig være en del af sin elskede by, hans København, på en helt ny måde.

And with that, Lars hopped back on the bike and rode home. He was no longer afraid of falling. He now knew that the many falls were a part of learning, a part of the journey. He could finally be a part of his beloved city, his Copenhagen, in a whole new way.