2024 Niels Bonde fra Bol (Lars Thiesgaard)

Farmer Giles of Ham

Release Date: 2024.03.18
Readers: Lars Thiesgaard
Language: Danish
Translator: Jakob Levinsen
Organisation: Gyldendal
ISBN: 9788702414615
Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes
Unabridged: Yes
Country: Danish
Licenced: Yes
Formats: CD, Digital

Lars Thiesgaard is an extremely prolific voice actor with a career spanning over 700 dubbing roles. He treats the story as a humorous fable, leaning into the dry, academic satire that Tolkien intended, making it equally engaging for children and adult scholars.

The recording uses the respected translation by Jakob Levinsen, which was first published by Gyldendal in 2001 (as part of a collection) and later in a standalone edition. The name Niels is the Danish localization for Ægidius, a clever choice that grounds the character in a Danish folk tradition while keeping the “commoner” feel of the original. Levinsen translates Tolkien’s complex wordplay into Danish while maintaining the mock-medieval tone. His translation of the verse portions is also maintains the rhythmic flow.

Interestingly, the 2024 digital release includes “Tom Bombadils Eventyr” (The Adventures of Tom Bombadil) and other poems from the Red Book of Westmarch.