Cerita dari Maluku ( A tale from Maluku )
Zaman dahulu di tepi pantai, tinggallah si Bungsu dan si Sulung bersama Neneknya. Sehari-hari mereka mengolah hasil hutan dan mencari makan di laut. (A long time ago at the seashore, there lived Bungsu and Sulung with their Grandma. They cultivated forest products and seek food at the sea.)
Suatu hari, “Nenek, air laut surut!” kata si Sulung. “Itu pertanda banyak kepiting terdampar! Ayo kita kesana!” ajak Nenek. Nenek segera memanggil si Bungsu, mereka pergi ke pantai. (One day, “Grandma, the sea water is receding!” says Sulung. “That’s the sign of many crabs being stranded! Let’s go there!” invites Grandma. Grandma asked Bungsu to go to the beach.)
“Bawa dan masaklah kepiting-kepiting ini, sisakan sedikit buat Nenek,” pesan Nenek. (“Take and cook these crabs, left some for Grandma,” says Grandma.)
Sulung dan Bungsu pulang ke rumah dan langsung memasaknya. “Wah, sedap sekali!” kata si Bungsu. “Jangan lupa, sisakan buat Nenek!” seru si Sulung. (Sulung and Bungsu went home and cooked the crabs. “Wow, they tasted very delicious!” says Bungsu. “Don’t forget to leave some for Grandma!” exclaims Sulung.)
Sehabis makan, si Bungsu pergi bermain. “Nanti kau lapar lagi!” cegah si Sulung. Tapi si Bungsu tetap pergi bermain. (After done with eating, Bungsu went playing. “You’ll go hungry again!” says Sulung. But Bungsu still went to play.)
Pulang bermain si Bungsu sangat lapar, “Kak, aku ingin makan sisa kepiting tadi!” “Tidak boleh! Itu buat Nenek!” seru si Sulung marah. (As he went back from playing, Bungsu felt very hungry, “Kak, I want to eat the leftover crabs!” “You may not! That are Grandma’s!” exclaims Sulung angrily.)
Si Sulung menyembunyikan sisa kepiting. Tanpa sepengetahuan, si Bungsu mengawasi! (Sulung hid the leftover crabs without him knowing that Bungsu is watching him!)
Si Bungsu yang lapar kemudian menghabiskan sisa kepiting itu. (The hungry Bungsu finished the leftover crabs.)
Nenek mereka pulang dan meminta sisa kepiting. “Oh, tidak! Kepiting yang kusiapkan untuk Nenek, hilang!” seru si Sulung. “Ma..maafkan aku, Kak. Aku yang memakannya,” kata si Bungsu gemetar. (Grandma came home and asked for the rest of the crabs. “Oh, no! The crabs I have prepared for you are gone!” exclaims Sulung. “I’m sorry, Kak. I ate them,” says Bungsu, shaking.)
Nenek dan si Sulung sangat marah. Kemarahan itu berubah menjadi kesedihan yang mendalam. Tanpa berkata-kata, Nenek dan si Sulung pergi tidur. (Grandma and Sulung were very angry. The anger turned into deep grief. Without saying a word, Grandma and Sulung went to bed.)
Keesokan harinya si Bungsu terkejut mendapati Nenek dan kakak sulungnya tidak ada. (The next day, Bungsu was surprised for not finding Grandma and Sulung.)
Si Bungsu menanyakan pada orang-orang desa. “Mereka sudah pergi…,” kata seorang Ibu murung. (Bungsu asked the people of the village. “They are gone…,” says a Lady sadly.)
“Pergi kemana?” seru si Bungsu sambil menangis. “Mereka membiarkan diri ditelan Batu Daun karena sedih,” kata Ibu itu. (“Where did they go?” asks Bungsu as he cried. “They allowed themselves to be swallowed by the Leaf Stone because they were sad,” says the Lady.)
Si Bungsu menangis keras. Batu Daun adalah sebuah batu besar berbentuk daun yang bisa menelan manusia. Manusia yang marah dan sedih pergi ke batu itu untuk tinggal selamanya! (Bungsu cried loudly. The Leaf Stone is a large leaf-shaped stone that can swallow human being. Angry and sad human comes to that stone to live there forever!)
“Aku sangat menyesal! Seharusnya aku tidak egois!” teriak si Bungsu. (“I am so sorry! I shouldn’t have been so selfish!” shouts Bungsu.)
Si Ibu yang iba kemudian mengasuh si Bungsu. Si Bungsu yang sangat menyesali perbuatannya, tumbuh besar menjadi orang yang rajin dan berbudi luhur. Dia tidak pernah melupakan pengorbanan Nenek serta Sulung! (The Lady pity Bungsu and raised him. Bungsu who regretted his acts, grew up and became a diligent and virtuous person. He never forgets the sacrifice made by his Grandma and Sulung!) ( Teks: Seruni/ Ilustrasi: Just For Kids/ Translator: Just For Kids)
