Dahulu kala, ketika para dewa masih menghuni Bumi, ada dua saudara kembar yang selalu bersama. Namanya, Kala dan Rana. Mereka adalah anak-anak dari Dewi Langit dan Dewa Matahari. “Kelak, salah satu dari kalian akan menjadi Bulan, turunlah ke Bumi untuk belajar mengenai kebaikan hati dan kebijaksanaan,” pesan Ayah dan Ibu mereka. ( Once upon a time, when the gods roam the Earth, there were twins who are always together. Their names are Kala and Rana. They are the children of the Sky Goddess and the Sun God. “Soon, one of you will become the Moon, descend to Earth to learn virtue and wisdom,” convey their Father and Mother.)
Diantar oleh para dayang istana, mereka turun ke Bumi. “Kakak, dimana kita akan tinggal?” tanya Rana. “Kita harus membuat rumah sendiri,” jawab Kala. Kala dan Rana pun mencari dan menemukan kayu pohon yang tepat untuk rumah mereka. “Ayo, tebang pohonnya, Kak!” seru Rana. “Tunggu, kita harus lihat, apakah ada yang tinggal di pohon ini,” cegah Kala. “Tidak mungkin ada yang tinggal di pohon,” ucap Rana bersikeras. ( Escorted by the palace servants, they descend to the Earth. “Brother, where must we live?” Rana asks. “We must make our own house,” answers Kala. Kala and Rana then look around and found woods fit to build their house. “Come on, cut down the tree, Brother!” says Rana. “Wait, we must check whether something is living in this tree,” stops Kala. “There is no way something is living in the tree,” insists Rana. )
Tiba-tiba, terdengar suara mendesis. Seekor Ular turun dari atas pohon itu. “Aku tinggal di pohon ini!” ujar si Ular. “Ular, bolehkah aku dan adikku meminta kayu pohon ini untuk dijadikan rumah?” pinta Kala. “Boleh,” jawab si Ular. “Terima kasih, Ular. Kau baik sekali,” ucap Rana dan Kala senang. ( Suddenly, a hissing sound is head. A Snake crawls down from the tree top. “I live in this tree!” says the Snake. “Snake, may my brother and I ask the woods of this tree to build a house?” Kala asks. “You may,” answers the Snake. “Thank you Snake, you are too kind,” reply Rana and Kala happily.)
Tapi, diam-diam si Ular menyimpan dendam pada Kala dan Rana. “Rana diam-diam berusaha mengurungmu di gua hitam, agar dia bisa menjadi Bulan,” hasut Ular pada Kala. “Selama ini aku selalu mempercayainya,” gumam Kala marah. “Aku bisa membantumu, asal kau mau menyerahkan suaramu padaku,” hasut Ular lagi. Setelah menyerahkan suaranya, Kala bersama si Ular mengurung Rana dalam gua hitam. ( But, the Snake quietly held a grudge against Kala and Rana. “Rana quietly tries to lock you in the dark cave, so he can be the moon,” whispers the Snake to Kala. “I have trusted him all this time,” mumbles Kala in fury. “I can help you, as long as you lend me your voice,” says the Snake. After lending his voice, Kala and the Snake confine Rana in the dark cave.)
“Kakak! Ular membohongimu!” tangis Rana sedih. Para dewa lalu membebaskan Rana dan mengangkatnya ke langit menjadi Bulan. Para dewa menghukum Kala, mengubahnya menjadi sosok hitam pekat. (“Brother! The Snake lied to you!” says Rana in tears. The gods then free Rana and lifts him to the sky to become the Moon. The gods punish Kala, turning him into a dark being.)
Kala sangat menyesal. Dia ingin meminta maaf pada Rana, tapi suaranya sudah hilang. Rana memaafkan Kala, dan dengan ijin para dewa, Kala dan Rana bisa bersama. ( Kala is full of regret. He wanted to apologize to Rana, but his voice is gone. Rana forgives Kala, and with the permission of the gods, Kala and Rana can be together.)
Sejak saat itu, manusia Bumi mengenal kebersamaan mereka sebagai gerhana bulan, saat dimana Bulan ditutupi oleh saudara kembarnya yang berwarna hitam pekat seperti langit malam. (From the on, the people of Earth recognize their togetherness as the moon eclipse, a moment when the moon is covered by his twin that is as dark as the night’s sky.)
Cerita: Seruni Ilustrasi: JFK Translator: Yos
