Mak Tua hidup seorang diri di sebuah gubuk reyot di pinggir danau. “Akankah nanti di akhir hidupku, aku tetap sendiri?” gumam Mak Tua sedih pada suatu malam. (Mak Tua lives by herself in a creaky shanty at the lakeside. “At the end of my life, will I still be all by myself?” mumbles Mak Tua sadly one night.)
“Jangan sedih, Mak Tua, kau tak sendiri,” muncul suara misterius. “Anggap saja kami anak-anakmu,” seru suara misterius lainnya. (“Don’t be sad, Mak Tua, you’re not alone,” sounds a mysterious voice. “Consider us your children,” exclaims another mysterious voice.)
“Siapa kalian? Tunjukkan wujud kalian!” ucap Mak Tua setengah berteriak. Sepeda butut, kursi reyot, dan tempayan gompal tiba-tiba bergerak dengan sendirinya. (“Who are you? Show yourselves!” says Mak Tua with a high pitch. A worn bicycle, a creaky chair, and a chipped jar suddenly move by themselves.)
“Kami yang berbicara denganmu, kami akan menemanimu pada malam hari. Hanya pada malam harilah, sang Bulan memberikan kekuatan ajaibnya untuk kami,” tutur sepeda butut. (“We are the ones talking to you. We will accompany you at night. Only at nightfall does the Moon give its magical power to us,” says the worn bicycle.)
Mak Tua mengangguk, terkejut namun bahagia. Mak Tua pun berbincang-bincang dengan perabotan usang miliknya hingga pagi menjelang. Keseharian Mak Tua berubah, bergadang pada malam hari bersama perabotan usangnya dan istirahat pada pagi hingga sore hari. (Mak Tua nods, surprised but happy. Mak Tua then chats with her old furniture until the morning comes. Mak Tua’s daily life changes, she stays up at night with her old furniture and rests from the morning until afternoon.)
Suatu siang, Mak Tua terbangun karena lapar. Ia pergi ke dapur hendak menanak nasi. Alangkah kagetnya Mak Tua, ketika melihat seorang anak perempuan cantik sedang memasak di dapur. (One afternoon, Mak Tua is awake from hunger. She goes to the kitchen to cook some rice. Mak Tua is surprised to see a beautiful girl cooking in the kitchen.)
“Si… si… siapa kau? Kenapa kau ada di dapurku?” tanya Mak Tua terbata-bata. “Mak Tua, aku anakmu. Aku si tempayan gompal yang selalu menemanimu di malam hari,” jawab anak perempuan itu. “Dua anakmu lainnya, sepeda butut dan kursi reyot juga berubah jadi manusia karena doa dan kasih sayangmu, Mak Tua,” tambahnya. (“Wh…Wh…Who are you? Why are you in my kitchen?” asks Mak Tua stuttering. “Mak Tua, I am your daughter. I’m the chipped jar who always accompanies you at night,” replies the girl. “Two of your other children, the worn bicycle and creaky chair have also turned to humans because of your prayers and affection, Mak Tua,” she adds.)
Mak Tua kebingungan. Namun, ia senang menerima keajaiban ini. Akhirnya, keinginan Mak Tua memiliki anak menjadi kenyataan. (Mak Tua is confused. But, she is happy to accept the miracle. Finally, Mak Tua’s wish of having children becomes reality.)
“Mak… Mak… Mak… kami datang! Banyak kayu yang kami bawa untuk memperbaiki rumah kita,” ujar seorang laki-laki dewasa tampan bersama anak laki-laki kecil yang muncul dari luar. (“Mak… Mak… Mak… we’re here! We bring a lot of wood to repair our house,” says a handsome young man with a little boy coming in from outside.)
Ya, kedua laki-laki itu tadinya adalah sepeda butut dan kursi reyot. “Kalian perabotan usang yang selalu menemaniku saat malam hari! Aku sangat bahagia,” tutur Mak Tua. (Yes, both men were the worn bicycle and creaky chair. “You were the old furniture who accompanies me at night! I’m so happy,” says Mak Tua.)
Tak lama kemudian, Mak Tua tertidur pulas di pangkuan anak perempuannya. Namun, ia tak lagi bangun dari tidur. Keinginan Mak Tua akhirnya terwujud. Ia pun tersenyum dalam tidur panjangnya. (Not long after, Mak Tua sleeps tightly on the lap of her daughter. But, she is awake no more. Mak Tua finally got her wishes. She smiles in her long, long sleep.)
“Selamat jalan, Mak Tua, semoga kau bahagia. Kami senang bisa menjadi bagian dari keluargamu,” ujar anak-anak Mak Tua yang tadinya adalah perabotan usang. (“Farewell, Mak Tua, may you be happy. We are glad to be a part of your family,” say Mak Tua’s children who were the old furniture.)
(Teks: Just For Kids/ Ilustrasi: Just For Kids/ Translator: Yos)
