The Dog Who Carried His Master's Dinner

Our hands are no more proof against gold than our eyes are proof against beauty. There are but few who guard their treasures with care enough.

Tangan kita tak lebih tahan terhadap emas daripada mata kita tahan terhadap kecantikan. Hanya sedikit orang yang menjaga harta mereka dengan cukup hati-hati.

A certain dog who had been taught to carry to his master the mid-day meal was one day trotting along with the savoury burden slung around his neck. He was tempted to take a taste himself; but knew that it would be wrong to do so, and being a temperate, self-governed dog he refrained. We of the human race allow ourselves to be tempted by covetable things often enough; but, strange as it is, there seems to be more difficulty in teaching mankind to resist temptation than there is in teaching dogs to do so.

Seekor anjing tertentu yang telah dilatih membawakan makan siang untuk tuannya, suatu hari sedang berlari-lari kecil membawa bekal yang lezat itu terikat di lehernya. Ia tergoda untuk mencicipinya sendiri; tetapi ia tahu itu salah, dan karena ia anjing yang tahu menahan diri, ia pun menahan godaan itu. Kita, umat manusia, sering membiarkan diri kita tergoda oleh hal-hal yang menggiurkan; tetapi, anehnya, tampaknya lebih sulit mengajarkan manusia untuk menahan godaan daripada mengajarkan anjing melakukannya.

On this particular day the dog was met by a mastiff who at once wanted the dinner, but did not find it so easy to capture as he thought; for our dog put it down and stood guard over it. There was a mighty tussle. Soon others arrived; curs that were used to knocks and kicks while picking up a living in the streets. Seeing that he should be badly over-matched, and that his master's dinner was in danger of being devoured by the crowd, he bethought himself how he too might have his share, if shared it must be.

Pada hari itu, anjing tersebut bertemu dengan seekor mastif yang langsung menginginkan makan siang itu, tetapi ternyata tidak semudah yang ia kira untuk merebutnya; sebab anjing kita meletakkannya di tanah dan berjaga di sampingnya. Terjadilah pergulatan hebat. Segera anjing-anjing lain berdatangan; anjing-anjing liar yang terbiasa dipukul dan ditendang saat mencari makan di jalanan. Menyadari bahwa ia akan kalah jumlah, dan bahwa makan siang tuannya terancam dilahap oleh kerumunan itu, ia pun berpikir bagaimana ia juga bisa mendapat bagiannya, jika memang harus dibagi.

So he very wisely exclaimed, "No fighting, gentlemen, my bit will suffice me. Do as you please with the rest." With these words he snapped up a portion, upon which all the rest began to pull and jostle to their utmost and feasted merrily.

Maka dengan bijak ia berseru, "Jangan berkelahi, tuan-tuan, sedikit bagianku sudah cukup. Lakukan sesukamu dengan sisanya." Dengan kata-kata itu ia menyambar sebagian, lalu semua yang lain mulai berebut dan saling dorong sekuat tenaga dan berpesta dengan riang.

In this I seem to see the picture of one of those unfortunate towns or states which occasionally have suffered from the greed of their ministers and officials. Each functionary has an eye to his own advantage, and the smartest sets a pattern for the others. The way in which the public funds disappear is amusing. If one sheriff or provost, having a scruple of conscience, finds a trifling argument in defence of the public interest the others show him that he is a fool if he utters half a word. So, with a very little trouble, he gives way, and often becomes the leading offender.

Dalam kisah ini aku seolah melihat gambaran salah satu kota atau negara malang yang sesekali menderita akibat ketamakan para menteri dan pejabatnya. Setiap pejabat mementingkan keuntungannya sendiri, dan yang paling licik memberi contoh bagi yang lain. Cara dana publik lenyap sungguh menggelikan. Jika seorang sheriff atau gubernur, karena rasa bersalahnya, mengajukan sedikit keberatan demi kepentingan umum, yang lain akan menunjukkan bahwa ia bodoh jika berani mengucapkan setengah kata pun. Maka, dengan sedikit usaha, ia pun menyerah, dan sering kali malah menjadi pelaku utama.