The Fish and the Ring

Once upon a time, there was a mighty baron in the North Countrie who was a great magician that knew everything that would come to pass. So one day, when his little boy was four years old, he looked into the Book of Fate to see what would happen to him. And to his dismay, he found that his son would wed a lowly maid that had just been born in a house under the shadow of York Minster. Now the Baron knew the father of the little girl was very, very poor, and he had five children already.

Pada zaman dahulu, hiduplah seorang baron yang perkasa di Negeri Utara, yang juga seorang penyihir hebat yang tahu segala hal yang akan terjadi. Suatu hari, ketika putra kecilnya berusia empat tahun, ia melihat ke dalam Kitab Takdir untuk mengetahui apa yang akan terjadi pada anaknya. Dan alangkah kagetnya, ia menemukan bahwa putranya akan menikahi seorang gadis rendahan yang baru saja lahir di sebuah rumah di bawah bayangan Katedral York. Sang Baron tahu ayah gadis kecil itu sangat, sangat miskin, dan sudah punya lima anak.

So he called for his horse, and rode into York; and passed by the father's house, and saw him sitting by the door, sad and doleful. So he dismounted and went up to him and said: “What is the matter, my good man?” And the man said: “Well, your honour, the fact is, I've five children already, and now a sixth's come, a little lass, and where to get the bread from to fill their mouths, that's more than I can say.”

Maka ia memanggil kudanya, dan menunggang ke York; dan lewat di depan rumah sang ayah, dan melihatnya duduk di ambang pintu, sedih dan murung. Maka ia turun dari kudanya dan menghampirinya lalu berkata: "Ada apa, Tuan?" Dan pria itu berkata: "Begini, Tuan, sebenarnya, saya sudah punya lima anak, dan sekarang anak keenam lahir, seorang bayi perempuan, dan dari mana saya harus mencari makan untuk mengisi mulut mereka semua, itu yang tak sanggup saya jawab."

“Don't be downhearted, my man,” said the Baron. “If that's your trouble, I can help you. I'll take away the last little one, and you wont have to bother about her.”

"Jangan berkecil hati, Tuan," kata sang Baron. "Kalau itu masalahmu, aku bisa membantu. Aku akan bawa pergi si bungsu ini, dan kau tak perlu lagi memikirkannya."

“Thank you kindly, sir,” said the man; and he went in and brought out the lass and gave her to the Baron, who mounted his horse and rode away with her. And when he got by the bank of the river Ouse, he threw the little, thing into the river, and rode off to his castle.

"Terima kasih banyak, Tuan," kata pria itu; dan ia masuk lalu membawa keluar bayi perempuan itu dan menyerahkannya pada sang Baron, yang lalu menunggang kudanya pergi bersamanya. Dan ketika ia sampai di tepi Sungai Ouse, ia melemparkan bayi kecil itu ke sungai, lalu menunggang pergi ke istananya.

But the little lass didn't sink; her clothes kept her up for a time, and she floated, and she floated, till she was cast ashore just in front of a fisherman's hut. There the fisherman found her, and took pity on the poor little thing and took her into his house, and she lived there till she was fifteen years old, and a fine handsome girl.

Tapi bayi kecil itu tidak tenggelam; pakaiannya menahannya mengapung untuk sementara, dan ia terus mengapung, sampai terdampar tepat di depan gubuk seorang nelayan. Di sana sang nelayan menemukannya, dan merasa kasihan pada makhluk kecil yang malang itu lalu membawanya ke rumahnya, dan ia tinggal di sana sampai berusia lima belas tahun, menjadi gadis yang cantik dan menawan.

One day it happened that the Baron went out hunting with some companions along the banks of the River Ouse, and stopped at the fisherman's hut to get a drink, and the girl came out to give it to them. They all noticed her beauty, and one of them said to the Baron: “You can read fates, Baron, whom will she marry, d'ye think?”

Suatu hari terjadilah sang Baron pergi berburu bersama beberapa temannya di sepanjang tepi Sungai Ouse, dan berhenti di gubuk nelayan itu untuk minum, dan gadis itu keluar untuk menyajikannya. Mereka semua memperhatikan kecantikannya, dan salah satu dari mereka berkata pada sang Baron: "Kau bisa membaca takdir, Baron, menurutmu dia akan menikah dengan siapa?"

“Oh! that's easy to guess,” said the Baron; “some yokel or other. But I'll cast her horoscope. Come here girl, and tell me on what day you were born?”

"Oh! Itu mudah ditebak," kata sang Baron; "seorang pemuda kampung atau semacamnya. Tapi biar kubuatkan ramalan horoskopnya. Kemarilah, Nak, dan katakan padaku kau lahir hari apa?"

“I don't know, sir,” said the girl, “I was picked up just here after having been brought down by the river about fifteen years ago.”

"Saya tidak tahu, Tuan," kata gadis itu, "saya ditemukan tepat di sini setelah hanyut terbawa sungai sekitar lima belas tahun lalu."

Then the Baron knew who she was, and when they went away, he rode back and said to the girl: “Hark ye, girl, I will make your fortune. Take this letter to my brother in Scarborough, and you will be settled for life.” And the girl took the letter and said she would go. Now this was what he had written in the letter:

Maka sang Baron pun tahu siapa dia, dan ketika mereka pergi, ia kembali menunggang kudanya dan berkata pada gadis itu: "Dengar, Nak, aku akan membuat nasibmu berubah. Bawa surat ini pada saudaraku di Scarborough, dan hidupmu akan terjamin selamanya." Dan gadis itu menerima surat itu dan berkata ia akan pergi. Nah, inilah yang ditulisnya dalam surat itu:

“Dear Brother,—Take the bearer and put her to death immediately.

"Saudaraku Tersayang,—Terimalah pembawa surat ini dan segera bunuh dia.

“Yours affectionately,

"Salam sayang,

“Albert.”

"Albert."

So soon after the girl set out for Scarborough, and slept for the night at a little inn. Now that very night a band of robbers broke into the inn, and searched the girl, who had no money, and only the letter. So they opened this and read it, and thought it a shame. The captain of the robbers took a pen and paper and wrote this letter:

Maka tak lama setelah itu gadis itu berangkat menuju Scarborough, dan bermalam di sebuah penginapan kecil. Nah, malam itu juga sekawanan perampok menerobos masuk ke penginapan itu, dan menggeledah gadis itu, yang tak punya uang sama sekali, hanya surat itu saja. Maka mereka membukanya dan membacanya, dan menganggapnya memalukan. Kepala perampok itu mengambil pena dan kertas dan menulis surat ini:

“Dear Brother,—Take the bearer and marry her to my son immediately.

"Saudaraku Tersayang,—Terimalah pembawa surat ini dan segera nikahkan dia dengan putraku.

“Yours affectionately,

"Salam sayang,

“Albert.”

"Albert."

And then he gave it to the girl, bidding her begone. So she went on to the Baron's brother at Scarborough, a noble knight, with whom the Baron's son was staying. When she gave the letter to his brother, he gave orders for the wedding to be prepared at once, and they were married that very day.

Dan lalu ia memberikannya pada gadis itu, menyuruhnya pergi. Maka ia melanjutkan perjalanan menuju saudara sang Baron di Scarborough, seorang ksatria bangsawan, tempat putra sang Baron sedang tinggal. Ketika ia memberikan surat itu pada sang saudara, sang saudara segera memerintahkan persiapan pernikahan, dan mereka pun menikah hari itu juga.

Soon after, the Baron himself came to his brother's castle, and what was his surprise to find that the very thing he had plotted against had come to pass. But he was not to be put off that way; and he took out the girl for a walk, as he said, along the cliffs. And when he got her all alone, he took her by the arms, and was going to throw her over. But she begged hard for her life.

Tak lama kemudian, sang Baron sendiri datang ke istana saudaranya, dan alangkah terkejutnya ia mendapati bahwa hal yang justru ingin ia gagalkan malah benar-benar terjadi. Tapi ia tak mau menyerah begitu saja; dan ia mengajak gadis itu berjalan-jalan, katanya, di sepanjang tebing. Dan ketika ia berhasil membawanya sendirian, ia memegang lengannya, dan hendak melemparkannya ke bawah tebing. Tapi gadis itu memohon sekeras-kerasnya demi nyawanya.

“I have not done anything,” she said: “if you will only spare me, I will do whatever you wish. I will never see you or your son again till you desire it.” Then the Baron took off his gold ring and threw it into the sea, saying: “Never let me see your face till you can show me that ring;” and he let her go.

"Saya tidak berbuat apa-apa," katanya: "kalau Tuan mau mengampuni saya saja, saya akan lakukan apa pun yang Tuan inginkan. Saya tidak akan pernah menemui Tuan atau putra Tuan lagi sampai Tuan sendiri menginginkannya." Lalu sang Baron melepas cincin emasnya dan melemparkannya ke laut, sambil berkata: "Jangan pernah biarkan aku melihat wajahmu lagi sampai kau bisa menunjukkan cincin itu padaku"; dan ia pun membiarkannya pergi.

The poor girl wandered on and on, till at last she came to a great noble's castle, and she asked to have some work given to her; and they made her the scullion girl of the castle, for she had been used to such work in the fisherman's hut.

Gadis malang itu mengembara terus dan terus, sampai akhirnya ia tiba di istana seorang bangsawan besar, dan ia meminta diberi pekerjaan; dan mereka menjadikannya gadis pencuci piring istana itu, sebab ia sudah terbiasa dengan pekerjaan semacam itu di gubuk nelayan dulu.

Now one day, who should she see coming up to the noble's house but the Baron and his brother and his son, her husband. She didn't know what to do; but thought they would not see her in the castle kitchen. So she went back to her work with a sigh, and set to cleaning a huge big fish that was to be boiled for their dinner.

Nah suatu hari, siapa yang ia lihat datang ke rumah sang bangsawan selain sang Baron dan saudaranya dan putranya, suaminya sendiri. Ia tak tahu harus berbuat apa; tapi mengira mereka tak akan melihatnya di dapur istana. Maka ia kembali bekerja sambil menghela napas, dan mulai membersihkan seekor ikan besar yang akan direbus untuk santap malam mereka.

And, as she was cleaning it, she saw something shine inside it, and what do you think she found? Why, there was the Baron's ring, the very one he had thrown over the cliff at Scarborough. She was right glad to see it, you may be sure. Then she cooked the fish as nicely as she could, and served it up.

Dan, saat ia membersihkannya, ia melihat sesuatu berkilau di dalamnya, dan coba tebak apa yang ia temukan? Ternyata, itu adalah cincin sang Baron, cincin yang sama yang dulu ia lemparkan dari tebing di Scarborough. Ia sangat senang melihatnya, bisa dipastikan. Lalu ia memasak ikan itu sebaik mungkin, dan menyajikannya.

Well, when the fish came on the table, the guests liked it so well that they asked the noble who cooked it. He said he didn't know, but called to his servants: “Ho, there, send up the cook that cooked that fine fish.” So they went down to the kitchen and told the girl she was wanted in the hall. Then she washed and tidied herself and put the Baron's gold ring on her thumb and went up into the hall.

Nah, ketika ikan itu disajikan di meja, para tamu sangat menyukainya sampai mereka bertanya pada sang bangsawan siapa yang memasaknya. Ia berkata ia tidak tahu, lalu memanggil pelayannya: "Hei, kalian, suruh naik juru masak yang memasak ikan enak itu." Maka mereka turun ke dapur dan memberi tahu gadis itu bahwa ia dipanggil ke aula. Lalu ia mencuci dan merapikan dirinya dan memakai cincin emas sang Baron di ibu jarinya lalu naik ke aula.

When the banqueters saw such a young and beautiful cook they were surprised. But the Baron was in a tower of a temper, and started up as if he would do her some violence. So the girl went up to him with her hand before her with the ring on it; and she put it down before him on the table. Then at last the Baron saw that no one could fight against Fate, and he handed her to a seat and announced to all the company that this was his son's true wife; and he took her and his son home to his castle; and they all lived as happy as could be ever afterwards.

Ketika para tamu jamuan melihat juru masak yang begitu muda dan cantik, mereka terkejut. Tapi sang Baron sedang naik pitam, dan berdiri seolah hendak berbuat kasar padanya. Maka gadis itu mendekatinya dengan tangannya terjulur di depan, dengan cincin itu terpasang di sana; dan ia meletakkannya di depan sang Baron di atas meja. Maka akhirnya sang Baron sadar bahwa tak ada yang bisa melawan Takdir, dan ia mempersilakannya duduk dan mengumumkan pada semua tamu bahwa inilah istri sah putranya; dan ia membawa gadis itu beserta putranya pulang ke istananya; dan mereka semua hidup berbahagia selamanya sejak saat itu.