The Lantern of Marrow Cove

For as long as anyone could remember, the lighthouse at Marrow Cove had never gone dark. Twelve-year-old Wren lived at its foot with her grandmother, the keeper, and she knew every one of its hundred and one stairs.

Sejauh yang bisa diingat siapa pun, mercusuar di Marrow Cove tidak pernah gelap. Wren, gadis berusia dua belas tahun, tinggal di kakinya bersama neneknya, sang penjaga mercusuar, dan ia hafal setiap satu dari seratus satu anak tangganya.

One stormy night, the great lamp flickered and died. Ships would come with the tide, and without the light they would break upon the rocks.

Suatu malam berbadai, lampu besar itu berkelip-kelip lalu padam. Kapal-kapal akan datang bersama air pasang, dan tanpa cahaya itu mereka akan pecah dihantam bebatuan.

Her grandmother's knees were too old for the climb. So Wren took the spare oil, a box of matches, and a stubborn kind of courage, and began to climb.

Lutut neneknya sudah terlalu tua untuk mendaki. Maka Wren mengambil minyak cadangan, sekotak korek api, dan sejenis keberanian yang keras kepala, lalu mulai mendaki.

The stairs groaned beneath her feet. Wind pushed through the cracks in the walls and tried to steal her small flame.

Anak tangga itu berderit di bawah kakinya. Angin menerobos celah-celah dinding dan berusaha mencuri nyala api kecilnya.

Halfway up, she found the reason for the darkness. A gull had built its nest against the lamp, and the oil line was clogged with feathers and salt.

Di tengah pendakian, ia menemukan penyebab kegelapan itu. Seekor camar telah membuat sarang di dekat lampu, dan saluran minyak tersumbat oleh bulu-bulu dan garam.

Wren worked with cold fingers, clearing the line piece by piece. Twice the wind blew out her match, and twice she lit it again. She thought of the ships out on the dark water, and she did not stop.

Wren bekerja dengan jari-jari yang membeku, membersihkan saluran itu sedikit demi sedikit. Dua kali angin meniup padam korek apinya, dan dua kali pula ia menyalakannya kembali. Ia memikirkan kapal-kapal di lautan gelap itu, dan ia tidak berhenti.

At last the oil flowed freely, and Wren touched her flame to the wick.

Akhirnya minyak itu mengalir dengan lancar, dan Wren menyentuhkan nyala apinya ke sumbu.

Light burst out across the water, sweeping over the waves like a hand pushing the ships gently away from the rocks. Far below, she heard her grandmother cheer.

Cahaya meledak menyeberangi air, menyapu ombak-ombak seperti sebuah tangan yang mendorong kapal-kapal itu menjauh dengan lembut dari bebatuan. Jauh di bawah sana, ia mendengar neneknya bersorak gembira.

In the morning, the fishermen came to thank the new keeper of the light. Wren only smiled and looked up at the tower.

Pagi harinya, para nelayan datang untuk berterima kasih kepada penjaga cahaya yang baru. Wren hanya tersenyum dan menatap ke atas menara itu.

Some lights, she understood now, are kept burning by those who are brave enough to climb.

Beberapa cahaya, kini ia mengerti, tetap menyala karena ada orang-orang yang cukup berani untuk mendaki.