The Little Gingerbread Man

One day, the cook went into the kitchen to make some gingerbread. She took some flour and water, and treacle and ginger, and mixed them all well together, and she put in some more water to make it thin, and then some more flour to make it thick, and a little salt and some spice, and then she rolled it out into a beautiful, smooth, dark-yellow dough.

Suatu hari, sang juru masak pergi ke dapur untuk membuat kue jahe. Ia mengambil sedikit tepung dan air, serta sirup gula dan jahe, dan mencampur semuanya dengan baik, dan ia menambahkan sedikit air lagi untuk membuatnya encer, lalu sedikit tepung lagi untuk membuatnya kental, dan sedikit garam dan beberapa rempah, dan kemudian ia menggilasnya menjadi sebuah adonan yang indah, halus, dan berwarna kuning gelap.

Then she took the square tins and cut out some square cakes for the little boys, and with some round tins she cut out some round cakes for the little girls, and then she said, "I'm going to make a little gingerbread man for little Bobby." So she took a nice round lump of dough for his body, and a smaller lump for his head, which she pulled out a little for the neck. Two other lumps were stuck on beneath for the legs, and were pulled out into proper shape, with feet and toes all complete, and two still smaller pieces were made into arms, with dear little hands and fingers.

Kemudian ia mengambil cetakan persegi dan memotong beberapa kue persegi untuk anak-anak lelaki kecil, dan dengan beberapa cetakan bulat ia memotong beberapa kue bulat untuk anak-anak perempuan kecil, dan kemudian ia berkata, "Aku akan membuat seorang manusia kue jahe kecil untuk Bobby kecil." Maka ia mengambil segumpal adonan bulat yang bagus untuk tubuhnya, dan segumpal yang lebih kecil untuk kepalanya, yang ia tarik sedikit untuk membentuk lehernya. Dua gumpalan lain ditempelkan di bagian bawah untuk kakinya, dan ditarik hingga membentuk bentuk yang tepat, dengan kaki dan jari kaki yang lengkap, dan dua potongan yang lebih kecil lagi dibuat menjadi lengan, dengan tangan dan jari-jari kecil yang manis.

But the nicest work was done on the head, for the top was frizzed up into a pretty sugary hat; on either side was made a dear little ear, and in front, after the nose had been carefully moulded, a beautiful mouth was made out of a big raisin, and two bright little eyes with burnt almonds and caraway seeds.

Tetapi pekerjaan paling bagus dilakukan pada kepalanya, sebab bagian atasnya dikeriting menjadi sebuah topi gula yang cantik; di kedua sisinya dibuat sebuah telinga kecil yang manis, dan di bagian depan, setelah hidungnya dibentuk dengan hati-hati, sebuah mulut yang indah dibuat dari sebutir kismis besar, dan dua mata kecil yang cerah dari kacang almond bakar dan biji jintan.

Then the gingerbread man was finished ready for baking, and a very jolly little man he was. In fact, he looked so sly that the cook was afraid he was plotting some mischief, and when the batter was ready for the oven, she put in the square cakes and she put in the round cakes; and then she put in the little gingerbread man in a far back corner, where he couldn't get away in a hurry.

Kemudian manusia kue jahe itu selesai dan siap untuk dipanggang, dan ia adalah manusia kecil yang sangat ceria. Sesungguhnya, ia tampak begitu licik sehingga sang juru masak takut ia sedang merencanakan sesuatu yang nakal, dan ketika adonan sudah siap untuk dipanggang, ia memasukkan kue-kue persegi dan ia memasukkan kue-kue bulat; dan kemudian ia memasukkan manusia kue jahe kecil itu di sudut paling belakang, tempat ia tak bisa melarikan diri dengan cepat.

Then she went up to sweep the parlor, and she swept and she swept till the clock struck twelve, when she dropped her broom in a hurry, and exclaiming, "Lawks! the gingerbread will be all baked to a cinder," she ran down into the kitchen, and threw open the oven door.

Kemudian ia naik ke atas untuk menyapu ruang tamu, dan ia menyapu dan menyapu hingga jam berdentang dua belas kali, ketika ia menjatuhkan sapunya dengan tergesa-gesa, dan berseru, "Astaga! kue jahe itu pasti sudah terpanggang menjadi arang," ia berlari turun ke dapur, dan membuka lebar pintu oven itu.

And the square cakes were all done, nice and hard and brown, and the round cakes were all done, nice and hard and brown, and the gingerbread man was all done too, nice and hard and brown; and he was standing up in his corner, with his little caraway-seed eyes sparkling, and his raisin mouth bubbling over with mischief, while he waited for the oven door to be opened.

Dan kue-kue persegi itu semuanya sudah matang, bagus, keras, dan coklat, dan kue-kue bulat itu semuanya sudah matang, bagus, keras, dan coklat, dan manusia kue jahe itu juga sudah matang, bagus, keras, dan coklat; dan ia sedang berdiri di sudutnya, dengan mata biji jintan kecilnya berkilau, dan mulut kismisnya menggelegak penuh kenakalan, sementara ia menunggu pintu oven itu dibuka.

The instant the door was opened, with a hop, skip, and a jump, he went right over the square cakes and the round cakes, and over the cook's arm, and before she could say "Jack Robinson" he was running across the kitchen floor, as fast as his little legs would carry him, towards the back door, which was standing wide open, and through which he could see the garden path.

Begitu pintu itu dibuka, dengan satu lompatan, satu jingkatan, dan satu loncatan, ia melompati kue-kue persegi dan kue-kue bulat itu, dan melompati lengan sang juru masak, dan sebelum ia sempat berkata apa-apa, ia sudah berlari melintasi lantai dapur, secepat kaki kecilnya bisa membawanya, menuju pintu belakang, yang sedang terbuka lebar, dan melaluinya ia bisa melihat jalan setapak kebun.

The old cook turned round as fast as she could, which wasn't very fast, for she was rather a heavy woman and she had been quite taken by surprise, and she saw lying right across the door-way, fast asleep in the sun, old Mouser, the cat.

Sang juru masak tua itu berbalik secepat yang ia bisa, yang tidaklah terlalu cepat, sebab ia adalah wanita yang cukup gemuk dan ia telah cukup terkejut, dan ia melihat tergeletak tepat di ambang pintu, tertidur lelap di bawah matahari, si Mouser tua, sang kucing.

"Mouser, Mouser," she cried, "stop the gingerbread man! I want him for little Bobby." When the cook first called, Mouser thought it was only some one calling in her dreams, and simply rolled over lazily; and the cook called again, "Mouser, Mouser!" The old cat sprang up with a jump, but just as she turned round to ask the cook what all the noise was about, the little gingerbread man cleverly jumped under her tail, and in an instant was trotting down the garden walk.

"Mouser, Mouser," serunya, "hentikan manusia kue jahe itu! Aku menginginkannya untuk Bobby kecil." Ketika sang juru masak pertama kali memanggil, Mouser mengira itu hanyalah seseorang yang memanggil dalam mimpinya, dan hanya berguling malas-malasan; dan sang juru masak memanggil lagi, "Mouser, Mouser!" Kucing tua itu melompat bangun, tetapi tepat ketika ia berbalik untuk bertanya kepada sang juru masak ada apa dengan semua keributan itu, manusia kue jahe kecil itu dengan licik melompat di bawah ekornya, dan dalam sekejap sudah berlari kecil menuruni jalan setapak kebun.

Mouser turned in a hurry and ran after, although she was still rather too sleepy to know what it was she was trying to catch, and after the cat came the cook, lumbering along rather heavily, but also making pretty good speed.

Mouser berbalik dengan tergesa-gesa dan berlari mengejar, meskipun ia masih agak terlalu mengantuk untuk tahu apa yang sedang ia coba tangkap, dan di belakang sang kucing datanglah sang juru masak, berjalan agak berat, tetapi juga dengan kecepatan yang cukup bagus.

Now at the bottom of the walk, lying fast asleep in the sun against the warm stones of the garden wall, was Towser, the dog.

Sekarang di ujung bawah jalan setapak itu, tergeletak tertidur lelap di bawah matahari bersandar pada batu-batu hangat dinding kebun, adalah Towser, sang anjing.

And the cook called out: "Towser, Towser, stop the gingerbread man! I want him for little Bobby."

Dan sang juru masak berseru: "Towser, Towser, hentikan manusia kue jahe itu! Aku menginginkannya untuk Bobby kecil."

And when Towser first heard her calling he thought it was some one speaking in his dreams, and he only turned over on his side, with another snore, and then the cook called again, "Towser, Towser, stop him, stop him!"

Dan ketika Towser pertama kali mendengarnya memanggil, ia mengira itu seseorang yang berbicara dalam mimpinya, dan ia hanya berguling ke sisinya, dengan satu dengkuran lagi, dan kemudian sang juru masak memanggil lagi, "Towser, Towser, hentikan dia, hentikan dia!"

Then the dog woke up in good earnest, and jumped up on his feet to see what it was that he should stop. But just as the dog jumped up, the little gingerbread man, who had been watching for the chance, quietly slipped between his legs, and climbed up on the top of the stone wall, so that Towser saw nothing but the cat running towards him down the walk, and behind the cat the cook, now quite out of breath.

Kemudian sang anjing terbangun dengan sungguh-sungguh, dan melompat bangun ke atas kakinya untuk melihat apa yang harus ia hentikan. Tetapi tepat ketika sang anjing melompat bangun, manusia kue jahe kecil itu, yang telah menunggu kesempatan itu, dengan diam-diam menyelinap di antara kedua kakinya, dan memanjat ke atas dinding batu itu, sehingga Towser tidak melihat apa pun kecuali sang kucing yang berlari ke arahnya menuruni jalan setapak, dan di belakang sang kucing sang juru masak, yang kini kehabisan napas.

He thought at once that the cat must have stolen something, and that it was the cat the cook wanted him to stop. Now, if there was anything that Towser liked, it was going after the cat, and he jumped up the walk so fiercely that the poor cat did not have time to stop herself or to get out of his way, and they came together with a great fizzing, and barking, and meowing, and howling, and scratching, and biting, as if a couple of Catherine-wheels had gone off in the wrong way and had got mixed up with one another.

Ia langsung mengira sang kucing pasti telah mencuri sesuatu, dan bahwa sang kucinglah yang diinginkan sang juru masak untuk ia hentikan. Nah, jika ada sesuatu yang disukai Towser, itu adalah mengejar sang kucing, dan ia melompat menuruni jalan setapak dengan begitu ganasnya sehingga sang kucing yang malang tak sempat menghentikan dirinya atau menghindar dari jalannya, dan mereka bertabrakan dengan suara mendesis, menggonggong, mengeong, melolong, mencakar, dan menggigit yang hebat, seolah-olah sepasang kembang api roda telah meledak ke arah yang salah dan tercampur aduk satu sama lain.

But the old cook had been running so hard that she was not able to stop herself any better than the cat had done, and she fell right on top of the mixed up dog and cat, so that all three rolled over on the walk in a heap together.

Tetapi sang juru masak tua itu telah berlari begitu keras sehingga ia tak mampu menghentikan dirinya lebih baik daripada yang dilakukan sang kucing, dan ia jatuh tepat di atas tumpukan anjing dan kucing yang bercampur itu, sehingga ketiganya berguling di jalan setapak menjadi satu tumpukan bersama-sama.

And the cat scratched whichever came nearest, whether it was a piece of the dog or of the cook, and the dog bit at whatever came nearest, whether it was a piece of the cat or of the cook, so that the poor cook was badly pummelled on both sides.

Dan sang kucing mencakar apa pun yang paling dekat dengannya, entah itu bagian dari sang anjing atau sang juru masak, dan sang anjing menggigit apa pun yang paling dekat dengannya, entah itu bagian dari sang kucing atau sang juru masak, sehingga sang juru masak yang malang itu babak belur di kedua sisinya.

Meanwhile, the gingerbread man had climbed up on the garden wall, and stood on the top with his hands in his pockets, looking at the scrimmage, and laughing till the tears ran down from his little caraway-seed eyes and his raisin mouth was bubbling all over with fun.

Sementara itu, manusia kue jahe itu telah memanjat ke atas dinding kebun, dan berdiri di puncaknya dengan tangan di sakunya, menyaksikan perkelahian itu, dan tertawa hingga air mata mengalir dari mata biji jintan kecilnya dan mulut kismisnya menggelegak penuh dengan kesenangan.

After a little while, the cat managed to pull herself out from under the cook and the dog, and a very cast-down and crumpled-up-looking cat she was. She had had enough of hunting gingerbread men, and she crept back to the kitchen to repair damages.

Setelah beberapa saat, sang kucing berhasil menarik dirinya keluar dari bawah sang juru masak dan sang anjing, dan ia tampak sangat lesu dan kusut. Ia sudah cukup dengan perburuan manusia kue jahe, dan ia merangkak kembali ke dapur untuk memperbaiki kerusakannya.

The dog, who was very cross because his face had been badly scratched, let go of the cook, and at last, catching sight of the gingerbread man, made a bolt for the garden wall. The cook picked herself up, and although her face was also badly scratched and her dress was torn, she was determined to see the end of the chase, and she followed after the dog, though this time more slowly.

Sang anjing, yang sangat kesal karena wajahnya telah tercakar parah, melepaskan sang juru masak, dan akhirnya, melihat sekilas manusia kue jahe itu, langsung berlari kencang menuju dinding kebun. Sang juru masak bangkit sendiri, dan meskipun wajahnya juga tercakar parah dan gaunnya robek, ia bertekad untuk melihat akhir dari pengejaran itu, dan ia mengikuti sang anjing, meskipun kali ini lebih perlahan.

When the gingerbread man saw the dog coming, he jumped down on the farther side of the wall, and began running across the field. Now in the middle of the field was a tree, and at the foot of the tree was lying Jocko, the monkey. He wasn't asleep—monkeys never are—and when he saw the little man running across the field and heard the cook calling, "Jocko, Jocko, stop the gingerbread man," he at once gave one big jump.

Ketika manusia kue jahe itu melihat sang anjing datang, ia melompat turun ke sisi lain dinding itu, dan mulai berlari melintasi ladang. Nah, di tengah ladang itu ada sebatang pohon, dan di kaki pohon itu tergeletak Jocko, sang monyet. Ia tidak sedang tidur—monyet tak pernah tidur—dan ketika ia melihat manusia kecil itu berlari melintasi ladang dan mendengar sang juru masak memanggil, "Jocko, Jocko, hentikan manusia kue jahe itu," ia langsung melompat satu lompatan besar.

But he jumped so fast and so far that he went right over the gingerbread man, and as luck would have it, he came down on the back of Towser, the dog, who had just scrambled over the wall, and whom he had not before noticed. Towser was naturally taken by surprise, but he turned his head around and promptly bit off the end of the monkey's tail, and Jocko quickly jumped off again, chattering his indignation.

Tetapi ia melompat begitu cepat dan begitu jauh sehingga ia melompati manusia kue jahe itu, dan seperti nasib baik, ia mendarat di punggung Towser, sang anjing, yang baru saja memanjat melewati dinding itu, dan yang belum ia sadari sebelumnya. Towser tentu saja terkejut, tetapi ia memutar kepalanya dan segera menggigit putus ujung ekor sang monyet, dan Jocko segera melompat pergi lagi, mengoceh penuh kemarahan.

Meanwhile, the gingerbread man had got to the bottom of the tree, and was saying to himself: "Now, I know the dog can't climb a tree, and I don't believe the old cook can climb a tree; and as for the monkey I'm not sure, for I've never seen a monkey before, but I am going up."

Sementara itu, manusia kue jahe itu telah sampai ke kaki pohon itu, dan berkata pada dirinya sendiri: "Nah, aku tahu sang anjing tak bisa memanjat pohon, dan aku tak percaya sang juru masak tua bisa memanjat pohon; dan soal sang monyet aku tidak yakin, sebab aku belum pernah melihat monyet sebelumnya, tetapi aku akan memanjat naik."

So he pulled himself up hand over hand until he had got to the topmost branch.

Maka ia menarik dirinya naik dari tangan ke tangan hingga ia sampai ke dahan paling atas.

But the monkey had jumped with one spring onto the lowest branch, and in an instant he also was at the top of the tree.

Tetapi sang monyet telah melompat dengan satu lompatan ke dahan paling bawah, dan dalam sekejap ia juga sudah sampai di puncak pohon itu.

The gingerbread man crawled out to the furthermost end of the branch, and hung by one hand, but the monkey swung himself under the branch, and stretching out his long arm, he pulled the gingerbread man in. Then he held him up and looked at him so hungrily that the little raisin mouth began to pucker down at the corners, and the caraway-seed eyes filled with tears.

Manusia kue jahe itu merangkak keluar ke ujung terjauh dahan itu, dan bergantung dengan satu tangan, tetapi sang monyet mengayunkan dirinya di bawah dahan itu, dan menjulurkan lengannya yang panjang, ia menarik manusia kue jahe itu masuk. Kemudian ia mengangkatnya dan menatapnya dengan begitu lapar sehingga mulut kismis kecil itu mulai mengerucut turun di sudut-sudutnya, dan mata biji jintan itu dipenuhi air mata.

And then what do you think happened? Why, little Bobby himself came running up. He had been taking his noon-day nap upstairs, and in his dreams it seemed as if he kept hearing people call "Little Bobby, little Bobby!" until finally he jumped up with a start, and was so sure that some one was calling him that he ran down-stairs, without even waiting to put on his shoes.

Dan kemudian apa yang menurutmu terjadi? Nah, Bobby kecil sendiri datang berlari. Ia sedang tidur siangnya di atas, dan dalam mimpinya seolah-olah ia terus mendengar orang-orang memanggil "Bobby kecil, Bobby kecil!" hingga akhirnya ia terlonjak bangun, dan begitu yakin bahwa seseorang memanggilnya sehingga ia berlari turun tangga, bahkan tanpa sempat memakai sepatunya.

As he came down, he could see through the window in the field beyond the garden the cook, and the dog, and the monkey, and could even hear the barking of Towser and the chattering of Jocko. He scampered down the walk, with his little bare feet pattering against the warm gravel, climbed over the wall, and in a few seconds arrived under the tree, just as Jocko was holding up the poor little gingerbread man.

Saat ia turun, ia bisa melihat melalui jendela di ladang di seberang kebun sang juru masak, dan sang anjing, dan sang monyet, dan bahkan bisa mendengar gonggongan Towser dan ocehan Jocko. Ia berlari kecil menuruni jalan setapak, dengan kaki telanjang kecilnya menghentak di atas kerikil hangat, memanjat melewati dinding itu, dan dalam beberapa detik tiba di bawah pohon itu, tepat saat Jocko sedang mengangkat manusia kue jahe kecil yang malang itu.

"Drop it, Jocko!" cried Bobby, and drop it Jocko did, for he always had to mind Bobby. He dropped it so straight that the gingerbread man fell right into Bobby's uplifted pinafore.

"Jatuhkan itu, Jocko!" seru Bobby, dan Jocko pun menjatuhkannya, sebab ia selalu harus menuruti Bobby. Ia menjatuhkannya begitu lurus sehingga manusia kue jahe itu jatuh tepat ke dalam celemek Bobby yang terangkat.

Then Bobby held him up and looked at him, and the little raisin mouth puckered down lower than ever, and the tears ran right out of the caraway-seed eyes.

Kemudian Bobby mengangkatnya dan menatapnya, dan mulut kismis kecil itu mengerucut turun lebih rendah dari sebelumnya, dan air mata mengalir keluar dari mata biji jintan itu.

But Bobby was too hungry to mind gingerbread tears, and he gave one big bite, and swallowed down both legs and a piece of the body.

Tetapi Bobby terlalu lapar untuk mempedulikan air mata kue jahe, dan ia menggigit satu gigitan besar, dan menelan kedua kaki dan sepotong bagian tubuhnya.

"OH!" said the gingerbread man, "I'M ONE-THIRD GONE!"

"OH!" kata manusia kue jahe itu, "SEPERTIGA DIRIKU SUDAH HILANG!"

Bobby gave a second bite, and swallowed the rest of the body and the arms.

Bobby menggigit gigitan kedua, dan menelan sisa tubuhnya dan kedua lengannya.

"OH!" said the gingerbread man, "I'M TWO-THIRDS GONE!"

"OH!" kata manusia kue jahe itu, "DUA PERTIGA DIRIKU SUDAH HILANG!"

Bobby gave a third bite, and gulped down the head.

Bobby menggigit gigitan ketiga, dan menelan kepalanya.

"_Oh!_" said the gingerbread man, "_I'm all gone!_"

"_Oh!_" kata manusia kue jahe itu, "_aku sudah hilang seluruhnya!_"

And so he was—and that is the end of the story.

Dan memang begitulah—dan itulah akhir dari kisah ini.