The Skilful Huntsman

There was once a young fellow who had learnt the trade of locksmith, and told his father he would now go out into the world and seek his fortune. “Very well,” said the father, “I am quite content with that,” and gave him some money for his journey. So he travelled about and looked for work. After a time he resolved not to follow the trade of locksmith any more, for he no longer liked it, but he took a fancy for hunting.

Dahulu kala ada seorang pemuda yang telah mempelajari keahlian sebagai tukang kunci, dan memberitahu ayahnya bahwa ia hendak pergi ke dunia luar untuk mencari peruntungannya. “Baiklah,” kata sang ayah, “aku cukup senang dengan itu,” dan memberinya sedikit uang untuk perjalanannya. Maka ia pun mengembara dan mencari pekerjaan. Setelah beberapa waktu ia memutuskan untuk tidak lagi menekuni keahlian tukang kunci, karena ia sudah tak menyukainya lagi, tetapi ia mulai menyukai berburu.

Then there met him in his rambles a huntsman dressed in green, who asked whence he came and whither he was going? The youth said he was a locksmith’s apprentice, but that the trade no longer pleased him, and he had a liking for huntsmanship, would he teach it to him? “Oh, yes,” said the huntsman, “if thou wilt go with me.” Then the young fellow went with him, bound himself to him for some years, and learnt the art of hunting.

Kemudian dalam pengembaraannya ia bertemu seorang pemburu berpakaian hijau, yang bertanya dari mana ia datang dan hendak ke mana ia pergi? Pemuda itu berkata bahwa ia adalah murid tukang kunci, tetapi keahlian itu sudah tak lagi menyenangkannya, dan ia menyukai keahlian berburu, maukah sang pemburu mengajarinya? “Oh, tentu,” kata pemburu itu, “jika kau mau ikut denganku.” Maka pemuda itu ikut dengannya, mengikatkan diri padanya selama beberapa tahun, dan mempelajari seni berburu.

After this he wished to try his luck elsewhere, and the huntsman gave him nothing in the way of payment but an air-gun, which had, however, this property, that it hit its mark without fail whenever he shot with it.

Setelah itu ia ingin mencoba peruntungannya di tempat lain, dan pemburu itu tidak memberinya apa-apa sebagai upah selain sepucuk senapan angin, yang memiliki keistimewaan bahwa senapan itu selalu mengenai sasarannya setiap kali ia menembak dengannya.

Then he set out and found himself in a very large forest, which he could not get to the end of in one day. When evening came he seated himself in a high tree in order to escape from the wild beasts. Towards midnight, it seemed to him as if a tiny little light glimmered in the distance. Then he looked down through the branches towards it, and kept well in his mind where it was. But in the first place he took off his hat and threw it down in the direction of the light, so that he might go to the hat as a mark when he had descended.

Lalu ia berangkat dan mendapati dirinya berada di sebuah hutan yang sangat luas, yang tak bisa ia capai ujungnya dalam satu hari. Ketika petang tiba ia mendudukkan dirinya di atas sebatang pohon tinggi agar terhindar dari binatang buas. Menjelang tengah malam, tampak olehnya seolah ada seberkas cahaya kecil berkelip di kejauhan. Maka ia menatap ke bawah melalui dahan-dahan ke arah cahaya itu, dan mengingat baik-baik di mana letaknya. Namun mula-mula ia melepas topinya dan melemparkannya ke arah cahaya itu, agar ia bisa menggunakan topi itu sebagai tanda ketika ia telah turun.

Then he got down and went to his hat, put it on again and went straight forwards. The farther he went, the larger the light grew, and when he got close to it he saw that it was an enormous fire, and that three giants were sitting by it, who had an ox on the spit, and were roasting it.

Lalu ia turun dan pergi menuju topinya, memakainya lagi, dan berjalan lurus ke depan. Semakin jauh ia berjalan, semakin besar cahaya itu tampak, dan ketika ia sudah dekat dengannya ia melihat bahwa itu adalah api unggun yang besar, dan bahwa ada tiga raksasa duduk di sampingnya, yang sedang memanggang seekor sapi jantan di atas ludah pemanggang.

Presently one of them said, “I must just taste if the meat will soon be fit to eat,” and pulled a piece off, and was about to put it in his mouth when the huntsman shot it out of his hand. “Well, really,” said the giant, “if the wind has not blown the bit out of my hand!” and helped himself to another. But when he was just about to bite into it, the huntsman again shot it away from him.

Tak lama kemudian salah satu dari mereka berkata, “Aku harus mencicipi apakah dagingnya sudah cukup matang untuk dimakan,” dan menarik sepotong daging, dan hendak memasukkannya ke mulutnya ketika si pemburu menembaknya lepas dari tangannya. “Wah, sungguh,” kata raksasa itu, “apakah angin telah meniup potongan itu dari tanganku!” dan ia mengambil potongan lain. Namun ketika ia hendak menggigitnya, si pemburu kembali menembaknya lepas darinya.

On this the giant gave the one who was sitting next him a box on the ear, and cried angrily, “Why art thou snatching my piece away from me?” “I have not snatched it away,” said the other, “a sharpshooter must have shot it away from thee.” The giant took another piece, but could not, however, keep it in his hand, for the huntsman shot it out.

Karena itu sang raksasa memukul telinga raksasa yang duduk di sebelahnya, dan berseru marah, “Mengapa kau merampas potonganku dariku?” “Aku tidak merampasnya,” kata yang lain, “pastilah seorang penembak jitu yang menembaknya lepas darimu.” Raksasa itu mengambil potongan lain, tetapi tetap tak bisa mempertahankannya di tangannya, sebab si pemburu menembaknya lepas.

Then the giant said, “That must be a good shot to shoot the bit out of one’s very mouth, such an one would be useful to us.” And he cried aloud, “Come here, thou sharpshooter, seat thyself at the fire beside us and eat thy fill, we will not hurt thee; but if thou wilt not come, and we have to bring thee by force, thou art a lost man!” On this the youth went up to them and told them he was a skilled huntsman, and that whatever he aimed at with his gun, he was certain to hit.

Kemudian raksasa itu berkata, “Pastilah itu tembakan yang hebat, menembak lepas potongan daging dari mulut orang, orang semacam itu akan berguna bagi kita.” Dan ia berseru keras, “Kemarilah, wahai penembak jitu, duduklah di dekat api bersama kami dan makanlah sepuasmu, kami tidak akan menyakitimu; tapi jika kau tak mau datang, dan kami harus membawamu dengan paksa, kau akan celaka!” Mendengar itu pemuda tersebut mendekati mereka dan memberitahu bahwa ia adalah seorang pemburu yang mahir, dan apa pun yang ia bidik dengan senapannya, pasti akan kena.

Then they said if he would go with them he should be well treated, and they told him that outside the forest there was a great lake, behind which stood a tower, and in the tower was imprisoned a lovely princess, whom they wished very much to carry off. “Yes,” said he, “I will soon get her for you.”

Lalu mereka berkata jika ia mau ikut dengan mereka ia akan diperlakukan dengan baik, dan mereka memberitahunya bahwa di luar hutan ada sebuah danau besar, di belakangnya berdiri sebuah menara, dan di dalam menara itu terkurung seorang putri yang jelita, yang sangat ingin mereka culik. “Ya,” katanya, “aku akan segera mendapatkannya untuk kalian.”

Then they added, “But there is still something else, there is a tiny little dog, which begins to bark directly any one goes near, and as soon as it barks every one in the royal palace wakens up, and for this reason we cannot get there; canst thou undertake to shoot it dead?” “Yes,” said he, “that will be a little bit of fun for me.”

Lalu mereka menambahkan, “Tapi masih ada satu hal lagi, ada seekor anjing kecil, yang mulai menggonggong begitu ada orang yang mendekat, dan begitu ia menggonggong semua orang di istana kerajaan terbangun, dan karena itulah kami tak bisa masuk ke sana; sanggupkah kau menembaknya mati?” “Ya,” katanya, “itu akan jadi hiburan kecil bagiku.”

After this he got into a boat and rowed over the lake, and as soon as he landed, the little dog came running out, and was about to bark, but the huntsman took his air-gun and shot it dead. When the giants saw that, they rejoiced, and thought they already had the King’s daughter safe, but the huntsman wished first to see how matters stood, and told them that they must stay outside until he called them.

Setelah itu ia naik ke sebuah perahu dan mendayung menyeberangi danau, dan begitu ia mendarat, anjing kecil itu berlari keluar, dan hendak menggonggong, tetapi si pemburu mengangkat senapan anginnya dan menembaknya mati. Ketika para raksasa melihat itu, mereka bersukacita, dan mengira mereka sudah pasti mendapatkan putri raja itu, tetapi si pemburu ingin melihat dulu bagaimana keadaannya, dan memberitahu mereka bahwa mereka harus tetap berada di luar sampai ia memanggil mereka.

Then he went into the castle, and all was perfectly quiet within, and every one was asleep. When he opened the door of the first room, a sword was hanging on the wall which was made of pure silver, and there was a golden star on it, and the name of the King, and on a table near it lay a sealed letter which he broke open, and inside it was written that whosoever had the sword could kill everything which opposed him.

Lalu ia masuk ke dalam istana, dan segalanya sungguh sunyi di dalamnya, dan semua orang tertidur. Ketika ia membuka pintu ruangan pertama, ada sebilah pedang tergantung di dinding yang terbuat dari perak murni, dan padanya ada sebuah bintang emas, serta nama sang raja, dan di atas sebuah meja di dekatnya ada sepucuk surat bersegel yang ia buka, dan di dalamnya tertulis bahwa siapa pun yang memegang pedang itu bisa mengalahkan segala yang menentangnya.

So he took the sword from the wall, hung it at his side and went onwards: then he entered the room where the King’s daughter was lying sleeping, and she was so beautiful that he stood still and, holding his breath, looked at her.

Maka ia mengambil pedang itu dari dinding, menyandangkannya di pinggangnya dan melangkah maju: lalu ia memasuki ruangan tempat putri raja sedang tertidur, dan ia begitu jelita sehingga ia berhenti tertegun dan, sambil menahan napas, memandanginya.

He thought to himself, “How can I give an innocent maiden into the power of the wild giants, who have evil in their minds?” He looked about further, and under the bed stood a pair of slippers, on the right one was her father’s name with a star, and on the left her own name with a star. She wore also a great neck-kerchief of silk embroidered with gold, and on the right side was her father’s name, and on the left her own, all in golden letters.

Ia berpikir dalam hati, “Bagaimana bisa aku menyerahkan seorang gadis yang tak berdosa ke dalam kekuasaan para raksasa buas, yang berniat jahat itu?” Ia melihat sekeliling lebih jauh, dan di bawah ranjang ada sepasang selop, pada selop kanan ada nama ayahnya berikut sebuah bintang, dan pada selop kiri ada namanya sendiri berikut sebuah bintang. Ia juga mengenakan selendang leher sutra yang disulam emas, dan di sisi kanan ada nama ayahnya, dan di sisi kiri namanya sendiri, semuanya dalam huruf emas.

Then the huntsman took a pair of scissors and cut the right corner off, and put it in his knapsack, and then he also took the right slipper with the King’s name, and thrust that in. Now the maiden still lay sleeping, and she was quite sewn into her night-dress, and he cut a morsel from this also, and thrust it in with the rest, but he did all without touching her.

Lalu si pemburu mengambil sebuah gunting dan memotong sudut kanannya, dan memasukkannya ke dalam ranselnya, dan kemudian ia juga mengambil selop kanan yang bertuliskan nama sang raja, dan menyelipkannya ke dalam. Sang putri masih tertidur, dan ia terjahit rapat dalam gaun tidurnya, dan ia memotong secuil dari gaun itu juga, dan menyelipkannya bersama yang lain, tetapi ia melakukan semuanya tanpa menyentuhnya.

Then he went forth and left her lying asleep undisturbed, and when he came to the gate again, the giants were still standing outside waiting for him, and expecting that he was bringing the princess. But he cried to them that they were to come in, for the maiden was already in their power, that he could not open the gate to them, but there was a hole through which they must creep.

Kemudian ia keluar dan membiarkannya tertidur tanpa terganggu, dan ketika ia sampai kembali di gerbang, para raksasa masih berdiri di luar menunggunya, dan mengira ia sedang membawa sang putri. Tetapi ia berseru kepada mereka agar masuk, sebab sang gadis sudah berada dalam kekuasaan mereka, bahwa ia tak bisa membuka gerbang untuk mereka, tetapi ada sebuah lubang yang harus mereka rangkak lewati.

Then the first approached, and the huntsman wound the giant’s hair round his hand, pulled the head in, and cut it off at one stroke with his sword, and then drew the rest of him in. He called to the second and cut his head off likewise, and then he killed the third also, and he was well pleased that he had freed the beautiful maiden from her enemies, and he cut out their tongues and put them in his knapsack.

Lalu yang pertama mendekat, dan si pemburu melilitkan rambut raksasa itu di tangannya, menarik kepalanya masuk, dan memenggalnya sekali tebas dengan pedangnya, lalu menarik sisa tubuhnya masuk. Ia memanggil yang kedua dan memenggal kepalanya juga, lalu ia membunuh yang ketiga juga, dan ia sangat senang karena telah membebaskan sang gadis jelita dari musuh-musuhnya, dan ia memotong lidah-lidah mereka dan memasukkannya ke dalam ranselnya.

Then thought he, “I will go home to my father and let him see what I have already done, and afterwards I will travel about the world; the luck which God is pleased to grant me will easily find me.”

Lalu pikirnya, “Aku akan pulang ke ayahku dan memperlihatkan padanya apa yang telah kulakukan, dan setelah itu aku akan mengembara ke seluruh dunia; keberuntungan yang berkenan diberikan Tuhan kepadaku akan dengan mudah menemukanku.”

But when the King in the castle awoke, he saw the three giants lying there dead. So he went into the sleeping-room of his daughter, awoke her, and asked who could have killed the giants? Then said she, “Dear father, I know not, I have been asleep.” But when she arose and would have put on her slippers, the right one was gone, and when she looked at her neck-kerchief it was cut, and the right corner was missing, and when she looked at her night-dress a piece was cut out of it.

Namun ketika sang raja di istana terbangun, ia melihat ketiga raksasa itu terbaring mati. Maka ia pergi ke kamar tidur putrinya, membangunkannya, dan bertanya siapa gerangan yang bisa membunuh para raksasa itu? Lalu kata sang putri, “Ayahanda terkasih, aku tak tahu, aku sedang tertidur.” Tetapi ketika ia bangkit dan hendak mengenakan selopnya, selop kanan itu hilang, dan ketika ia melihat selendang lehernya, ternyata terpotong, dan sudut kanannya hilang, dan ketika ia melihat gaun tidurnya sepotong kecil telah dipotong darinya.

The King summoned his whole court together, soldiers and every one else who was there, and asked who had set his daughter at liberty, and killed the giants? Now it happened that he had a captain, who was one-eyed and a hideous man, and he said that he had done it. Then the old King said that as he had accomplished this, he should marry his daughter. But the maiden said, “Rather than marry him, dear father, I will go away into the world as far as my legs can carry me.”

Sang raja mengumpulkan seluruh istananya, para prajurit dan semua orang lain yang ada di sana, dan bertanya siapa yang telah membebaskan putrinya, dan membunuh para raksasa itu? Kebetulan ia memiliki seorang kapten, yang bermata satu dan berwajah buruk, dan ia berkata bahwa dialah yang melakukannya. Maka sang raja tua berkata bahwa karena ia telah mencapai hal ini, ia harus menikahi putrinya. Tetapi sang gadis berkata, “Daripada menikahinya, ayahanda terkasih, aku akan pergi ke dunia sejauh kakiku bisa membawaku.”

But the King said that if she would not marry him she should take off her royal garments and wear peasant’s clothing, and go forth, and that she should go to a potter, and begin a trade in earthen vessels. So she put off her royal apparel, and went to a potter and borrowed crockery enough for a stall, and she promised him also that if she had sold it by the evening, she would pay for it.

Tetapi sang raja berkata bahwa jika ia tak mau menikahinya ia harus melepas pakaian kerajaannya dan mengenakan pakaian petani, dan pergi, dan bahwa ia harus pergi ke seorang pembuat tembikar, dan memulai perdagangan tembikar. Maka ia melepas busana kerajaannya, dan pergi ke seorang pembuat tembikar dan meminjam cukup banyak barang pecah belah untuk sebuah kios, dan ia juga berjanji kepadanya bahwa jika ia sudah menjualnya sebelum petang, ia akan membayarnya.

Then the King said she was to seat herself in a corner with it and sell it, and he arranged with some peasants to drive over it with their carts, so that everything should be broken into a thousand pieces. When therefore the King’s daughter had placed her stall in the street, by came the carts, and broke all she had into tiny fragments. She began to weep and said, “Alas, how shall I ever pay for the pots now?”

Kemudian sang raja berkata bahwa ia harus duduk di sebuah sudut dengan barang-barang itu dan menjualnya, dan ia mengatur agar beberapa petani melintasi kios itu dengan gerobak mereka, sehingga segalanya akan pecah berkeping-keping. Ketika putri raja telah menempatkan kiosnya di jalan, lewatlah gerobak-gerobak itu, dan memecahkan semua yang ia miliki menjadi serpihan kecil. Ia mulai menangis dan berkata, “Sayang sekali, bagaimana aku bisa membayar panci-panci itu sekarang?”

The King had, however, wished by this to force her to marry the captain; but instead of that, she again went to the potter, and asked him if he would lend to her once more. He said, “No,” she must first pay for the things she had already had. Then she went to her father and cried and lamented, and said she would go forth into the world.

Sang raja, bagaimanapun, ingin dengan cara ini memaksanya menikahi sang kapten; tetapi sebaliknya, ia kembali pergi ke pembuat tembikar itu, dan bertanya apakah ia mau meminjaminya sekali lagi. Ia berkata, “Tidak,” ia harus terlebih dahulu membayar barang-barang yang telah ia terima sebelumnya. Maka ia pergi ke ayahnya dan menangis serta meratap, dan berkata ia akan pergi ke dunia luar.

Then said he, “I will have a little hut built for thee in the forest outside, and in it thou shalt stay all thy life long and cook for every one, but thou shalt take no money for it.” When the hut was ready, a sign was hung on the door whereon was written, “To-day given, to-morrow sold.” There she remained a long time, and it was rumored about the world that a maiden was there who cooked without asking for payment, and that this was set forth on a sign outside her door.

Lalu kata sang raja, “Aku akan membuatkan sebuah pondok kecil untukmu di hutan luar sana, dan di sana kau harus tinggal seumur hidupmu dan memasak untuk semua orang, tetapi kau tak boleh menerima uang untuknya.” Ketika pondok itu telah siap, sebuah papan tanda digantung di pintu yang bertuliskan, “Hari ini diberi, esok terjual.” Di sana ia tinggal untuk waktu yang lama, dan tersiar kabar ke seluruh dunia bahwa ada seorang gadis di sana yang memasak tanpa meminta bayaran, dan bahwa hal ini tertulis pada sebuah papan tanda di luar pintunya.

The huntsman heard it likewise, and thought to himself, “That would suit thee. Thou art poor, and hast no money.” So he took his air-gun and his knapsack, wherein all the things which he had formerly carried away with him from the castle as tokens of his truthfulness were still lying, and went into the forest, and found the hut with the sign, “To-day given, to-morrow sold.” He had put on the sword with which he had cut off the heads of the three giants, and thus entered the hut, and ordered something to eat to be given to him.

Si pemburu juga mendengarnya, dan berpikir dalam hati, “Itu akan cocok bagimu. Kau miskin, dan tak punya uang.” Maka ia mengambil senapan angin dan ranselnya, yang di dalamnya semua benda yang dahulu ia bawa pergi dari istana sebagai bukti kejujurannya masih tersimpan, dan pergi ke dalam hutan, dan menemukan pondok dengan papan tanda, “Hari ini diberi, esok terjual.” Ia telah mengenakan pedang yang dengannya ia memenggal kepala ketiga raksasa itu, dan demikianlah ia memasuki pondok itu, dan meminta agar diberikan sesuatu untuk dimakan.

He was charmed with the beautiful maiden, who was indeed as lovely as any picture. She asked him whence he came and whither he was going, and he said, “I am roaming about the world.” Then she asked him where he had got the sword, for that truly her father’s name was on it. He asked her if she were the King’s daughter. “Yes,” answered she. “With this sword,” said he, “did I cut off the heads of three giants.” And he took their tongues out of his knapsack in proof.

Ia terpesona oleh sang gadis jelita, yang memang secantik lukisan mana pun. Ia bertanya dari mana ia datang dan hendak ke mana ia pergi, dan ia berkata, “Aku sedang mengembara ke seluruh dunia.” Lalu ia bertanya dari mana ia mendapatkan pedang itu, sebab sungguh nama ayahnya tertera padanya. Ia bertanya apakah ia putri sang raja. “Ya,” jawabnya. “Dengan pedang ini,” katanya, “aku memenggal kepala ketiga raksasa itu.” Dan ia mengeluarkan lidah-lidah mereka dari ranselnya sebagai bukti.

Then he also showed her the slipper, and the corner of the neck-kerchief, and the bit of the night-dress. Hereupon she was overjoyed, and said that he was the one who had delivered her. On this they went together to the old King, and fetched him to the hut, and she led him into her room, and told him that the huntsman was the man who had really set her free from the giants. And when the aged King saw all the proofs of this, he could no longer doubt, and said that he was very glad he knew how everything had happened, and that the huntsman should have her to wife, on which the maiden was glad at heart.

Lalu ia juga menunjukkan padanya selop itu, dan sudut selendang leher itu, dan secuil gaun tidur itu. Mendengar itu ia sangat bersukacita, dan berkata bahwa dialah orang yang telah membebaskannya. Setelah itu mereka bersama-sama pergi menemui sang raja tua, dan membawanya ke pondok itu, dan ia membawanya masuk ke kamarnya, dan memberitahunya bahwa si pemburu adalah orang yang sesungguhnya telah membebaskannya dari para raksasa. Dan ketika sang raja yang sudah tua itu melihat semua bukti ini, ia tak bisa lagi meragukannya, dan berkata bahwa ia sangat senang mengetahui bagaimana semuanya terjadi, dan bahwa si pemburu harus mendapatkannya sebagai istri, mendengar itu sang putri sangat bahagia di hatinya.

Then she dressed the huntsman as if he were a foreign lord, and the King ordered a feast to be prepared. When they went to table, the captain sat on the left side of the King’s daughter, but the huntsman was on the right, and the captain thought he was a foreign lord who had come on a visit.

Lalu ia mendandani si pemburu seolah ia seorang bangsawan asing, dan sang raja memerintahkan agar sebuah pesta disiapkan. Ketika mereka duduk di meja, sang kapten duduk di sisi kiri putri raja, tetapi si pemburu di sebelah kanan, dan sang kapten mengira ia seorang bangsawan asing yang datang berkunjung.

When they had eaten and drunk, the old King said to the captain that he would set before him something which he must guess. “Supposing any one said that he had killed the three giants and he were asked where the giants’ tongues were, and he were forced to go and look, and there were none in their heads, how could that happen?” The captain said, “Then they cannot have had any.” “Not so,” said the King. “Every animal has a tongue,” and then he likewise asked what any one would deserve who made such an answer?

Setelah mereka makan dan minum, sang raja tua berkata kepada kapten bahwa ia akan mengajukan sesuatu yang harus ia tebak. “Andaikan seseorang berkata bahwa ia telah membunuh ketiga raksasa itu dan ia ditanya di mana lidah-lidah para raksasa itu, dan ia dipaksa pergi dan memeriksanya, dan ternyata tak ada satu pun di kepala mereka, bagaimana itu bisa terjadi?” Sang kapten berkata, “Kalau begitu mereka pasti memang tak punya lidah.” “Tidak begitu,” kata sang raja. “Setiap hewan punya lidah,” dan kemudian ia juga bertanya apa yang pantas diterima oleh siapa pun yang memberikan jawaban semacam itu?

The captain replied, “He ought to be torn in pieces.” Then the King said he had pronounced his own sentence, and the captain was put in prison and then torn in four pieces; but the King’s daughter was married to the huntsman. After this he brought his father and mother, and they lived with their son in happiness, and after the death of the old King he received the kingdom.

Sang kapten menjawab, “Ia layak dicabik-cabik.” Maka sang raja berkata bahwa ia telah menjatuhkan hukumannya sendiri, dan sang kapten dimasukkan ke penjara lalu dicabik menjadi empat bagian; tetapi putri raja dinikahkan dengan si pemburu. Setelah itu ia membawa serta ayah dan ibunya, dan mereka tinggal bersama putra mereka dalam kebahagiaan, dan setelah kematian sang raja tua ia mewarisi kerajaan itu.