The Twelve Wild Ducks

Once on a time there was a Queen who was out driving, when there had been a new fall of snow in the winter; but when she had gone a little way, she began to bleed at the nose, and had to get out of her sledge. And so, as she stood there, leaning against the fence, and saw the red blood on the white snow, she fell a-thinking how she had twelve sons and no daughter, and she said to herself:

Pada suatu masa hiduplah seorang Ratu yang sedang berkendara keluar, ketika salju baru saja turun di musim dingin; tetapi setelah ia berjalan tidak jauh, hidungnya mulai berdarah, dan ia harus turun dari keretanya. Maka, sambil berdiri di sana, bersandar pada pagar, dan melihat darah merah di atas salju putih, ia pun termenung memikirkan bahwa ia memiliki dua belas putra dan tidak seorang pun putri, dan ia berkata pada dirinya sendiri:

“If I only had a daughter as white as snow and as red as blood, I shouldn’t care what became of all my sons.”

“Andai saja aku memiliki seorang putri seputih salju dan semerah darah, aku tak akan peduli apa yang terjadi pada semua putraku.”

But the words were scarce out of her mouth before an old witch of the Trolls came up to her.

Namun kata-kata itu baru saja keluar dari mulutnya ketika seorang penyihir tua dari bangsa Troll datang menghampirinya.

“A daughter you shall have”, she said, “and she shall be as white as snow, and as red as blood; and your sons shall be mine, but you may keep them till the babe is christened.”

“Seorang putri akan kau miliki,” katanya, “dan ia akan seputih salju, dan semerah darah; tetapi putra-putramu akan menjadi milikku, hanya saja kau boleh menyimpan mereka sampai sang bayi dibaptis.”

So when the time came the Queen had a daughter, and she was as white as snow, and as red as blood, just as the Troll had promised, and so they called her “Snow-white and Rosy-red.” Well, there was great joy at the King’s court, and the Queen was as glad as glad could be; but when what she had promised to the old witch came into her mind, she sent for a silversmith, and bade him make twelve silver spoons, one for each prince, and after that she bade him make one more, and that she gave to Snow-white and Rosy-red.

Maka ketika waktunya tiba, Ratu itu melahirkan seorang putri, dan ia seputih salju, dan semerah darah, persis seperti yang dijanjikan sang Troll, sehingga mereka menamainya “Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar.” Maka, sukacita besar melanda istana Raja, dan Ratu pun bergembira sebahagia mungkin; tetapi ketika ia teringat akan janjinya kepada penyihir tua itu, ia memanggil seorang tukang perak, dan menyuruhnya membuat dua belas sendok perak, satu untuk setiap pangeran, dan setelah itu ia menyuruhnya membuat satu lagi, yang ia berikan kepada Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar.

But as soon as ever the Princess was christened, the Princes were turned into twelve wild ducks, and flew away. They never saw them again—away they went, and away they stayed.

Namun begitu sang Putri dibaptis, para Pangeran pun berubah menjadi dua belas itik liar, dan terbang pergi. Mereka tak pernah melihat para pangeran lagi—pergi mereka, dan pergi untuk selamanya.

So the Princess grew up, and she was both tall and fair, but she was often so strange and sorrowful, and no one could understand what it was that failed her. But one evening the Queen was also sorrowful, for she had many strange thoughts when she thought of her sons. She said to Snow-white and Rosy-red,

Maka sang Putri pun tumbuh dewasa, ia tinggi dan cantik, tetapi ia sering kali begitu aneh dan sedih, dan tak seorang pun dapat memahami apa yang kurang darinya. Namun pada suatu malam sang Ratu pun bersedih, sebab banyak pikiran aneh muncul ketika ia teringat akan putra-putranya. Ia berkata kepada Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar,

“Why are you so sorrowful, my daughter? Is there anything you want? if so, only say the word, and you shall have it.”

“Mengapa kau begitu sedih, putriku? Adakah sesuatu yang kau inginkan? Jika ada, katakan saja, dan kau akan mendapatkannya.”

“Oh, it seems so dull and lonely here”, said Snow-white and Rosy-red; “every one else has brothers and sisters, but I am all alone; I have none; and that’s why I’m so sorrowful.”

“Oh, rasanya begitu sepi dan hampa di sini,” kata Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar; “setiap orang lain memiliki saudara laki-laki dan perempuan, tetapi aku sendirian; aku tak punya siapa-siapa; itulah sebabnya aku begitu sedih.”

“But you had brothers, my daughter”, said the Queen; “I had twelve sons who were your brothers, but I gave them all away to get you”; and so she told her the whole story.

“Tetapi kau punya saudara laki-laki, putriku,” kata sang Ratu; “aku memiliki dua belas putra yang menjadi saudaramu, tetapi aku memberikan mereka semua demi mendapatkanmu”; dan ia pun menceritakan seluruh kisahnya.

So when the Princess heard that, she had no rest; for, in spite of all the Queen could say or do, and all she wept and prayed, the lassie would set off to seek her brothers, for she thought it was all her fault; and at last she got leave to go away from the palace. On and on she walked into the wide world, so far, you would never have thought a young lady could have strength to walk so far.

Ketika sang Putri mendengar itu, ia tak dapat tenang lagi; sebab, walau apa pun yang dikatakan atau dilakukan sang Ratu, dan betapapun ia menangis dan memohon, gadis itu bertekad pergi mencari saudara-saudaranya, sebab ia merasa semua ini salahnya; dan akhirnya ia mendapat izin untuk meninggalkan istana. Terus dan terus ia berjalan menembus dunia yang luas, begitu jauh, hingga kau tak akan pernah menyangka seorang gadis muda mampu berjalan sejauh itu.

So, once, when she was walking through a great, great wood, one day she felt tired, and sat down on a mossy tuft and fell asleep. Then she dreamt that she went deeper and deeper into the wood, till she came to a little wooden hut, and there she found her brothers; just then she woke, and straight before her she saw a worn path in the green moss, and this path went deeper into the wood; so she followed it, and after a long time she came to just such a little wooden house as that she had seen in her dream.

Maka, pada suatu ketika, saat ia berjalan melintasi hutan yang sangat besar, suatu hari ia merasa lelah, dan duduk di atas gundukan lumut lalu tertidur. Kemudian ia bermimpi bahwa ia berjalan semakin dalam ke hutan, hingga sampai ke sebuah pondok kayu kecil, dan di sana ia menemukan saudara-saudaranya; tepat saat itu ia terbangun, dan tepat di hadapannya ia melihat sebuah jalan setapak di atas lumut hijau, dan jalan setapak ini menuju semakin dalam ke hutan; maka ia mengikutinya, dan setelah waktu yang lama ia sampai ke sebuah rumah kayu kecil persis seperti yang ia lihat dalam mimpinya.

Now, when she went into the room there was no one at home, but there stood twelve beds, and twelve chairs, and twelve spoons—a dozen of everything, in short. So when she saw that she was so glad, she hadn’t been so glad for many a long year, for she could guess at once that her brothers lived here, and that they owned the beds, and chairs, and spoons.

Ketika ia masuk ke dalam ruangan itu, tak ada seorang pun di rumah, tetapi di sana berdiri dua belas ranjang, dan dua belas kursi, dan dua belas sendok—satu lusin segala sesuatu, singkatnya. Maka ketika ia melihat itu, ia begitu senang, ia tak pernah sesenang itu selama bertahun-tahun, sebab ia dapat langsung menduga bahwa saudara-saudaranya tinggal di sini, dan bahwa merekalah pemilik ranjang, kursi, dan sendok-sendok itu.

So she began to make up the fire, and sweep the room, and make the beds, and cook the dinner, and to make the house as tidy as she could; and when she had done all the cooking and work, she ate her own dinner, and crept under her youngest brother’s bed, and lay down there, but she forgot her spoon upon the table.

Maka ia mulai menyalakan api, menyapu ruangan, merapikan ranjang-ranjang, memasak makan malam, dan membuat rumah itu serapi mungkin; dan setelah ia menyelesaikan semua masakan dan pekerjaan itu, ia memakan makan malamnya sendiri, dan merangkak masuk di bawah ranjang saudara bungsunya, dan berbaring di sana, tetapi ia lupa sendoknya tertinggal di atas meja.

So she had scarcely laid herself down before she heard something flapping and whirring in the air, and so all the twelve wild ducks came sweeping in; but as soon as ever they crossed the threshold they became Princes.

Baru saja ia berbaring, ia mendengar suara kepak-kepak dan desiran di udara, dan kedua belas itik liar itu pun datang menyapu masuk; tetapi begitu mereka melewati ambang pintu, mereka berubah menjadi Pangeran.

“Oh, how nice and warm it is in here”, they said. “Heaven bless him who made up the fire, and cooked such a good dinner for us.”

“Oh, betapa hangat dan nyamannya di sini,” kata mereka. “Semoga Tuhan memberkati siapa pun yang menyalakan api ini, dan memasak makan malam selezat ini untuk kami.”

And so each took up his silver spoon and was going to eat. But when each had taken his own, there was one still left lying on the table, and it was so like the rest that they couldn’t tell it from them.

Maka masing-masing mengambil sendok peraknya dan hendak makan. Tetapi setelah masing-masing mengambil sendoknya sendiri, masih ada satu tersisa di atas meja, dan begitu miripnya dengan yang lain sehingga mereka tak bisa membedakannya.

“This is our sister’s spoon”, they said; “and if her spoon be here, she can’t be very far off herself.”

“Ini sendok saudari kita,” kata mereka; “dan jika sendoknya ada di sini, ia pasti tak jauh dari sini.”

“If this be our sister’s spoon, and she be here”, said the eldest, “she shall be killed, for she is to blame for all the ill we suffer.”

“Jika ini sendok saudari kita, dan ia ada di sini,” kata yang tertua, “ia harus dibunuh, sebab dialah yang menyebabkan semua penderitaan yang kita alami.”

And this she lay under the bed and listened to.

Dan hal ini didengar sang Putri sambil berbaring di bawah ranjang.

“No”, said the youngest, “’twere a shame to kill her for that. She has nothing to do with our suffering ill; for if any one’s to blame, it’s our own mother.”

“Tidak,” kata yang termuda, “sungguh memalukan membunuhnya karena itu. Ia tak ada hubungannya dengan penderitaan kita; jika ada yang harus disalahkan, itu adalah ibu kita sendiri.”

So they set to work hunting for her both high and low, and at last they looked under all the beds, and so when they came to the youngest Prince’s bed, they found her, and dragged her out. Then the eldest Prince wished again to have her killed, but she begged and prayed so prettily for herself.

Maka mereka pun mulai mencarinya ke sana kemari, dan akhirnya mereka memeriksa di bawah semua ranjang, dan ketika mereka sampai ke ranjang Pangeran bungsu, mereka menemukannya, dan menariknya keluar. Kemudian Pangeran yang tertua sekali lagi ingin membunuhnya, tetapi ia memohon dan meratap begitu memelas untuk dirinya sendiri.

“Oh! gracious goodness! don’t kill me, for I’ve gone about seeking you these three years, and if I could only set you free, I’d willingly lose my life.”

“Oh! demi kebaikan Tuhan! jangan bunuh aku, sebab aku telah mencarimu selama tiga tahun ini, dan jika saja aku bisa membebaskan kalian, aku rela kehilangan nyawaku.”

“Well!” said they, “if you will set us free, you may keep your life; for you can if you choose.”

“Baiklah!” kata mereka, “jika kau mau membebaskan kami, kau boleh menyimpan nyawamu; sebab kau bisa melakukannya jika kau mau.”

“Yes; only tell me”, said the Princess, “how it can be done, and I’ll do it, whatever it be.”

“Ya; katakan saja padaku,” kata sang Putri, “bagaimana caranya, dan akan kulakukan, apa pun itu.”

“You must pick thistle-down”, said the Princes, “and you must card it, and spin it, and weave it; and after you have done that, you must cut out and make twelve coats, and twelve shirts, and twelve neckerchiefs, one for each of us, and while you do that, you must neither talk, nor laugh, nor weep. If you can do that, we are free.”

“Kau harus memetik kapas rumput onak,” kata para Pangeran, “dan kau harus menyisirnya, dan memintalnya, dan menenunnya; dan setelah kau melakukan itu, kau harus memotong dan membuat dua belas mantel, dan dua belas kemeja, dan dua belas syal leher, satu untuk masing-masing kami, dan selama kau melakukannya, kau tak boleh berbicara, tertawa, ataupun menangis. Jika kau bisa melakukan itu, kami bebas.”

“But where shall I ever get thistle-down enough for so many neckerchiefs, and shirts, and coats?” asked Snow-white and Rosy-red.

“Tetapi di mana aku bisa mendapatkan kapas rumput onak sebanyak itu, untuk begitu banyak syal leher, kemeja, dan mantel?” tanya Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar.

“We’ll soon show you”, said the Princes; and so they took her with them to a great wide moor, where there stood such a crop of thistles, all nodding and nodding in the breeze, and the down all floating and glistening like gossamers through the air in the sunbeams. The Princess had never seen such a quantity of thistledown in her life, and she began to pluck and gather it as fast and as well as she could; and when she got home at night she set to work carding and spinning yarn from the down.

“Akan segera kami tunjukkan,” kata para Pangeran; lalu mereka membawanya ke sebuah padang luas, tempat tumbuh begitu banyak rumput onak, semuanya bergoyang-goyang tertiup angin, dan kapasnya melayang dan berkilau bagai benang sutra laba-laba di udara di bawah sinar matahari. Sang Putri belum pernah melihat kapas rumput onak sebanyak itu seumur hidupnya, dan ia mulai memetik dan mengumpulkannya secepat dan sebaik yang ia mampu; dan ketika ia pulang malam itu, ia mulai menyisir dan memintal benang dari kapas itu.

So she went on a long long time, picking, and carding, and spinning, and all the while keeping the Princes’ house, cooking, and making their beds.

Maka ia terus melakukannya untuk waktu yang sangat lama, memetik, menyisir, dan memintal, sambil terus mengurus rumah para Pangeran, memasak, dan merapikan ranjang-ranjang mereka.

At evening home they came, flapping and whirring like wild ducks, and all night they were Princes, but in the morning off they flew again, and were wild ducks the whole day.

Pada malam hari mereka pulang, berkepak dan berdesir bagai itik liar, dan sepanjang malam mereka menjadi Pangeran, tetapi pada pagi hari mereka terbang lagi, dan menjadi itik liar sepanjang hari.

But now it happened once, when she was out on the moor to pick thistle-down—and if I don’t mistake, it was the very last time she was to go thither—it happened that the young King who ruled that land was out hunting, and came riding across the moor, and saw her. So he stopped there and wondered who the lovely lady could be that walked along the moor picking thistle-down, and he asked her her name, and when he could get no answer, he was still more astonished; and at last he liked her so much, that nothing would do but he must take her home to his castle and marry her.

Namun suatu ketika, saat ia sedang berada di padang untuk memetik kapas rumput onak—dan jika aku tak salah, itulah kali terakhir ia harus pergi ke sana—terjadilah bahwa Raja muda yang memerintah negeri itu sedang berburu, dan berkuda melintasi padang itu, lalu melihatnya. Maka ia berhenti di sana dan bertanya-tanya siapakah gerangan wanita cantik yang berjalan di padang sambil memetik kapas rumput onak itu, dan ia bertanya siapa namanya, dan ketika ia tak mendapat jawaban, ia semakin heran; dan akhirnya ia begitu menyukainya, sehingga tak ada yang bisa menghentikannya selain membawanya pulang ke istananya dan menikahinya.

So he ordered his servants to take her and put her up on his horse. Snow-white and Rosy-red, she wrung her hands, and made signs to them, and pointed to the bags in which her work was, and when the King saw she wished to have them with her, he told his men to take up the bags behind them. When they had done that the Princess came to herself, little by little, for the King was both a wise man and a handsome man too, and he was as soft and kind to her as a doctor.

Maka ia memerintahkan para pelayannya untuk membawanya dan menaikkannya ke atas kudanya. Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar meremas-remas tangannya, dan memberi isyarat kepada mereka, dan menunjuk ke kantong-kantong berisi hasil kerjanya, dan ketika Raja melihat bahwa ia ingin membawa kantong-kantong itu bersamanya, ia menyuruh anak buahnya membawa kantong-kantong itu di belakang mereka. Setelah mereka melakukannya, sang Putri pun berangsur-angsur menjadi tenang, sebab sang Raja adalah orang yang bijaksana dan juga tampan, dan ia begitu lembut dan baik hati kepadanya bagai seorang tabib.

But when they got home to the palace, and the old Queen, who was his stepmother, set eyes on Snow-white and Rosy-red, she got so cross and jealous of her because she was so lovely, that she said to the king:

Namun ketika mereka tiba di istana, dan sang Ratu tua, yang adalah ibu tirinya, melihat Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar, ia menjadi begitu kesal dan iri hati karena wanita itu begitu cantik, sehingga ia berkata kepada sang Raja:

“Can’t you see now, that this thing whom you have picked up, and whom you are going to marry, is a witch. Why? she can’t either talk, or laugh, or weep!”

“Tidakkah kau lihat sekarang, bahwa makhluk yang kau ambil ini, yang hendak kau nikahi, adalah seorang penyihir. Mengapa? sebab ia tak bisa berbicara, tertawa, ataupun menangis!”

But the King didn’t care a pin for what she said, but held on with the wedding, and married Snow-white and Rosy-red and they lived in great joy and glory; but she didn’t forget to go on sewing at her shirts.

Tetapi sang Raja tak peduli sedikit pun dengan perkataannya, dan tetap melangsungkan pernikahan itu, dan menikahi Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar, dan mereka pun hidup dalam sukacita dan kemuliaan besar; tetapi ia tak lupa terus menjahit kemeja-kemejanya.

So when the year was almost out, Snow-white and Rosy-red brought a Prince into the world; and then the old Queen was more spiteful and jealous than ever, and at dead of night, she stole in to Snow-white and Rosy-red, while she slept, and took away her babe, and threw it into a pitful of snakes. After that she cut Snow-white and Rosy-red in her finger, and smeared the blood over her mouth, and went straight to the King.

Maka ketika hampir setahun berlalu, Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar melahirkan seorang Pangeran ke dunia; dan ketika itu sang Ratu tua semakin jahat dan iri hati, dan di tengah malam yang gelap, ia menyelinap masuk kepada Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar saat ia tertidur, dan mengambil bayinya, dan melemparkannya ke dalam lubang berisi ular. Setelah itu ia menyayat jari Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar, dan mengolesi darahnya ke mulut sang Putri, dan pergi langsung menemui Raja.

“Now come and see”, she said, “what sort of a thing you have taken for your Queen; here she has eaten up her own babe.”

“Sekarang datang dan lihatlah,” katanya, “makhluk macam apa yang telah kau ambil sebagai Ratumu; di sini ia telah memakan bayinya sendiri.”

Then the King was so downcast, he almost burst into tears, and said:

Maka sang Raja begitu sedih, ia hampir menangis, dan berkata:

“Yes, it must be true, since I see it with my own eyes; but she’ll not do it again, I’m sure, and so this time I’ll spare her life.”

“Ya, pastilah itu benar, sebab aku melihatnya dengan mataku sendiri; tetapi aku yakin ia tak akan melakukannya lagi, jadi kali ini aku akan mengampuni nyawanya.”

So before the next year was out she had another son, and the same thing happened. The King’s stepmother got more and more jealous and spiteful. She stole into the young Queen at night while she slept, took away the babe, and threw it into a pit full of snakes, cut the young Queen’s finger, and smeared the blood over her mouth, and then went and told the King she had eaten up her own child. Then the King was so sorrowful, you can’t think how sorry he was, and he said:

Maka sebelum tahun berikutnya berlalu, ia melahirkan seorang putra lagi, dan hal yang sama terjadi. Ibu tiri sang Raja semakin iri hati dan jahat. Ia menyelinap masuk kepada Ratu muda itu di malam hari saat ia tertidur, mengambil bayinya, dan melemparkannya ke dalam lubang penuh ular, menyayat jari Ratu muda itu, dan mengolesi darahnya ke mulutnya, lalu pergi dan berkata kepada Raja bahwa ia telah memakan anaknya sendiri. Maka sang Raja begitu berduka, kau tak akan bisa membayangkan betapa sedihnya ia, dan ia berkata:

“Yes, it must be true, since I see it with my own eyes; but she’ll not do it again, I’m sure, and so this time too I’ll spare her life.”

“Ya, pastilah itu benar, sebab aku melihatnya dengan mataku sendiri; tetapi aku yakin ia tak akan melakukannya lagi, jadi kali ini pun aku akan mengampuni nyawanya.”

Well, before the next year was out, Snow-white and Rosy-red brought a daughter into the world, and her, too, the old Queen took and threw into the pit full of snakes, while the young Queen slept. Then she cut her finger, smeared the blood over her mouth, and went again to the King and said,

Nah, sebelum tahun berikutnya berlalu, Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar melahirkan seorang putri ke dunia, dan dialah juga yang diambil sang Ratu tua dan dilemparkan ke dalam lubang penuh ular, saat sang Ratu muda tertidur. Kemudian ia menyayat jarinya, mengolesi darahnya ke mulutnya, dan pergi lagi menemui Raja seraya berkata,

“Now you may come and see if it isn’t as I say; she’s a wicked, wicked witch, for here she has gone and eaten up her third babe, too.”

“Sekarang kau boleh datang dan lihat apakah benar apa yang kukatakan; ia penyihir jahat, sungguh jahat, sebab kini ia telah memakan bayinya yang ketiga juga.”

Then the King was so sad, there was no end to it, for now he couldn’t spare her any longer, but had to order her to be burnt alive on a pile of wood. But just when the pile was all a-blaze, and they were going to put her on it, she made signs to them to take twelve boards and lay them round the pile, and on these she laid the neckerchiefs, and the shirts, and the coats for her brothers, but the youngest brother’s shirt wanted its left arm, for she hadn’t had time to finish it.

Maka sang Raja begitu sedih, tak ada habisnya kesedihan itu, sebab kini ia tak dapat lagi mengampuninya, dan harus memerintahkan agar ia dibakar hidup-hidup di atas tumpukan kayu. Namun tepat ketika tumpukan kayu itu sudah menyala berkobar, dan mereka hendak menaikkannya ke atasnya, ia memberi isyarat kepada mereka untuk mengambil dua belas papan dan menyusunnya mengelilingi tumpukan kayu itu, dan di atas papan-papan itu ia meletakkan syal-syal leher, kemeja-kemeja, dan mantel-mantel untuk saudara-saudaranya, tetapi kemeja saudara bungsunya masih kurang lengan kirinya, sebab ia belum sempat menyelesaikannya.

And as soon as ever she had done that, they heard such a flapping and whirring in the air, and down came twelve wild ducks flying over the forest, and each of them snapped up his clothes in his bill and flew off with them.

Dan begitu ia selesai melakukan itu, mereka mendengar suara kepak-kepak dan desiran di udara, dan turunlah dua belas itik liar terbang melintasi hutan, dan masing-masing menyambar pakaiannya dengan paruhnya lalu terbang pergi membawanya.

“See now!” said the old Queen to the King, “wasn’t I right when I told you she was a witch, but make haste and burn her before the pile burns low.”

“Lihat sekarang!” kata sang Ratu tua kepada Raja, “bukankah aku benar ketika kukatakan padamu bahwa ia penyihir, tetapi cepatlah bakar dia sebelum tumpukan kayu itu padam.”

“Oh!” said the King, “we’ve wood enough and to spare, and so I’ll wait a bit, for I have a mind to see what the end of all this will be.”

“Oh!” kata sang Raja, “kita masih punya cukup banyak kayu, jadi aku akan menunggu sebentar, sebab aku ingin melihat bagaimana akhir dari semua ini.”

As he spoke, up came the twelve princes riding along, as handsome well-grown lads as you’d wish to see; but the youngest prince had a wild duck’s wing instead of his left arm.

Saat ia berkata demikian, datanglah kedua belas pangeran berkuda mendekat, para pemuda tampan dan gagah seperti yang ingin kau lihat; tetapi pangeran bungsu memiliki sayap itik liar sebagai pengganti lengan kirinya.

“What’s all this about?” asked the Princes.

“Ada apa ini semua?” tanya para Pangeran.

“My Queen is to be burnt,” said the King, “because she’s a witch, and because she has eaten up her own babes.”

“Ratuku akan dibakar,” kata Raja, “sebab ia seorang penyihir, dan sebab ia telah memakan bayi-bayinya sendiri.”

“She hasn’t eaten them at all”, said the Princes. “Speak now, sister; you have set us free and saved us, now save yourself.”

“Ia sama sekali tidak memakan mereka,” kata para Pangeran. “Bicaralah sekarang, Saudari; kau telah membebaskan kami dan menyelamatkan kami, sekarang selamatkanlah dirimu sendiri.”

Then Snow-white and Rosy-red spoke, and told the whole story; how every time she was brought to bed, the old Queen, the King’s stepmother, had stolen into her at night, had taken her babes away, and cut her little finger, and smeared the blood over her mouth; and then the Princes took the King, and shewed him the snake-pit where three babes lay playing with adders and toads, and lovelier children you never saw.

Maka Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar pun berbicara, dan menceritakan seluruh kisahnya; bagaimana setiap kali ia melahirkan, sang Ratu tua, ibu tiri Raja, telah menyelinap masuk kepadanya di malam hari, mengambil bayi-bayinya, dan menyayat jari kelingkingnya, dan mengolesi darahnya ke mulutnya; kemudian para Pangeran membawa Raja, dan menunjukkan kepadanya lubang ular tempat ketiga bayi itu bermain-main bersama ular berbisa dan kodok, dan anak-anak yang lebih indah tak pernah kau lihat.

So the King had them taken out at once, and went to his stepmother, and asked her what punishment she thought that woman deserved who could find it in her heart to betray a guiltless Queen and three such blessed little babes.

Maka sang Raja segera menyuruh mereka dikeluarkan, dan pergi menemui ibu tirinya, dan bertanya kepadanya hukuman apa yang menurutnya pantas diterima oleh wanita yang tega mengkhianati seorang Ratu yang tak bersalah dan tiga bayi yang begitu diberkati.

“She deserves to be fast bound between twelve unbroken steeds, so that each may take his share of her”, said the old Queen.

“Ia pantas diikat erat di antara dua belas kuda jantan yang belum pernah dijinakkan, sehingga masing-masing mendapat bagiannya dari tubuhnya,” kata sang Ratu tua.

“You have spoken your own doom”, said the King, “and you shall suffer it at once.”

“Kau telah mengucapkan hukumanmu sendiri,” kata sang Raja, “dan kau akan menerimanya sekarang juga.”

So the wicked old Queen was fast bound between twelve unbroken steeds, and each got his share of her. But the King took Snow-white and Rosy-red, and their three children, and the twelve Princes; and so they all went home to their father and mother, and told all that had befallen them, and there was joy and gladness over the whole kingdom, because the Princess was saved and set free, and because she had set free her twelve brothers.

Maka sang Ratu tua yang jahat itu diikat erat di antara dua belas kuda jantan yang belum pernah dijinakkan, dan masing-masing mendapat bagiannya. Tetapi sang Raja membawa Putih Salju dan Merah Mawar, dan ketiga anak mereka, dan kedua belas Pangeran; dan mereka semua pulang ke rumah ayah dan ibu mereka, dan menceritakan semua yang telah menimpa mereka, dan ada sukacita dan kegembiraan di seluruh kerajaan, sebab sang Putri telah diselamatkan dan dibebaskan, dan sebab ia telah membebaskan kedua belas saudaranya.