Kisah Benjamin Bunny

Pada suatu pagi, seekor kelinci kecil duduk di sebuah tanggul.

One morning a little rabbit sat on a bank.

Ia menegakkan telinganya dan mendengarkan bunyi tap-tap, tap-tap langkah seekor kuda poni.

He pricked his ears and listened to the trit-trot, trit-trot of a pony.

Sebuah kereta kuda roda dua sedang melintas di jalan; kereta itu dikemudikan oleh Pak McGregor, dan di sampingnya duduk Bu McGregor dengan topi wanita terbaiknya.

A gig was coming along the road; it was driven by Mr. McGregor, and beside him sat Mrs. McGregor in her best bonnet.

Segera setelah mereka lewat, Benjamin Bunny kecil meluncur turun ke jalan, lalu berangkat—dengan melompat-lompat riang—untuk mengunjungi kerabatnya, yang tinggal di hutan di belakang kebun Pak McGregor.

As soon as they had passed, little Benjamin Bunny slid down into the road, and set off—with a hop, skip, and a jump—to call upon his relations, who lived in the wood at the back of Mr. McGregor’s garden.

Hutan itu penuh dengan liang kelinci; dan di liang yang paling rapi dan paling berpasir dari semuanya, hiduplah bibi Benjamin dan sepupu-sepupunya—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, dan Peter.

That wood was full of rabbit holes; and in the neatest, sandiest hole of all lived Benjamin’s aunt and his cousins—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.

Bu Rabbit tua adalah seorang janda; ia mencari nafkah dengan merajut sarung tangan wol kelinci dan penghangat pergelangan tangan (aku pernah membeli sepasang di sebuah bazar). Ia juga menjual tanaman obat, teh rosemary, dan tembakau kelinci (yang biasa kita sebut lavendel).

Old Mrs. Rabbit was a widow; she earned her living by knitting rabbit-wool mittens and muffatees (I once bought a pair at a bazaar). She also sold herbs, and rosemary tea, and rabbit-tobacco (which is what we call lavender).

Benjamin kecil tidak begitu ingin menemui Bibinya.

Little Benjamin did not very much want to see his Aunt.

Ia memutari bagian belakang pohon cemara, dan hampir saja menabrak bagian atas tubuh Sepupunya Peter.

He came round the back of the fir-tree, and nearly tumbled upon the top of his Cousin Peter.

Peter sedang duduk sendirian. Ia tampak tidak sehat, dan mengenakan saputangan saku katun berwarna merah.

Peter was sitting by himself. He looked poorly, and was dressed in a red cotton pocket-handkerchief.

“Peter,” bisik Benjamin kecil, “siapa yang mengambil pakaianmu?”

“Peter,” said little Benjamin, in a whisper, “who has got your clothes?”

Peter menjawab, “Orang-orangan sawah di kebun Pak McGregor,” lalu menceritakan bagaimana ia dikejar-kejar di kebun, dan kehilangan sepatu serta mantelnya.

Peter replied, “The scarecrow in Mr. McGregor’s garden,” and described how he had been chased about the garden, and had dropped his shoes and coat.

Benjamin kecil duduk di samping sepupunya dan meyakinkannya bahwa Pak McGregor telah pergi dengan kereta kuda, begitu juga Bu McGregor; dan pastinya untuk seharian, karena Bu McGregor mengenakan topi wanita terbaiknya.

Little Benjamin sat down beside his cousin and assured him that Mr. McGregor had gone out in a gig, and Mrs. McGregor also; and certainly for the day, because she was wearing her best bonnet.

Peter berkata bahwa ia berharap hari akan hujan.

Peter said he hoped that it would rain.

Pada saat itu suara Bu Rabbit tua terdengar dari dalam liang kelinci, memanggil: “Cotton-tail! Cotton-tail! Ambilkan lagi bunga kamomil!”

At this point old Mrs. Rabbit’s voice was heard inside the rabbit hole, calling: “Cotton-tail! Cotton-tail! fetch some more camomile!”