Kisah Nutkin si Tupai

Ini adalah sebuah kisah tentang seekor ekor—ekor milik seekor tupai merah kecil, dan namanya adalah Nutkin.

This is a Tale about a tail—a tail that belonged to a little red squirrel, and his name was Nutkin.

Ia memiliki seorang saudara bernama Twinkleberry, dan sangat banyak sepupu: mereka tinggal di hutan di tepi sebuah danau.

He had a brother called Twinkleberry, and a great many cousins: they lived in a wood at the edge of a lake.

Di tengah danau ada sebuah pulau yang ditumbuhi pohon-pohon dan semak-semak kacang; dan di antara pohon-pohon itu berdiri sebuah pohon ek berlubang, yang merupakan rumah bagi seekor burung hantu bernama Old Brown.

In the middle of the lake there is an island covered with trees and nut bushes; and amongst those trees stands a hollow oak-tree, which is the house of an owl who is called Old Brown.

Pada suatu musim gugur ketika kacang-kacang sudah matang, dan daun-daun di semak hazel berwarna keemasan dan hijau—Nutkin dan Twinkleberry serta semua tupai kecil lainnya keluar dari hutan, lalu turun ke tepi danau.

One autumn when the nuts were ripe, and the leaves on the hazel bushes were golden and green—Nutkin and Twinkleberry and all the other little squirrels came out of the wood, and down to the edge of the lake.

Mereka membuat rakit-rakit kecil dari ranting, dan mereka mendayung melintasi air menuju Pulau Burung Hantu untuk mengumpulkan kacang.

They made little rafts out of twigs, and they paddled away over the water to Owl Island to gather nuts.

Setiap tupai membawa sebuah karung kecil dan sebuah dayung besar, lalu membentangkan ekornya sebagai layar.

Each squirrel had a little sack and a large oar, and spread out his tail for a sail.

Mereka juga membawa persembahan berupa tiga ekor tikus gemuk sebagai hadiah untuk Old Brown, dan meletakkannya di depan ambang pintunya.

They also took with them an offering of three fat mice as a present for Old Brown, and put them down upon his door-step.

Kemudian Twinkleberry dan tupai-tupai kecil lainnya masing-masing membungkuk rendah, lalu berkata dengan sopan—

Then Twinkleberry and the other little squirrels each made a low bow, and said politely—

“Tuan Brown, maukah Anda berbaik hati memberi kami izin untuk mengumpulkan kacang di pulau Anda?”

“Old Mr. Brown, will you favour us with permission to gather nuts upon your island?”

Tetapi Nutkin bersikap sangat tidak sopan. Ia melompat-lompat naik turun seperti buah ceri merah kecil, sambil bernyanyi—

But Nutkin was excessively impertinent in his manners. He bobbed up and down like a little red cherry, singing—

“Tebaklah teka-tekiku, rot-tot-tote! Seorang pria mungil, berbaju merah mencolok! Sebatang tongkat di tangannya, dan sebutir batu di tenggorokannya; Jika Anda bisa menebak teka-teki ini, aku akan memberi Anda sekeping uang groat.”

“Riddle me, riddle me, rot-tot-tote! A little wee man, in a red red coat! A staff in his hand, and a stone in his throat; If you’ll tell me this riddle, I’ll give you a groat.”

Teka-teki ini sudah sangat tua; Tuan Brown sama sekali tidak menghiraukan Nutkin.

Now this riddle is as old as the hills; Mr. Brown paid no attention whatever to Nutkin.

Ia memejamkan matanya rapat-rapat dan tidur.

He shut his eyes obstinately and went to sleep.

Tupai-tupai itu mengisi karung-karung kecil mereka dengan kacang, lalu berlayar pulang pada malam hari.

The squirrels filled their little sacks with nuts, and sailed away home in the evening.