Puisi Cinta: Perahu Mana yah?

Ketika pulau yang dituju sudah jelas
Ketika jalur yang harus ditempuh sepakat
Ketika perbekalan yang dibawa sama
Ketika dayung yang tersedia sama wanginya
Ketika layar yang tergelar sama bersihnya
Ketika tawa dan canda sama bunyinya

Mengapa masih pusing memilih perahu yah?

Kisah Rapunzel: Si Putri Tangguh Grimm Bersaudara

Barisan tomat merah merona,
bunga-bunga brokoli menarik hati,

rumpun daun sawi hijau bersemi,

semua ada di kebun kita.

Mengapa Dinda inginkan

selada rapunzel kebun tetangga?

^_^

Suatu ketika sepasang suami istri yang masih muda belia duduk di jendela loteng rumah yang baru beberapa hari dibelinya. Mereka baru pindah ke Kotaraja untuk sekolah di universitas terbaik di negerinya. Saat si istri yang berusia tujuh belas tahun melihat dari jendela, baru disadari bahwa di seberang rumah terdapat kebun sayuran sejenis selada unik yang biasa disebut rapunzel.

Karena istrinya yang tengah hamil terus mendesak menginginkan sayuran tersebut, maka Sang Suami yang setahun lebih tua dari istrinya itu mencoba mencari tahu pemilik kebun di seberang rumah. Hampir satu minggu dia mencari-cari informasi, tetapi tak seorang-pun tahu pemiliknya. Maka dengan terpaksa Sang Suami memanjat pagar dan memetik seikat rapunzel untuk istrinya.

Pagi itu Sang Suami kembali memanjat pagar dan bermaksud memetik rapunzel, demi istri yang dinikahi tiga bulan silam menjelang mereka lulus sekolah menengah.

Saat itulah si pemilik kebun, yaitu seorang nenek yang masih terlihat cantik dengan  tubuh tinggi semampai memergokinya. Nenek bernama Gothel itu marah-marah sambil menodongkan pistolnya ke arah Sang Suami yang ketakutan. Ada delapan pengawal bertampang seram berkacak pinggang di belakang nenek Gothel.

Nenek berpakaian sutera merah berhias manik-manik permata yang berkilauan itu dengan tegas menolak tatkala Sang Suami menawarkan semua uang yang akan dipergunakan masuk universitas sebagai pengganti rapunzel yang telah diambilnya. Dia tidak butuh uang. Bahkan Si Suami diinterogasi dengan terperinci oleh Si Nenek Gothel, mulai dari usia, golongan darah, penyakit-penyakit yang pernah diderita oleh dirinya dan istrinya.

Nenek Gothel juga banyak bertanya tentang riwayat kesehatan istrinya yang hamil anak pertama. Pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang membuat bingung Si Suami. Apa hubungan dengan rapunzel yang dicurinya?.

Setelah interogasi selesai, tiba-tiba Nenek Gothel menuntut Sang Suami untuk memberikan bayi yang dikandung istrinya saat lahir tiga bulan nanti, sebagai pengganti rapunzel yang dicurinya. Saking takutnya pada todongan pistol, dan para pengawal bertampang bengis, Sang Suami mengiyakan permintaan Sang Nenek. SI Nenek tertawa lebar memamerkan deretan giginya yang rapi bak deretan mutiara kala mendengar jawaban si Suami.

Maka tatkala anak yang dikandung istrinya lahir, Sang suami tak mampu  melawan saat Nenek  Gothel tiba-tiba datang dan merenggutnya, lalu membawanya kabur bersama para pengawalnya. Tatkala Si Suami lapor polisi, ternyata kebun selada rapunzel  di seberang rumahnya telah dijual dan pemiliknya raib entah kemana.

Jadilah pasangan keluarga muda itu bersedih hati karena kehilangan anaknya. Menyesallah mereka akan dampak yang diterima akibat mengambil sesuatu yang bukan miliknya.

^_^

Duhai sepi yang menemani,

dengarlah jeritan dalam hati,

merindukan teman berbagi,

Rapunzel disini mengasihani diri

menatap dunia luar dengan iri.

Apalah dayaku bebaskan diri,

hanya berharap pertolongan,

yang tak kunjung menghampiri

Jauh di negeri seberang si anak yang diculik ternyata dibawa ke sebuah kota terpencil di pegunungan dan dipelihara oleh Nenek itu hingga dewasa. Sayangnya Si Nenek tidak memeliharanya di rumah seperti halnya anak lain, tetapi dipelihara di laboratorium khusus di samping rumahnya yang terletak di luar kota.

Nenek Gothel menyuntikkan sel-sel tubuhnya ke dalam tubuh si anak dari semenjak bayi dengan harapan tubuh si anak akan menyesuaikan diri dengan tubuhnya.

Dia juga beberapa kali mencangkokkan jaringan tubuhnya ke tubuh si bayi dengan harapan tubuh si bayi akan mengadaptasi sifat-sifat jaringan tubuh si nenek. Dia juga mengambil sedikit jaringan tubuh si anak untuk dicangkokkan di tubuhnya dengan harapan sistem pertahanan tubuhnya akan terbiasa dengan jaringan tubuh si anak dan membiarkan jaringan tubuh si bayi hidup di dalam tubuhnya.

Si Nenek juga telah mempelajari dengan seksama tubuh si anak dan mendapati sifat-sifat fisik tubuhnya punya banyak kemiripan dengan tubuh si anak.

Diam-diam dia mempersiapkan si anak sebagai cadangan organ tubuh bagi dirinya bila sewaktu-waktu dia ingin meremajakan organ tubuhnya yang sakit. Dia berusaha keras membuat terjadinya penyesuaian tubuhnya dengan tubuh si anak agar kelak bila organ tubuh si anak dicangkokkan ke dalam tubuhnya, tidak terjadi respon negatif dari tubuhnya karena menganggap organ tubuh si anak sebagai benda asing yang harus dihancurkan. Bila itu terjadi, gagallah proses cangkok organ dalam tubuhnya.

^_^

Bukan wajahmu yang mempesona,
bukan pula tubuhmu yang menawan hati,
tapi tingkah lakumu yang terjaga,
tutur katamu yang penuh simpati,
tumbuhkan rasa sayang dalam hati

Tak terasa enam belas tahun berlalu. Si bayi yang diberi nama Rapunzel telah menjelma menjadi wanita dewasa berambut panjang keemasan, rambutnya begitu panjang karena tak sekalipun penah dipotong sedari bayi. 

Wajah Rapunzel biasa-biasa saja, namun jangan tanya kepribadiannya. Pribadi Rapunzel amat sangat mempesona. Pembawaannya riang dan penuh perhatian. Lincah dan cekatan menyelesaikan pekerjaan. Tutur katanya penuh simpati. Gerak gaya budayanya dijaga. Tidak pernah mengeluh. Ringan tangan membantu pekerjaan Si Nenek, serta perhatian yang senantiasa tercurah pada Si Nenek telah membuat Gothel yang jahat-pun jatuh hati.

Sayangnya gadis itu seringkali bersedih karena selalu dikurung di laboratorium pribadi milik nenek itu. Tak ada yang tahu ada seorang gadis menawan hati tinggal di dalam laboratorium. Tak seorangpun dibiarkan masuk laboratorium yang dilengkapi password yang hanya bisa dibuka dengan sidik jari telapak tangan nenek.

Jika Nenek Gothel datang biasanya dia berteriak memanggil Rapunzel agar mendekat ke pintu karena pintu hanya bisa dibuka bila telapak tangan Nenek menempel di bagian luar pintu dan rambut panjang Rapunzel menempel pada sensor di bagian dalam pintu. Pengamanan aneh seperti itu sengaja dirancang Si Nenek agar tak seorangpun bisa masuk ke laboratorium meskipun suatu ketika ada orang yang berhasil mencopy dan membuat tiruan sidik jari si Nenek.

Nenek Gothel biasanya datang ke tempat Rapunzel untuk mengantarkan makanan atau pada saat tubuhnya yang terasa letih ingin dipijat oleh Rapunzel. Satu dua kali dia meminta Rapunzel membantunya mendandani wajahnya yang cantik. 

Kadangkala dia datang untuk menumpahkan caci makinya pada orang lain yang telah membuatnya marah, biasanya Rapunzel mendengarkan dengan penuh perhatian sambil menghibur Si Nenek. Keelokan pribadi Rapunzel tersebut-lah yang telah membuat Si Nenek berulangkali menunda keinginannya untuk mengambil organ tubuh Rapunzel.

^_^

Bukan Pangeran bukan Ksatria
yang dapat menolong Rapunzel
Hanya dengan kepercayaan diri
Hanya dengan keberanian
Kebebasan datang menjelang
 
Namun akhirnya Nenek Gothel berhasil menekan rasa sayangnya dan merasa bahwa dirinya sudah saatnya melakukan transfer organ pertama Rapunzel kepada dirinya. Walaupun demikian, keelokan budi Rapunzel telah membuat Nenek Gothel merasa sayang untuk membunuh Rapunzel. Karenanya dia tidak bermaksud mengambil organ tubuh yang sekiranya akan berakibat fatal pada Rapunzel.

Untuk saat ini Nenek Gothel ingin mengambil ginjal sebelah kiri Rapunzel. Kebetulan ginjal nenek sebelah kiri pernah terkena infeksi menahun hingga kurang berfungsi dengan baik lagi. Sementara kedua ginjal Rapunzel berfungsi sangat baik.

Untuk keperluan pencangkokkan itu dia menghubungi temannya, seorang dokter bedah di kota itu untuk mensurvei dirinya dan Rapunzel. Malangnya Si Nenek lupa tidak mengatakan bahwa pemeriksaan ini bersifat rahasia. Maka si dokter bedah yang tengah pergi keluar kota, mengutus seorang murid paling cerdas yang sangat dipercayainya untuk datang ke rumah nenek. Karena kebetulan hujan lebat dan angin bertiup kencang, si laki-laki muda berusia tujuh belas tahun yang bernama Pangeran tersebut memakai jubah dan tutup kepala pelindung hujan.

Si Nenek yang tidak menyadari bahwa yang datang bukan sahabatnya mempersilahkan masuk ke laboratorium. Kebetulan potongan tubuh Pangeran yang tinggi ceking dengan wajah lonjong, hidung bulat kecil, bibir tebal kehitaman dan berkulit gelap, sangat mirip dengan sobat dokternya.

Dengan terheran-heran Pangeran melihat bagaimana Nenek Gothel membuka pintu laboratorium dengan menempelkan telapak tangannya. Dia jauh lebih heran lagi melihat seorang perempuan muda terkurung di dalam laboratorium. Siapakah gerangan perempuan yang akan diperiksanya ini?.

Singkat cerita Nenek Gothel membiarkan tamunya memeriksa Rapunzel dan kemudian tatkala si tamu hendak memeriksa dirinya, tahulah dia bahwa tamu tersebut bukan sahabatnya. Si Nenek terpaksa pura-pura tidak terkejut dengan kejadian itu dan membiarkan lelaki tujuh belas tahun itu memeriksa dirinya. Nenek Gothel merasa perlu menghargai laki-laki ini, karena dia tidak ingin menyakiti hati sahabatnya yang telah mengutusnya.

Tentu saja hasil pemeriksaan menunjukkan bahwa tubuh kedua orang itu baik-baik saja. Hasil pemeriksaan sampel darah, urin dan sebagainya yang akan diberitahukan beberapa hari kemudian nampaknya hasilnya juga bagus.

Si Pangeran hatinya bertanya-tanya ingin tahu siapa perempuan sederhana tetapi memiliki tutur kata dan tingkah laku sangat mempesona yang baru saja selesai diperiksanya. Selaku seorang laki-laki dewasa yang terlatih berpikir cepat, Pangeran memanfaatkan otaknya untuk mencari cara melakukan penyelidikan lanjutan. Diam-diam sewaktu memeriksa Si Nenek dia membuat scan telapak tangan si nenek dengan dalih pemeriksaan. Hasil scan tersebut akan dibuat tiruan sidik jari di bengkel milik universitas.

Maka tatkala ditugaskan gurunya untuk menyerahkan hasil uji sampel darah, Pangeran sengaja mengendap-endap menuju laboratorium untuk mengetahui lebih jauh tentang diri Rapunzel. Diserunya Rapunzel untuk menempelkan rambutnya agar pintu dapat terbuka. Kagetnya baru saja pintu berhasil dibuka, yang ada di dalam laboratorium adalah Si Nenek yang telah curiga Si Pangeran akan datang kembali menemui Rapunzel.

Wajah Nenek Gothel yang putih bersih semburat kemerahan -- menggambarkan amarah yang meluap-luap kala tangannya melemparkan rambut Rapunzel yang telah dipotongnya ke wajah Pangeran sambil meneriakkan caci maki. Rupanya si nenek bersembunyi di dalam laboratorium menggantikan Rapunzel yang telah diikat di menara air di samping laboratorium. Kemudian Si Nenek tanpa basa-basi menembak kepala Pangeran hingga tubuh kurus kering itu terhuyung-huyung terdorong keluar dari laboratorium.

Malangnya Nenek Gothel lupa bahwa bila terdengar suara ledakan maka pintu laboratorium akan otomatis menutup untuk mengamankan isinya. Jadilah Si Nenek terjebak di dalam laboratorium karena rambut Rapunzel yang dibutuhkan untuk membuka pintu telah dilemparkannya keluar laboratorium.


Dia menangis melolong-lolong sambil menggedor-gedor pintu laboratorium. Hatinya merana sedih sekali. Bukan karena gagal mendapatkan ginjal Rapunzel, tetapi lebih karena Nenek Gothel takut sekali kehilangan seseorang yang selama ini sangat mengagumi dan memperhatikan dirinya. Diam-diam lubuk hati terdalam Nenek Gothel merindukan kedekatan dengan Rapunzel. Rasa sayang telah mekar di hatinya. Rasanya dia tidak sanggup membayangkan hidup terpisah dari Rapunzel.


Sebenarnya alasan dia mengurung Rapunzel di dalam laboratorium telah berubah sejak beberapa tahun lalu. Bukan lagi karena tak ingin kehilangan calon donor organ tubuh, tetapi karena takut kehilangan seorang teman dengan pribadi sangat mempesona.

Sementara Rapunzel yang diikat di dalam menara air berusaha keras membebaskan diri tatkala mendengar suara ledakan pistol. Setelah berusaha dengan keras akhirnya dia berhasil mengigit putus tali yang mengikatnya. Untunglah Si Nenek tidak tega untuk mengikat Rapunzel dengan rantai, sehingga dia hanya mengikatnya dengan tali rami.


Diam-diam Rapunzel telah terbangkitkan kesadaran untuk bebas sebagaimana manusia dewasa lainnya setelah mendengar cerita-cerita menarik dari Sang Pangeran saat memeriksanya beberapa hari yang lalu. Rapunzel sangat tertarik dengan dunia luar penuh warna yang diceritakan Si Pangeran yang cerdas itu. Berbekal tekad itulah, maka dengan penuh semangat dikaitkan rambutnya pada jendela menara itu, lalu dirinya turun ke bawah dengan berpegangan pada rambutnya .

Tatkala dilihatnya Pangeran tergeletak berlumuran darah, cepat-cepat dibalutnya luka Pangeran dengan sobekan bajunya dan diikatnya dengan potongan rambutnya. Kemudian Rapunzel menggendong Pangeran untuk mencari pertolongan. Untunglah kesehatan tubuh Rapunzel sangat diperhatikan oleh Nenek Gothel, sehingga tubuh Rapunzel cukup kuat untuk berlari sambil memondong tubuh Pangeran yang kebetulan bertubuh kurus kering itu.

Rapunzel sadar bahwa dirinya harus berlari sekencang mungkin agar Pangeran dapat secepatnya mendapatkan pertolongan. Hampir dua puluh kilometer Rapunzel berlari naik turun bukit berbatu sambil menggendong Pangeran di punggungnya sampai sandal yang dikenakannya putus dan dirinya berlari dengan kaki telanjang -- saat Rapunzel berhasil menemui tetangga terdekatnya. Tetangga itu dengan senang hati mengantarkan mereka berdua ke rumah sakit.

^_^

Hanya setelah percaya diri dibangkitkan
Rapunzel mampu atasi kesulitan
Pangeran hanya menunjukkan peluang
Selebihnya Rapunzel yang berjuang

Rapunzel dengan sabar menemani Sang Pangeran yang tregeletak pingsan di rumah sakit. Dia juga menyumbangkan darahnya tatkala dokter mengatakan Pangeran butuh transfusi darah. Dalam keadaan kritis tersebut, kebetulan ada sepasang dokter spesialis bedah kepala kenamaan dari negeri jauh sedang berlibur ke kota kecil itu.

Sepasang dokter itu dengan senang hati membantu mengeluarkan peluru dari kepala Pangeran. Sepasang dokter itu juga menjahit luka-luka menganga di sekujur kaki Rapunzel yang tidak dirasakannya selama berlari sambil menggendong Pangeran yang terluka.

Setelah siuman Si Pangeran menceritakan tentang penyelidikannya, kemudian Rapunzel juga menceritakan kisah hidupnya yang dihabiskan di dalam laboratorium. Suami istri dokter bedah itu teringat peristiwa hilangnya anak mereka enam belas tahun lalu. Maka disadarinya bahwa gadis dengan tingkah laku dan tutur kata menarik hati di hadapan mereka adalah anak yang selama ini hilang. Akhirnya mereka bisa menemukan anaknya setelah si anak dewasa.

Diam-diam Si Ibu sangat bangga pada Rapunzel, walaupun tidak secantik dirinya tapi kepribadian anak itu nampak jauh lebih tangguh dan jauh lebih mempesona dibanding kepribadian dirinya waktu seusia anak itu.

Kemudian suami istri tersebut menceritakan kisah kehilangan anak yang membuat mereka bertekad menjadi ahli kedokteran sehingga bisa menguak rahasia dibalik pertanyaan-pertanyaan si Nenek sebelum mencuri anak mereka. Setiap tahun mereka berdua sengaja datang ke kota-kota jauh dimana dicurigai terjadi transfer organ secara gelap untuk mencegahnya, sembari mencari kabar anak mereka hidup atau mati, karena dugaan suami istri ini si anak diculik oleh pencuri organ tubuh manusia.

Mereka bertiga bertangis-tangisan mensyukuri takdir Tuhan yang mempertemukan mereka saat ini. Singkat cerita Nenek Gothel ditangkap dan dipenjarakan karena kejahatannya, demikian juga dokter sahabatnya yang ternyata banyak melakukan praktek tranfer organ secara gelap di kota kecil itu.

Sementara Rapunzel dan Pangeran yang telah saling jatuh cinta memutuskan untuk menikah, mengikuti jejak kedua orang tua Rapunzel yang menikah sesaat sebelum masuk Universitas. Beberapa tahun kemudian nampak Pangeran yang menggendong anak sedang berjalan beriringan dengan Rapunzel yang mendorong kereta bayi sambil bercanda di taman universitas di Kotaraja tempat Sang Pangeran melanjutkan sekolah sambil bekerja.


Sementara Rapunzel memutuskan berkarir sebagai penulis cerita anak-anak di sela-sela kesibukannya mengasuh kedua anaknya. Masa depan penuh harapan nampaknya telah menanti pasangan remaja belasan tahun tersebut (Undil -2010).

Cerita terinspirasi kisah Rapunzel karya Grimm Bersaudara
Vic Parker, 2009, 100 Cerita Klasik, BIP Gramedia, Jakarta

tags: cerita anak, cerita pendek, cerpen, cerita dunia, rapunzel si rambut emas, rapunzel yang gigih.

Dongeng Sang Kancil dan Cicak Badung

Suatu ketika Kancil sedang bercengkrama dengan kawanan semut. Dia meloncat-loncat di sepanjang parit kecil yang dialiri air yang jernih, sementara para semut berlari-lari di pinggir parit sambil menari dan menyanyi. Sebagian semut yang lain berlayar dengan perahu daun-daunan di belakang Sang Kancil.

Ketika para semut melihat segerombol buah apel merah menjulur ke sungai, mereka berteriak-teriak pada Sang Kancil untuk memetiknya.

Maka Sang Kancil dengan gesit melompat dan menyundul apel-apel itu hingga jatuh ke parit, lalu mendorongnya dengan kaki ke tepian. Tak berapa lama kemudian para semut merubungi apel-apel tersebut dan mulai memotongnya menjadi potongan kecil-kecil. Sebagian dipanggul, sebagian lagi diangkut ke atas perahu daun. Begitulah acara bermain dihentikan sejenak setelah mereka menemukan tempat yang nyaman untuk beristirahat sambil menikmati apel.

Namun saat para semut sedang berpesta apel, tiba-tiba muncul binatang melata yang merayap cepat dan Happp!!! menangkap potongan apel yang paling besar dengan lidahnya lalu cepat-cepat kabur.

“Waaahhh ada pencuri! Pencuri! Pencuri!” teriak para semut dengan kagetnya

Kancil yang sedang enak-enak berjemur mengeringkan tubuhnya sambil menikmati manisnya buah apel jadi kaget. Kemudian setelah tahu apa yang telah terjadi maklumlah dia. Rupanya ada cicak badung yang berulah menyerobot potongan apel yang di bawa para semut.

Setelah berpikir sejenak, Si Kancil yang sangat bijaksana ini membisikkan suatu rencana pada para semut. Sontak setelah mendengar kata-kata yang dibisikkan, para semut serentak tertawa terpingkal-pingkal.

Sang Kancil melompat ke semak-semak dan sebentar kemudian kembali dengan membawa segenggam buah kecil berwarna merah. Para semut membawa potongan buah merah itu sambil sebentar-sebentar berhenti karena tak kuat menahan tawa. Rupanya para semut menganggap rencana mereka benar-benar sangat lucu.

Pesta dimulai lagi, para semut kembali makan apel yang telah dipotong kecil-kecil. Buah merah pemberian Sang Kancil sengaja diletakkan di pinggir dan tidak dijaga oleh para semut. Mereka tertawa-tertiwi, bergandengan tangan, menari-nari sambil sebentar-sebentar melirik ke tumpukan buah merah. Ada juga yang menyanyi dengan syair lagu yang lucu-lucu.

Buah merah,
Buah merah
Enak sekali
Jangan lupa kawan
yang paling manis
taruh di pinggir
buat dimakan nanti
Tralala trilili
^_^

Disaat para semut sedang berpesta, tiba-tiba Cicak kembali datang dan langsung menangkap buah-buah merah yang diletakkan di pinggir lalu kabur. Anehnya bukannya marah, tapi para semut malahan tertawa terpingkal-pingkal melihat Cicak membawa lari buah-buah itu. Terdengar suara tawa para semut riuh rendah mentertawakan Cicak yang lari sambil menggondol buah merah.

Cicak yang tengah berlari itu jadi bertanya-tanya mengapa para semut tertawa terbahak-bahak melihat dia mencuri buah merah. Kemudian dicicipinya buah merah itu, mmm rasanya manis dan enak. Tak terasa beberapa saat kemudian dia sudah tertidur kekenyangan dan lupa dengan pertanyaan yang timbul dalam benaknya.

Saat terbangun si Cicak penasaran dengan tawa para semut. Maka dia kembali ke pinggir sungai dan mengintip ingin tahu apa yang aneh dengan para semut. Dilihatnya Sang Kancil sedang dikerumuni para semut sambil berbicara sesuatu.

“Jadi buah merah tadi bukan cabe yah???. Percuma dong kita gagal memberi pelajaran pada si pencuri” kata seekor semut paling besar mewakili teman-temannya.

Rupanya para semut tertawa terpingkal-pingkal karena menyangka buah yang mereka letakkan di pinggir adalah cabe, sehingga si pencuri akan kepedasan saat memakannya. Saat tahu buah merah itu bukan cabe mereka jadi kecewa.

“Kalian terlalu tulus untuk bisa menjebak orang lain. Kalian tak bisa menahan tawa terpingkal-pingkal mendengar rencanaku. Pastilah si pencuri akan curiga dan meneliti buah yang dicurinya. Saat tahu itu cabe, dia tidak akan memakan dan akan kembali untuk mencuri buah lainnya. Jadi aku ganti saja dengan buah strawberry yang banyak di sekitar sini. Biar saja dia kenyang, ntar tidak akan mengganggu kita lagi” kata Kancil

Para semut saling berpandang-pandangan dan mengakui bahwa mereka tidak bisa menahan diri untuk tidak tertawa. Pastilah si pencuri mendengar tawa itu dan jadi curiga. Para semut memang tidak bisa berpura-pura, mereka selalu jujur dalam bertindak dan berkata-kata.

“Pencurinya adalah si Cicak kecil yang bandel. Biarlah nanti aku datang ke rumahnya sambil membawa sekeranjang strawberry dan sedikit nasehat. Biar dia tidak mencuri lagi” kata Si Kancil.

Cicak kecil meneteskan air mata mendengar semua kata-kata Si Kancil. Rupanya Sang Kancil mengganti cabe dengan apel bukan saja karena para semut tidak bisa menahan tawa, tapi juga karena dia sayang pada Cicak kecil. Buktinya Sang Kancil akan datang ke rumahnya sambil membawa sekeranjang strawberry. Diam-diam Cicak kecil merasa dirinya telah melakukan perbuatan hina dina pada makhluk-makhluk yang baik hati (Undil – 2010).

gambar diambil dari: downloadcheapapp

Puisi Pernikahan buat Catur dan Wening

Seandainya kamu punya kesempatan
merubah batu-batu menjadi permata,
membuat nilai-nilai ujianmu jadi A semua,
menyelesaikan tugas akhirmu sekejap mata,
memenuhi hari-harimu dengan hujan keberhasilan,
meraih cinta dan persahabatan dari sejuta manusia

ITU SEMUA TIDAK ADA ARTINYA!

Dibanding kesempatan yang kau genggam saat ini
Untuk meletakkan hatimu di dalam hatinya,
agar dapat merasakan apa yang dirasakannya.
Untuk memadukan keinginanmu dan keinginannya,
agar serasi dalam keteguhan menempuh jalan suci-Nya.
Untuk memuliakan dan membimbingnya,
agar bersama meraih ridha-Nya,
demi kebahagiaan sejati di dunia,
demi KEABADIAN cinta di SURGA.

Puisi pernikahan dedicated to
Catur Gunawan Wibisono dan Wening Pusparini
Semoga menjadi keluarga Sakinah



Additional:
Lirik lagu berikut ini diambil dari Wening dan Catur Wedding Website
Bila ingin memberi ucapan selamat, bisa disampaikan melalui buku tamu website
TEMAN SEJATI -Brothers
Selama ini Kumencari-cari
Teman yang sejati
Buat menemani Perjuangan suci

Bersyukur kini PadaMu Illahi
Teman yang dicari
Selama ini Telah kutemui

Dengannya di sisi
Perjuangan ini
Senang diharungi
Bertambah murni
Kasih Illahi

KepadaMu Allah
Kupanjatkan doa
Agar berkekalan
Kasih sayang kita

Kepadamu teman
Ku pohon sokongan
Pengorbanan dan pengertian
Telah kuungkapkan
Segala-galanya...

KepadaMu Allah
Kupohon restu
Agar kita kekal bersatu
Kepadamu teman
Teruskan perjuangan
Pengorbanan dan kesetiaan
Telah kuungkapkan
Segala-galanya
Itulah tandanya
Kejujuran kita

Listen Teman Sejati -BROTHER


DINDA -Gradasi
Engkau sambut pagi
Dengan senyum ceria yang menawan
Mengantarkan daku pergi
Meraih mimpi ….kita
Andai ku bisa
Membuat diriku menjadi dua
Kutinggalkan yang satunya
Tuk temanimu…cinta duhai permataku

Reff:
Dinda…Sejuta pesonamu hadir dalam jiwa
Dinda…Senyummu mampu membuatku tak mengeluh
Dinda…Binar bola matamu terangi hariku
Dinda…Ketenangan bagai telaga yang kau berikan

Ketika ku pulang
Dibawah naungan lembayung senja
Kau berhias menantiku
Bertabur rindu …kita

Listen - Dinda Gradasi


Theme Song selengkapnya bisa diakses di catur

Cerita Lucu Bahasa Sunda: Sato Dugem dan Jadi Sapuluh Lambar

Berikut ini adalah dua humor lucu bahasa sunda yang saya cuplik dari Majalah Cakakak Nomor 6 tahun 2010. Ada banyak cerita lucu di majalah humor basa sunda seharga Rp. 12.500 tersebut, dan cerita lucu berjudul Sato Dugem dan Jadi Sapuluh Lembar menurut saya termasuk yang paling orisinil.

Sato Dugem bercerita tentang para hewan yang saling bertukar cerita sepulang dari diskotik lengkap dengan musik keras & lampu-lampu warna-warninya. Mereka saling bercerita tentang “bencana” yang dialami masing-masing hewan terkait dengan fisiknya.

Sebenarnya dari awal cerita hingga tengah isinya biasa-biasa saja. Namun tendangan lucunya terasa di alinea terakhir. Di penutup cerita ditampilkan keluhan seekor hewan yang lain daripada yang lain yang bisa membuat Anda tertawa geli.

Penulis humor tersebut berhasil menemukan seekor hewan unik dihubungkan kondisi unik yang ada di diskotik, jadilah sebuah paragraf “kojo” yang sangat nendang di akhir cerita. Cerita ini bisa juga dijadikan nasehat buat anak-anak supaya jangan suka dugem biar gak kaya si hewan unik itu.

^_^

Anak-anak adalah tema favorit para pembuat humor. Saya menemukan humor anak-anak dikelompokkan secara terpisah di Majalah Reader Digest, dan kini juga pada bab tersendiri berlabel Humor-humor Kang Suryana Sarimbit oleh Taufik Faturohman di Majalah Cakakak.

Memang kenaifan anak-anak di keseharian mereka -- misalnya terkait cara mereka mendapatkan sesuatu yang diinginkan -- adalah gudang bahan baku humor yang siap diolah menjadi ramuan humor yang menggigit. Bahkan kadangkala tingkah laku alami anak-anak-pun sudah cukup lucu untuk ditampilkan menjadi sebuah cerita humor.

Humor berjudul Jadi Sapuluh Lambar menceritakan kenaifan seorang anak kecil yang menemukan dompet berisi uang seratus ribu rupiah. Si anak ini jujur, namun dia juga ingin mendapat uang jajan dari kebaikannya mau mengembalikan dompet pada pemiliknya. Ramuan dua hal itu ternyata bisa menjadi sebuah humor yang nendang.

SATO DUGEM

Balik dugem ti diskotik, sato-sato ngarariung. Katenjo maranehna jiga geus balik perang wae.

“Kapok uing mah euy, geuning teu ngeunah dugem teh. Eta musik ajeb-ajeb matak katorekan kana ceuli!”, ceuk kelinci ngararasakeun ceulina nu dungdeng keneh.

“Mending keneh maneh, uing mah bororaah bisa joged. Hayoh we cungcet-cingcet sieun katincak ku nu keur ajojing!”, ceuk sireum, bari awakna pias.

“Komo uing mah, hayoh we diusir satpam. Di cenah meakkeun tempat!”, ceuk gajah jeung Kuda Nil.

“Kuring mah geleuh ku lagu disco mixna. Cik atuh tong nyindiran uing wae euy...mani keong racun lagu teh! Padahal kuring mah apan resepna musik disko ti DJ Tiesto atawa DJ Deep Dish!” ceuk Keong Racun nafsu.

“Ah, dikumaha oge maraneh mah bisa ngasaan ka jero diskotik. Uing mah karek nepi na lawang ne geus nutup manten! Padahal indit ti imah minggu kamari”, ceuk Kuya bangun nu handeueul.

“Waduuuuh, sarua euy. Eta mah uing kuat ka error yeuh kulit. Eta lampu disko gunti-ganti wae warna!”, ceuk londok, nu awakna ayeuna ngadadak jiga katumbiri. (Ning – Baraya Banyolan Sunda – Malaysia – Majalah Cakakak)

Catatan:
Hehehe Si bunglon kasihan tuh kulitnya jadi eror.
Makanya belajar saja di rumah jangan suka dugem.


JADI SAPULUH LAMBAR 

Balik sakola Ocad manggih dompet di jajalaneun ka imahna. Ku Ocad dicokot. Ku lantaran Ocad mah budak jujur, eta dompet teh dianteurkeun ka nu bogana. Kebeneran deuih di jerona aya KTP. Singhoreng, eta teh dompet Pa Haji Abdul, tetanggana. Nya dompet teh dianteurkeun we ka Pa Haji Abdul.

 

“Pa Haji, ieu dompet Pa Haji sanes?” ceuk Ocad bari mikeun dompet.
 

“Enya, puguh Pa Haji teh leungit dompet. Ti mana kapanggihna ku Ocad?”
 

“Itu, di handapeun tangkal cengkeh, payuneun bumi Mang Didin,” tembal Ocad.
 

Dompet ditampanan ku Pa Haji Abdul. Dibuka, eweuh nu leungit. Duitna aya keneh, saratus rebu.
 

“Euweuh nu leungit. Ngan naha nya, da tadina mah duit Pa Haji teh seratus rebu salambar, ayeuna bet jadi sepuluh rebuan sapuluh lembar?” ceuk Pa Haji Abdul bari kerung.
 

“Ku abdi dilironkeun Pa Haji. Atuda kamari oge abdi mendakan dompet, dipasihkeun ka nu kagunganana, abdi teu janten kenging peresenan. Ari alesanana teh teu aya artos receh cenah,” tembal Ocad kalem (Taufik Faturorahman – Majalah Cakakak)
 

Catatan:
Humor in menceritakan seorang anak kecil yang menukar selembar uang seratus ribu rupiah dengan sepuluh lembar sepuluh ribuan di dompet yang ditemukannya sebelum mengembalikan ke empunya dompet. Dia belajar dari pengalaman sebelumnya dimana dia tidak diberi persenan karena pemilik dompet tidak punya uang kecil.

(Undil-2010)

tags: cerita lucu basa sunda, humor basa sunda, banyolan sunda, lelucon sunda, ketawa basa sunda

Berapakah Satuan Waktu Terkecil?

Berapakah satuan waktu terkecil ?.

Jawaban umum untuk pertanyaan itu adalah detik. Jam dinding di rumah kita bergerak berdasarkan detik. Waktu berlalu dihitung dari gerakan jarum merah berputar dari angka 1 sampai 12 yang melewati 60 satuan kecil yang disebut detik. Satu jam ada 3600 detik. Walaupun demikian dalam kebiasaan sehari-hari kita jarang menghitung waktu berdasarkan detik.

Kita jarang memakai satuan detik. Biasanya dalam undangan meeting atau janjian ketemu dengan orang lain satuan waktu yang dipergunakan adalah jam atau setengah jam dan jarang yang mempergunakan perempat jam atau kurang. Di dalam undangan meeting biasanya dicantumkan pukul 9.00 atau 9.30, jarang dipakai 9.15. Dalam hal ini satuan waktu terkecil adalah 30 menit.

Jaman dahulu sewaktu petani masih menjadi matapencaharian utama, satuan waktu terkecil lebih longgar lagi. Petani berangkat ke sawah pagi hari, lalu bekerja di sawah, terus siang hari istirahat sambil makan dan pulang di waktu sore hari. Manusia agraris tidak banyak memperhitungkan waktu dalam satuan yang lebih rinci, terkecuali waktu-waktu sholat.

Lain halnya dengan seorang pelari 100 meter seperti Usain Bolt-- yang memecahkan rekor dunia lari 100 meter atas namanya sendiri di Berlin tahun 2009 -- waktu bukan lagi detik, tapi perseratus detik. Bolt membakukan kecepatan 9,58 detik, hanya 0,11 detik lebih cepat dari rekor dunia sebelumnya. Dengan bekal 0,11 detik Bolt kembali menjadi manusia tercepat di dunia.

Bagi seorang desainer processor komputer, waktu dihitung dengan satuan yang lebih kecil lagi. Sebuah prosesor berkecepatan 3,4 GHz berarti memiliki kemampuan kalkulasi 3,4 milyar per detik. Angka tersebut berarti satuan waktu per satu kalkulasi adalah 1/3,4 milyar detik. Sebuah satuan waktu yang sangat kecil. Pesaingan keras di bisnis prosesor akan memaksa mereka berpikir dalam satuan 0,000000000001 (per milyar) detik sebagai satuan waktu terkecil.

Bagiamana dengan kita?

Dalam kesibukan waktu sehari-hari seseorang berbeda-beda dalam mendefinisikan satuan waktu terkecil. Seorang dengan beban kerja normal akan melihat waktu dalam satuan setengah jam. Waktu setengah jam bukan untuk mengerjakan pekerjaan terpenting tidak akan mengganggu produktifitasnya. Seorang dengan beban kerja yang lebih padat akan mendapati setengah jam salah memilih prioritas telah menyebabkan pekerjaan pentingya tertunda dan berdampak buruk baginya. Setiap menit adalah tetes-tetes waktu yang sangat berharga baginya. Terlewatnya waktu setengah jam bisa berarti pekerjaan yang harusnya bisa siap saat dibutuhkan menjadi tertunda.

Seseorang yang bertransisi dari beban kerja normal ke beban kerja yang lebih padat akan mendapati dirinya menjadi bottle neck bagi pekerjaan orang lain saat dirinya belum berhasil menyesuaikan diri. Beberapa menit waktu menunggu rapat seharusnya diisi untuk memeriksa dokumen yang telah dibuat staf atau membalas email-email yang masuk daripada sekedar duduk menunggu sambil mengantuk. Buku-buku tentang aturan terbaru bisa dibaca setengah jam sebelum tidur atau pagi hari menjelang jam kerja karena jika tidak demikian maka bahan-bahan bacaan wajib itu akan selamanya menjadi bahan tanpa pernah kita baca sama sekali (undil -2010).

A Thing which Makes Maruko Feel Safe in Her Job

There is one thing that makes Maruko feel save and comfortable in her job. The thing had nothing to do with her office nor related to her job. However, the thing had associated with a friend’s decision.

Her old friend named Mitsunari related to it. He is one of Maruko’s best friends during in college. Maruko inspired by Mitsunari who resign from his company for run a small business in Jogja.

The Mitsunari business is just a modest  business. He have a modest mung bean porridge stall set up not far from his house. Maruko surprised by  his  decision to let go of the position of manager of Quality Control of Microbiology in a notable food processing company in Jakarta for a modest stall.

"How dare the boy's" thought Maruko.

However, after Maruko visiting the Mitsunari’s stall, she became aware that the Mitsunari’s decision was not a ridiculous choice. It appears that Mitsunary just suffer a little loss for his decision.

Only nine months after becoming a stall owner, his finance conditions  almost recovered as the previous one. Although his income was just three-quarters of the salary while working in Jakarta, he gets compensation in the form of freely work hours without depending on the office hours. Today he had enough time to work for his hobbies, ie build a beautiful orchid garden behind his house, and teaching karate for youth clubs.

Maruko realizes that the life of Mitsunari is just fine. He  was not forced to  make drastic changes on his lifestyle. He still riding his Toyota Yaris everywhere nor buying some sophisticated gadgets as usual.

Since Maruko be confident that she has capability to do as Mitsunari’s do, then she considers herself should not have to worry about her job. If one day she leaves the company for any reasons, then a mung bean porridge stall is her first choice. Refers to her experiences during in college, her skills are not be much different from Mitsunari.

In terms of skill on cooking nor selling, Maruko believes that she was not  inferior to Misunari. It has been demonstrated during their activities on campus. Bazaars or exhibitions which handled by Maruko usually more successful compared to Mitsunari. The other proof is kolak pisang which sold by Maruko on Boulevard of UGM during  the fasting month also more in demand than the one that sold by Mitsunari and his friends. The number of population of Bandung which is far above Jogja where Mitsunari run his business will be an an additional factor that support her business.

Thanks to Mitsunari who have demonstrated a backup job for her. Maruko was no longer afraid about the future of her job. She realize that the consequences of leaving the job was not scary as she thought.

Previously, Maruko frequently feel worried while the company's condition worsened. The decrease in sales or the failure of a new product contantly makes Maruko feel nervous about her future. She was afraid those things will result in downsizing employees. Now the worry is starting to subside. However Maruko also realizes that her life in case of resign from the job may not be as smooth as the fate Mitsunari (undil -2010)

Ketika Mitsunari Keluar dari Pekerjaannya

Alkisah meskipun terhitung baru, warung Mitsunari tergolong  kasta yang laris manis dibanding warung lain di sekelilingnya. Di lokasi yang selalu dibanjiri pembeli dari sore hingga pukul sembilan malam itu memang telah ada belasan pedagang aneka makanan. 

Di sana terdapat dari tukang pecel lele, sea food, nasi goreng, sate ayam hingga warung steak. Namun belum satu-pun pedagang bubur kacang hijau. Makanya dagangan Mitsunari cepat mendapat perhatian pengunjung. Rasanya tidak sia-sia dia meninggalkan posisi manajer QC sebuah perusahaan makanan besar untuk mulai merintis warungnya sendiri. Pengalamannya menjaga kualitas makanan nampaknya menunjang keberhasilannya sebagai tukang burjo.

Awalnya para pembeli hanya coba-coba mencicipi burjo sambil menunggu siapnya hidangan yang dipesan dari warung lainnya. Namun nampaknya lidah mereka mereka cocok dengan burjo racikan Mitsunari. Tak jarang pembeli masih minta satu dua bungkus untuk dinikmati di rumah. Bahkan kini lebih banyak bubur yang dibungkus dibanding yang dimakan di tempat. Pertanda makin banyak orang yang datang ke tempat itu khusus untuk membeli burjo.

Kelebihan burjo Mitsunari disamping pada konsistensi rasa dan kualitas burjonya, juga terletak pada aneka roti tambahan pada burjo. Tersedia beraneka pilihan jenis dan rasa roti sebagai tambahan burjo. Sebuah feature yang jarang dimiliki warung burjo di tempat lain. Pembeli dapat leluasa memilih jenis roti sesuai dengan seleranya.

Namun jangan dikira Mitsunari tidak bekerja keras untuk bisa seperti saat ini. Enam bulan sebelum mundur dari pekerjaannya Mitsunari telah memangkas waktu tidur untuk mencari resep bubur kacang hijau yang istimewa. Hampir setiap malam selepas kerja, dia begadang untuk mencoba resep-resep baru. 

Setelah dianggap rasanya layak, maka burjo buatan Mitsunari di cobakan ke teman-temannya untuk dinilai. Bila menurut mereka enak, dia mencoba menjualnya ke kampus-kampus dengan menitipkan ke kantin-kantin kampus. Begitu seterusnya sehingga enam bulan kemudian Mitsunari menemukan resep istimewa yang dapat diterima pembeli, yaitu dengan menambahkan feature aneka macam roti sebagai pelengkap burjo.

^_^

Saat ini omzet burjo Mitsunari sekitar 300 porsi perhari. Harga jual burjo per porsi bervariasi dari 3000 hingga 7000 rupiah tergantung jenis roti yang ditambahkan. Dengan omzet sebesar itu, pendapatan Mitsunari tidak terlalu jauh dari gaji di perusahaan makanan.

Masih ditambah benefit lain, yaitu Mitsunari punya waktu luang untuk membuat kebun anggrek yang cantik di belakang rumahnya, kembali aktif di klub Linux, mengajar karate untuk klub remaja masjid dan membuat klub sosialisasi ekonomi Islam bersama teman-teman takmir Masjid di dekat rumahnya. Khusus untuk kegiatan yang terakhir ini dilakukan pada acara cafe morning setiap minggu pagi sehabis sholat shubuh di halaman masjid di kompleksnya. Mitsunari berhasil menyalurkan hoby-hoby yang selama ini hanya tersimpan dalam benaknya karena tidak adanya waktu luang.

Maruko melihat nasib baik Mitsunari setelah keluar kerja sebagai sebuah “nasehat berharga” bagi dirinya untuk tidak perlu terlalu khawatir tentang masa depannya. Kini Maruko merasa yakin bahwa masa depannya tidak sepenuhnya bergantung pada perusahaan tempatnya bekerja. Walaupun dia juga sadar bahwa bila dirinya keluar dari pekerjaan untuk merintis usaha sendiri mungkin nasibnya tidak akan sebaik Mitsunari. (Undil – 2010).

Small Change

Sometimes some small change with a value of five thousand rupiahs or below were labelled as a troublesome by reason of consume a big space in our pockets nor wallets. Moreover, when  we are a careless person who put them anywhere, we will experience the pile up of small change.

When our small change are neglected then we will have them everywhere. Some of them easy to find on the table, on top of the cabinet, inside the pocket of a jacket, inside the bag or piled in the drawer. Small change in a large number is a troublesome.  Once we want to use them to buy some expensive goods then we should bring around a  large quantities of banknotes.

However, occasionally we want to have some small change for specific purposes that are routinely. Such as paid for parking or ride public transportation  which we want to pay with exact fare. I have experienced with the later. Once I had a class at the University of Indonesia of Salemba, followed by a class at the UI building of Cikini. I usually ride a bajaj (a three-wheeler) to go Cikini. The fare of bajaj between seven to ten thousand rupiahs.

Since I want to pay with exact fare of seven thousand rupiahs, then I have to prepare a change of five thousand plus two change of a thousand whether one change of two thousand. Hence the change of five thousand and two thousand rupiahs is a very favorite change which very useful for me while studying  at the University of Indonesia on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Therefore all small change which I get while in Bandung from Sunday to Wednesday will be very useful later when I had a class in Jakarta.

Obviously with such conditions then a small change is necessity for me. The small change are no longer troublesome for me. My mobility from the Clinical Microbiology Department of Cikini to the Medical Faculty of Salemba, IHVCB (Institute of Human Virology and Cancer Biology) or the Eijkman (Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology), all located at Salemba is facilitated by the existence of small change which useful for bajaj's fare payment.

True Friend Poem: Theatrum Amoris

You're not a lamp
who brighten my life
Nor the wings
who keep me flying
Nor the shade
where I take shelter and lamented
However you're a companion
where I share
the gratitude in happiness
the patience in sadness
and the readiness in accepting them
as our destiny

CLEVER ELSIE

There was once a man who had a daughter who was called  Clever  Elsie. And  when  she had  grown  up  her father  said: ‘We  will  get  her  married.’ ‘Yes,’ said the mother, ‘if only someone  would come who would have her.’ At length a man came from a  distance and wooed her, who was called Hans; but he stipulated  that  Clever Elsie should be really smart. ‘Oh,’ said the father, ‘she has plenty of good sense’; and the mother said: ‘Oh, she can see the  wind  coming  up  the  street, and  hear  the  flies coughing.’ ‘Well,’  said Hans, ‘if she is not really smart, I won’t have her.’ When they were sitting at dinner and had eaten, the mother said: ‘Elsie, go into the cellar and fetch some beer.’ Then Clever Elsie took the pitcher  from the wall, went into the cellar, and tapped the lid briskly as she went, so that the time might not appear long. When she was below she fetched herself a chair, and set it before the barrel so that she had no need to stoop, and did not hurt her back or do herself any  unexpected injury. Then  she placed the can before her, and turned  the tap, and while the beer was running she would not let her eyes  be idle, but looked up at the wall, and after much peering here


and there, saw a pick-axe exactly above her, which the masons had accidentally left there.
Then Clever Elsie began to  weep and said: ‘If I get Hans, and we have a child, and he grows big, and we send him into the cellar  here to draw beer, then the pick-axe will fall on his head and kill him.’ Then she sat and wept and screamed with all the strength of  her body, over the misfortune which lay before her. Those upstairs waited for the drink, but Clever Elsie still did not come. Then  the woman said to the servant: ‘Just go down into the cellar and see  where Elsie is.’ The  maid went  and found her sitting in front of the barrel, screaming loudly. ‘Elsie why do you weep?’ asked the maid. ‘Ah,’ she answered, ‘have I not reason to weep? If I get Hans,  and we have a child, and he grows big, and has to draw beer here, the pick-axe will perhaps fall on his head, and kill him.’ Then said the maid: ‘What a clever Elsie we have!’ and sat down beside her and began loudly to weep over the misfortune. After a while, as the  maid did not come back, and those upstairs were thirsty for the beer, the man said to the boy: ‘Just go down into the cellar and see where Elsie and the girl are.’ The boy went down, and there sat Clever  Elsie and the girl both weeping together. Then he asked: ‘Why are you weeping?’ ‘Ah,’ said Elsie, ‘have I not reason to weep? If I


get Hans, and we have a child, and he grows big, and has to draw  beer here, the pick-axe will fall on his head and kill him.’ Then  said  the  boy: ‘What a clever Elsie we have!’ and sat down by her,  and likewise began to howl loudly. Upstairs they waited for the boy, but as he still did not return, the man said to the woman: ‘Just go down into the cellar and see where Elsie is!’ The woman went down, and found all three in the midst of their lamentations, and inquired what was the cause; then Elsie told her also that her future child was to be killed by the pick-axe, when it grew  big and  had  to  draw  beer,  and  the  pick-axe  fell down. Then said the mother likewise: ‘What a clever Elsie we have!’ and sat down and wept with them.  The man upstairs waited a short time, but as his wife did not come back and his thirst grew ever greater, he said: ‘I must go into the cellar myself and see where Elsie is.’ But when he got  into  the  cellar,  and  they  were  all sitting together crying, and he heard the reason, and that Elsie’s child was the cause, and the Elsie might perhaps bring one into the world some day, and that he might be killed by the pick- axe, if he should happen to be sitting beneath it, drawing beer just at the very time when it fell down, he cried: ‘Oh, what a clever Elsie!’ and sat down, and likewise wept with them.  The  bridegroom  stayed upstairs alone  for  along


time; then as no one would come back he thought: ‘They must be waiting for me below: I too must go there and see what  they  are  about.’ When  he  got  down,  the  five of them     were    sitting    screaming    and    lamenting    quite piteously, each out- doing the other. ‘What misfortune has happened then?’ asked he. ‘Ah,  dear Hans,’ said Elsie, ‘if we marry each other and have a child, and he is big, and we perhaps send him here to draw something to  drink, then the pick-axe which has been left up there might dash his  brains out  if it were to  fall down,  so have we  not reason to weep?’ ‘Come,’ said Hans, ‘more understanding than that is not needed for my household, as you are such a clever Elsie, I will have you,’ and seized her hand, took her upstairs with him, and married her.
After Hans had had her some time, he said: ‘Wife, I am going out  to work and earn some money for us; go into the field and cut the corn that we may have some bread.’
‘Yes, dear Hans, I  will do  that.’ After Hans had  gone away, she cooked herself some good broth and took it into the field with her. When she came to the field she said to herself: ‘What shall I do; shall I cut first, or shall I eat first? Oh, I will eat first.’ Then she drank her cup of broth and when she was fully satisfied, she once more said:  ‘What shall I do? Shall I cut first, or shall I sleep first? I will sleep


first.’ Then she lay down among the corn and fell asleep. Hans had been at home for a long time, but Elsie did not come; then said he: ‘What a clever Elsie I have; she is so industrious that she does not even come home to eat.’ But when evening came and she still stayed away, Hans went out to see what she had cut, but nothing was cut, and she was lying among the  corn  asleep. Then  Hans hastened home and brought a fowler’s net with little bells and hung it round about her, and she still went on sleeping. Then he ran home, shut the house-door, and sat down in his chair and worked. At length, when  it was quite dark, Clever Elsie awoke and when she got up there was a jingling all round about her, and the bells rang at each step which she took.   Then   she  was  alarmed,  and  became  uncertain whether she really was Clever Elsie or not, and said: ‘Is it I, or is it not I?’ But she knew not what answer to make to  this,  and  stood  for  a  time  in  doubt;  at  length  she thought: ‘I will go home and ask if it be I, or if it be not I, they will be sure to know.’ She ran to  the door of her own  house,  but  it  was shut;  then  she knocked  at  the window and cried: ‘Hans, is Elsie within?’ ‘Yes,’ answered Hans, ‘she is within.’ Hereupon she was terrified, and said:
‘Ah, heavens! Then it is not I,’ and went to another door;
but when the people heard the jingling of the bells they


would not open it, and she could get in nowhere. Then she ran out of the village, and no one has seen her since.

THE PINK

There was once upon a time a queen to whom God had given  no children. Every morning she went into the garden and prayed to  God in heaven to bestow on her a son or a daughter. Then an angel from heaven came to her and said: ‘Be at rest, you shall have a son with the power of wishing, so that whatsoever in the world he wishes for, that shall he have.’ Then she went to the king, and told him the joyful tidings, and when the time was come she gave birth to a son, and the king was filled with gladness.
Every morning she went with the child to the garden where the wild beasts were kept, and washed herself there in a clear stream. It happened once when the child was a little older, that it was lying in her arms and she fell asleep. Then came the old cook, who knew that the child had the power of wishing, and stole it away, and he took a  hen, and cut it in pieces, and dropped some of its blood on the queen’s apron and on her dress. Then he carried the child away to a secret place, where a nurse was obliged to suckle it, and he ran to the king and accused the queen of having allowed her child to be taken from her by the wild beasts. When the king saw the blood on her  apron, he believed
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this, fell into such a passion that he ordered a high tower to be built, in which neither sun nor moon could be seen and had his wife put into it, and walled up. Here she was to stay for seven years  without meat or drink, and die of hunger.  But  God  sent two  angels  from  heaven in  the shape of white doves, which flew to her twice a day, and carried her food until the seven years were over.
The cook, however, thought to himself: ‘If the child has the  power of wishing, and I am here, he might very easily get me into trouble.’ So he left the palace and went to the boy, who was already big enough to speak, and said to him: ‘Wish for a beautiful palace  for yourself with a garden, and all else that pertains to it.’ Scarcely  were the words out of the boy’s mouth, when everything was there that he had wished for. After a while the cook said to him:
‘It is not well for you to be so alone, wish for a pretty girl as a companion.’ Then the king’s son wished for one, and she immediately stood before him, and was more beautiful than any painter could have painted her. The two played together, and loved  each other with all their hearts, and the  old  cook  went  out  hunting  like  a nobleman.  The thought  occurred to  him,  however,  that the  king’s son might some day wish to be with his father, and thus bring him into great peril. So he went out and took the maiden


aside, and said: ‘Tonight when the boy is asleep, go to his bed and plunge this knife into his heart, and bring me his heart and tongue,  and if you do not do it, you shall lose your  life.’ Thereupon   he   went  away,  and  when  he returned next day she had not  done it,  and said: ‘Why should I shed the blood of an innocent boy who has never harmed anyone?’ The cook once more said: ‘If you do not do it, it shall cost you your own life.’ When he had gone away, she had a little hind brought to her, and ordered her to be killed, and took her heart and tongue, and laid them on a plate, and when she saw the  old man coming, she said to  the  boy: ‘Lie down  in your bed, and  draw the clothes over you.’ Then the wicked wretch came in and said: ‘Where are the  boy’s heart and tongue?’ The  girl reached the plate to him, but the king’s son threw off the quilt, and said: ‘You old sinner, why did you want to kill me?  Now   will  I  pronounce   thy  sentence.  You  shall become a black poodle and have a gold collar round your neck, and shall eat burning coals, till the flames burst forth from your throat.’ And when he had spoken these words, the old man was changed into a poodle dog, and had a gold collar round his neck, and the cooks were ordered to bring up some live coals, and these he ate, until the flames broke forth from his throat. The king’s son remained there


a short while longer, and he thought of his mother, and wondered  if  she were still alive. At length he said to the maiden: ‘I will go  home to my own country; if you will go with me, I will provide for you.’ ‘Ah,’ she replied, ‘the way is so long, and what shall I do in a strange land where I am unknown?’ As she did not seem quite willing, and as they could not be parted from each other, he wished that she might be changed into a beautiful pink, and took her with  him. Then  he went away to his own country, and the poodle had to run after him. He went to the tower in which his mother was confined, and as it was so high, he wished for a ladder which would reach up to the very top. Then   he  mounted  up  and  looked   inside,   and  cried:
‘Beloved mother, Lady Queen,  are you still alive, or are you  dead?’  She answered: ‘I have just eaten, and am still satisfied,’ for she thought the angels were there. Said he: ‘I am your dear son, whom the wild beasts were said to have torn from your arms; but I am alive still, and will soon set you  free.’ Then  he  descended again, and  went  to  his father, and caused himself to be announced as  a  strange huntsman, and asked if he could offer him service. The king said yes, if he was skilful and could get game for him, he should come to him, but that deer had never taken up their quarters in any part of the district or country. Then


the huntsman promised to procure as much game for him as   he   could  possibly use  at  the  royal  table.  So  he summoned all the  huntsmen together, and bade them go out into the forest with him. And he went with them and made them form a great circle, open at one end where he stationed himself, and began to wish. Two  hundred deer and more came running inside the circle at once, and the huntsmen shot them. Then they were all placed on sixty country carts, and driven home to the king, and for once he was able to deck his table with game, after having had none at all for years.
Now the king felt great joy at this, and commanded that his  entire household should eat with him next day, and made a great  feast. When  they  were  all assembled together, he said to the  huntsman: ‘As you are so clever, you shall sit by me.’ He replied: ‘Lord King, your majesty must excuse me, I am a poor  huntsman.’  But the king insisted on it, and said: ‘You shall sit by me,’ until he did it. Whilst he was sitting there, he thought of his dearest mother,   and  wished  that  one  of  the  king’s principal servants would begin to speak of her, and would ask how it was faring with the queen in the tower, and if she were alive still, or had perished. Hardly had he formed the wish than the marshal began, and said: ‘Your majesty, we  live


joyously here, but how is the queen living in the tower? Is she still alive, or has she died?’ But the king replied: ‘She let my dear son be torn to pieces by wild beasts; I will not have  her  named.’  Then  the  huntsman  arose and  said:
‘Grablood of a chicken.’ Thereupon&nbscious lord father she is alive still, and I am her son, and I was  not  carried away by wild beasts, but by that wretch the old cook,  who tore me from her arms when she was asleep, and sprinkled her apron with the p; he took the dog  with  the golden collar, and said: ‘That is the wretch!’ and caused live coals to be brought, and these the dog was compelled to devour before  the  sight of all, until flames  burst forth from its throat. On this  the  huntsman asked the king if he would like to see the dog in his true shape, and wished him back into  the  form  of  the  cook,  in   the  which  he  stood immediately, with his white apron, and his  knife by his side. When the king saw him he fell into a passion, and ordered him to be cast into the deepest dungeon. Then the huntsman spoke further and said: ‘Father, will you see the maiden who brought me up so tenderly and who was afterwards to murder  me, but did not do it, though her own life depended on it?’ The king replied: ‘Yes, I would like to see her.’ The son said: ‘Most gracious father, I will show her to you in the form of a beautiful flower,’ and he


thrust his hand into his pocket and brought forth the pink, and placed it on the royal table, and it was so beautiful that the king had never seen one to equal it. Then the son said:
‘Now will I  show her  to  you  in  her  own  form,’ and wished  that she might become a maiden, and she stood there looking so beautiful that no painter could have made her look more so.
And    the     king    sent    two     waiting-maids    and    two attendants into the tower, to fetch the queen and bring her to  the  royal  table.  But  when  she  was led  in  she  ate nothing, and said:  ‘The gracious and merciful God who has supported me in the tower, will soon set me free.’ She lived three days more, and then died  happily, and when she was buried, the two white doves which had  brought her  food  to  the  tower,  and  were  angels of  heaven, followed her  body and seated themselves on  her  grave. The aged king ordered the cook to be torn in four pieces, but  grief consumed  the  king’s own  heart, and he  soon died. His son married the beautiful maiden whom he had brought with him as a flower in his pocket, and whether they are still alive or not, is known to God.

SNOWDROP

It was the middle of winter, when the broad flakes of snow were  falling around, that the  queen  of a country many thousand miles off sat working at her window. The frame of the window was made of fine black ebony, and as she sat looking out upon the snow, she pricked her finger, and three  drops of blood  fell upon  it.  Then  she  gazed thoughtfully upon the red drops that sprinkled the white snow, and said, ‘Would that my little daughter may be as white as that snow, as red as that blood, and as black as this ebony windowframe!’ And so the little girl really did grow up; her skin was as white as snow, her cheeks as rosy as the blood, and her hair as black as ebony; and she was called Snowdrop.
But this queen died; and the king soon married another wife,  who  became queen, and was very beautiful, but so vain that she could not bear to think that anyone could be handsomer than she was. She had a fairy looking-glass, to which  she used to  go,  and  then  she would  gaze upon herself in it, and say:


’Tell me, glass, tell me true! Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest, tell me, who?’

And the glass had always answered:
’Thou, queen, art the fairest in all the land.’

But Snowdrop  grew  more  and  more  beautiful; and when she was seven years old she was as bright as the day, and fairer than the  queen herself. Then the glass one day answered the queen, when she went to look in it as usual:
’Thou, queen, art fair, and beauteous to see, But Snowdrop is lovelier far than thee!’

When she heard this she turned  pale with  rage and envy,  and  called to one of her servants, and said, ‘Take Snowdrop away into the wide wood, that I may never see her any more.’ Then  the  servant led her away; but  his heart melted when  Snowdrop begged  him  to  spare her life, and he said, ‘I will not hurt you, thou pretty  child.’ So he left her by herself; and though he thought it most likely that the wild beasts would tear her in pieces, he felt as if a great weight were taken off his heart when he had made up his mind not  to kill her but to leave her to her fate, with the chance of someone finding and saving her.
Then  poor  Snowdrop  wandered  along  through  the wood in  great fear; and the wild beasts roared about her,


but none did her any harm. In the evening she came to a cottage among the hills, and went in to rest, for her little feet would carry  her no further. Everything was  spruce and neat in the cottage: on  the table was spread a white cloth, and there were seven little plates, seven little loaves, and  seven little  glasses with  wine  in  them;  and  seven knives and forks laid in order; and by the wall stood seven little  beds. As she was very hungry,  she picked a little piece of each loaf and drank a very little wine out of each glass; and after that  she thought she would lie down and rest. So she tried all the little beds; but one was too long, and another was too short, till at last  the seventh suited her: and there she laid herself down and went to sleep.
By and by in came the masters of the cottage. Now they  were   seven  little  dwarfs,  that  lived  among  the mountains, and dug  and  searched for gold. They lighted up their seven lamps, and saw  at once that all was not right. The first said, ‘Who has been sitting  on my stool?’ The  second, ‘Who  has been  eating off my plate?’  The third,  ‘Who  has been  picking my  bread?’ The  fourth,
‘Who  has been  meddling  with  my  spoon?’ The  fifth,
‘Who has been handling my fork?’ The sixth, ‘Who has been cutting with my knife?’ The seventh, ‘Who has been drinking my wine?’ Then the first looked round and said,


‘Who has been  lying on  my  bed?’ And  the  rest came running  to  him, and everyone cried out  that somebody had been upon his  bed. But the seventh saw Snowdrop, and called all his brethren to  come and see her; and they cried out with wonder and astonishment and brought their lamps to  look at her,  and said, ‘Good heavens!  what a lovely child she is!’ And they were very glad to see her, and took care not to wake her; and the seventh dwarf slept an hour  with  each of the  other  dwarfs in turn,  till the night was gone.
In the morning Snowdrop told them all her story; and they  pitied  her, and said if she would keep all things in order, and cook and wash and knit and spin for them, she might stay where she was, and they would take good care of her. Then  they went out all day  long to their work, seeking  for   gold   and   silver  in   the   mountains:  but Snowdrop was left at home;  and they warned her,  and said, ‘The queen will soon find out where you are, so take care and let no one in.’
But the queen, now that she thought  Snowdrop was dead, believed that she must be the handsomest lady in the land; and she went to her glass and said:


’Tell me, glass, tell me true! Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest, tell me, who?’

And the glass answered:
’Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land: But over the hills, in the greenwood shade,
Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, There Snowdrop is hiding her head; and she
Is lovelier far, O queen! than thee.’

Then  the  queen  was very much  frightened; for  she knew  that  the glass always spoke the truth, and was sure that the servant had betrayed her. And she could not bear to think that anyone lived  who was more beautiful than she was; so she dressed herself  up as  an old pedlar, and went her way over the hills, to the place where the dwarfs dwelt. Then  she knocked at the  door,  and cried, ‘Fine wares to sell!’ Snowdrop looked out at the window, and said, ‘Good  day, good woman! what have you to  sell?’
‘Good wares, fine wares,’ said she; ‘laces and bobbins of all colours.’ ‘I will let the old lady in; she seems to be a very good sort of body,’  thought Snowdrop, as she ran down and unbolted the door. ‘Bless  me!’ said the old woman,
‘how badly your stays are laced! Let me lace them up with one of  my  nice new laces.’ Snowdrop did not dream of any mischief; so she stood before the old woman; but she


set to work so nimbly, and pulled the lace so tight, that Snowdrop’s breath was stopped, and she fell down as if she were dead. ‘There’s an  end  to  all thy beauty,’ said the spiteful queen, and went away home.
In the  evening the  seven dwarfs came home;  and I need not  say how grieved they were to see their faithful Snowdrop stretched  out upon  the ground, as  if she was quite dead. However, they  lifted  her up, and when they found what ailed her, they cut the lace; and in a little time she began to breathe, and very soon came to life  again. Then  they said, ‘The old woman was the queen herself; take  care another time, and let no one in when we are away.’
When the queen got home, she went straight to her glass, and spoke to it as before; but to her great grief it still said:
’Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land: But over the hills, in the greenwood shade,
Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, There Snowdrop is hiding her head; and she
Is lovelier far, O queen! than thee.’

Then the blood ran cold in her heart with spite and malice, to  see that Snowdrop still lived; and she dressed herself up again, but  in  quite another dress from the one


she wore  before, and took  with  her  a poisoned comb. When she reached the dwarfs’ cottage, she knocked at the door, and cried, ‘Fine wares to sell!’ But Snowdrop said, ‘I dare not let anyone in.’ Then the queen said, ‘Only look at my beautiful combs!’ and gave her the  poisoned one. And it looked so pretty, that she took it up and put it into her hair to try it; but the moment it touched her head, the poison was so powerful that she fell down senseless. ‘There you may lie,’ said  the queen, and went her way. But by good luck the dwarfs came in very early that evening; and when  they  saw Snowdrop  lying  on  the  ground,  they thought what had happened, and soon found the poisoned comb. And when they took it away she got well, and told them all that had passed; and they warned her once more not to open the door to anyone.
Meantime  the  queen  went  home  to  her  glass, and shook  with rage when she read the very same answer as before; and she said, ‘Snowdrop shall die, if it cost me my life.’ So she went by  herself  into her chamber, and got ready a poisoned apple: the  outside  looked very rosy and tempting, but whoever tasted it was sure to die. Then she dressed herself up as  a peasant’s  wife, and  travelled over the hills to the dwarfs’ cottage, and knocked at the door; but Snowdrop put her head out of the window and said, ‘I


dare not let anyone in, for the dwarfs have told me not.’
‘Do as you please,’ said the old woman, ‘but at any rate take  this  pretty  apple;  I  will  give  it  you.’  ‘No,’  said Snowdrop, ‘I dare  not take it.’ ‘You silly girl!’ answered the  other,  ‘what are you  afraid of? Do  you  think  it  is poisoned? Come! do you eat one part,  and I will eat the other.’ Now  the apple was so made up that one side was good,    though     the     other     side    was    poisoned.    Then Snowdrop  was much  tempted  to  taste,   for  the  apple looked so very nice; and when she saw the old  woman eat, she could wait no longer. But she had scarcely put the piece into her mouth, when she fell down dead upon the ground. ‘This time nothing will save thee,’ said the queen; and she went home to her glass, and at last it said:
’Thou, queen, art the fairest of all the fair.’
And then her wicked heart was glad, and as happy as such a heart could be.
When evening came, and the dwarfs had gone home, they  found  Snowdrop  lying on  the  ground:  no  breath came from her lips, and they were afraid that she was quite dead.  They  lifted  her  up,  and  combed  her  hair,  and washed her face with wine and water; but all was in vain, for the little girl seemed quite dead. So they laid her down upon a bier, and all seven watched and bewailed her three


whole days; and then they thought they would bury her: but her cheeks were still rosy; and her face looked just as it did while she was alive; so they said, ‘We will never bury her in the cold ground.’ And they made a coffin of glass, so that they might still look at her, and  wrote upon it in golden letters what  her  name  was, and  that  she  was a king’s daughter. And the coffin was set among the hills, and  one of the dwarfs always sat by it and watched. And the birds of the  air came too, and bemoaned Snowdrop; and first of all came an owl, and then a raven, and at last a dove, and sat by her side.
And thus Snowdrop lay for a long, long time, and still only  looked as  though she was asleep; for she was even now as white as snow, and as red as blood, and as black as ebony.  At last a prince  came and called at the  dwarfs’ house; and he saw Snowdrop, and read what was written in golden letters. Then he offered the dwarfs money, and prayed and besought them to let him take her away; but they said, ‘We will not part with her for all the gold in the world.’ At last, however, they had pity on him, and gave him the coffin; but the moment he lifted it up to carry it home with him, the piece of apple fell from between her lips, and Snowdrop awoke, and said,  ‘Where am I?’ And the prince said, ‘Thou art quite safe with me.’


Then he told her all that had happened, and said, ‘I love you far better than all the world; so come with me to my  father’s palace,   and  you  shall be  my  wife.’ And Snowdrop  consented, and went  home  with  the  prince; and  everything  was  got  ready  with  great   pomp  and splendour for their wedding.
To the feast was asked, among the rest, Snowdrop’s old enemy  the  queen; and as she was dressing herself in fine rich clothes, she looked in the glass and said:
’Tell me, glass, tell me true! Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest, tell me, who?’

And the glass answered:
’Thou, lady, art loveliest here, I ween; But lovelier far is the new-made queen.’

When she heard this she started with rage; but her envy and curiosity were so great, that she could not help setting out to see the bride. And when she got there, and saw that it was no other than Snowdrop, who, as she thought, had been dead a long while, she  choked with rage, and fell down and died: but Snowdrop and the  prince lived and reigned  happily over  that  land many,  many  years;  and sometimes they went up into the mountains, and paid a


visit to  the  little  dwarfs,  who  had  been  so  kind  to
Snowdrop in her time of need.

FREDERICK AND CATHERINE

There was once a man called Frederick: he had a wife whose  name was Catherine, and they had not long been married. One  day  Frederick said. ‘Kate! I  am going to work in the fields; when I come back I shall be hungry so let me have something nice cooked, and a good draught of ale.’ ‘Very well,’ said she, ‘it shall all be  ready.’ When dinner-time  drew  nigh,  Catherine  took  a  nice   steak, which was all the meat she had, and put it on the fire to fry. The steak soon began to look brown, and to crackle in the pan; and Catherine stood by with a fork and turned it: then she said to herself, ‘The steak is almost ready, I may as well go to the cellar for the ale.’ So she left the pan on the fire and took a large jug and went into the cellar and tapped  the  ale  cask. The  beer  ran  into  the  jug   and Catherine  stood looking on.  At last it popped into  her head, ‘The dog is not shut up—he may be running away with the steak; that’s well thought of.’ So up she ran from the cellar; and sure  enough the rascally cur had got the steak in his mouth, and was making off with it.
Away ran Catherine, and away ran the dog across the field: but  he ran faster than she, and stuck close to the


steak. ‘It’s all gone,  and ‘what can’t be  cured must be endured’,’ said Catherine. So she turned round; and as she had  run  a good  way  and  was tired,  she walked home leisurely to cool herself.
Now  all  this  time  the  ale  was  running  too,   for Catherine had not turned the cock; and when the jug was full the liquor ran upon the floor till the cask was empty. When  she  got  to  the   cellar   stairs she  saw what  had happened. ‘My stars!’  said she,  ‘what shall I do to keep Frederick  from  seeing all this  slopping  about?’  So  she thought a while; and at last remembered that there was a sack of fine meal bought at the last fair, and that if she sprinkled this over  the  floor it  would  suck up  the  ale nicely.  ‘What a lucky thing,’ said she, ‘that we kept that meal! we have now a good use for it.’ So away she went for it: but she managed to set it down just upon the great jug full of beer, and upset it; and thus all the ale that had been saved was set swimming on the floor also. ‘Ah! well,’ said she, ‘when  one  goes another  may as  well  follow.’ Then  she strewed the meal all about the cellar, and was quite  pleased with  her  cleverness, and said, ‘How  very neat and clean it looks!’
At noon Frederick came home. ‘Now, wife,’ cried he,
‘what have you for dinner?’ ‘O  Frederick!’ answered she,
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‘I was cooking you a steak; but while I went down  to draw the  ale, the dog ran away with it; and while I ran after him, the ale ran out; and when I went to dry up the ale with the sack of meal that we got at the fair, I upset the jug: but the cellar is now quite dry, and  looks so clean!’
‘Kate, Kate,’ said he, ‘how could you do all this?’ Why did you leave  the steak to fry, and the ale to run, and then spoil all the meal?’  ‘Why, Frederick,’ said she, ‘I did not know  I  was  doing  wrong;  you  should  have  told  me before.’
The husband thought to himself, ‘If my wife manages matters  thus, I must look sharp myself.’ Now  he had a good deal of gold  in  the house: so he said to Catherine,
‘What pretty yellow buttons these are! I shall put them into a box and bury them in the garden; but take care that you never go near or meddle with them.’ ‘No, Frederick,’ said she, ‘that I never will.’ As soon as he was gone, there came by some pedlars with earthenware plates and dishes, and they asked her whether she would buy. ‘Oh dear me, I should like to buy very much, but I have no money: if you had any use for yellow buttons, I might deal with you.’  ‘Yellow buttons!’ said they: ‘let us have a look at them.’ ‘Go into the garden and dig where I tell you, and you will find the yellow buttons: I dare not go myself.’ So


the rogues went: and when they found what these yellow buttons were, they took them all away, and left her plenty of plates and dishes. Then she set them all about the house for a show: and when Frederick came back, he cried out,
‘Kate, what have you been doing?’ ‘See,’ said she, ‘I have bought  all  these with your yellow buttons: but I did not touch them myself;  the pedlars went themselves and dug them up.’ ‘Wife, wife,’ said Frederick, ‘what a pretty piece of work you have made! those yellow buttons were all my money:  how  came  you  to  do  such  a  thing?’  ‘Why,’ answered she, ‘I did not know there was any harm in  it; you should have told me.’
Catherine stood musing for a while, and at last said to her  husband, ‘Hark ye, Frederick, we will soon get the gold back: let us run after the thieves.’ ‘Well, we will try,’ answered he; ‘but take some butter and cheese with you, that we may have something to  eat by the way.’ ‘Very well,’ said she; and they set out: and as  Frederick walked the fastest, he left his wife some way behind. ‘It does not matter,’ thought  she: ‘when we turn back, I shall  be so much nearer home than he.’
Presently she came to the top of a hill, down the side of which  there was a road so narrow that the cart wheels always chafed the  trees on each side as they passed. ‘Ah,


see now,’ said she, ‘how they have bruised and wounded those  poor  trees; they will never get well.’ So she took pity on them, and made use of the butter to grease them all, so that  the  wheels  might  not  hurt  them  so much. While she was doing this kind  office one of her cheeses fell out of the basket, and rolled down the hill. Catherine looked, but could not see where it had gone; so she said,
‘Well, I suppose the other will go the same way and find you; he has younger legs than I have.’ Then she rolled the other cheese after  it; and away it went,  nobody  knows where, down the hill. But she said she supposed that they knew the road, and would follow her, and she could not stay there all day waiting for them.
At last she overtook Frederick, who desired her to give him  something to eat. Then she gave him the dry bread.
‘Where are the butter and cheese?’ said he. ‘Oh!’ answered she, ‘I  used the butter to grease those poor trees that the wheels chafed so:  and one of the cheeses ran away so I sent the other after it to find  it, and I suppose they are both on the road together somewhere.’ ‘What a goose you are to do such silly things!’ said the husband.  ‘How can you say so?’ said she; ‘I am sure you never told me not.’
They ate the dry bread together; and Frederick said,
‘Kate, I hope you locked the door safe when you came


away.’ ‘No,’ answered she, ‘you did not tell me.’ ‘Then go home,  and  do  it  now  before  we  go  any  farther,’ said Frederick, ‘and bring with you something to eat.’
Catherine did as he told her, and thought to herself by the way,  ‘Frederick wants something to eat; but I don’t think he is very fond of butter and cheese: I’ll bring him a bag of fine nuts, and the vinegar, for I have often seen him take some.’
When she reached home, she bolted the back door, but the front door she took off the hinges, and said, ‘Frederick told me to lock the door, but surely it can nowhere be so safe if I take it with me.’ So she took her time by the way; and when she overtook her husband she cried out, ‘There, Frederick, there is the door  itself, you may  watch  it as carefully  as you please.’  ‘Alas! alas!’ said he, ‘what a clever wife I have! I sent you to make the house fast, and you take the door away, so that everybody may go in and out as they  please—however, as you have brought the door, you shall carry it  about with you for your pains.’ ‘Very well,’ answered she, ‘I’ll carry the door; but I’ll not carry the nuts and vinegar bottle also—that would be too much of a load; so if you please, I’ll fasten them to the door.’
Frederick of course made no objection to that plan, and they set off into the wood to look for the thieves; but they


could not find them: and when it grew dark, they climbed up into a tree to spend the night there. Scarcely were they up, than who  should  come by but the very rogues they were looking for. They  were in truth  great rascals,  and belonged to that class of people  who  find things before they are lost; they were tired; so they sat down and made a fire under the very tree where Frederick and  Catherine were.  Frederick  slipped down  on  the  other  side,  and picked up some stones. Then  he climbed up again, and tried to hit  the thieves on the head with them: but they only said, ‘It must be  near morning, for the wind shakes the fir-apples down.’
Catherine, who had the door on her shoulder, began to be very tired; but she thought it was the nuts upon it that were so heavy: so she said softly, ‘Frederick, I must let the nuts go.’ ‘No,’ answered he, ‘not now, they will discover us.’ ‘I can’t help that: they must go.’  ‘Well, then, make haste and  throw  them  down,  if you  will.’  Then  away rattled the nuts down among the boughs and one of the thieves cried, ‘Bless me, it is hailing.’
A little while after, Catherine thought the door was still very heavy: so she whispered to Frederick, ‘I must throw the  vinegar  down.’  ‘Pray don’t,’  answered he,  ‘it  will discover us.’ ‘I can’t  help that,’ said she, ‘go it must.’ So


she poured  all the  vinegar down;  and the  thieves said,
‘What a heavy dew there is!’
At last it popped into Catherine’s head that it was the door itself that was so heavy all the time: so she whispered,
‘Frederick, I must throw  the door  down  soon.’ But he begged  and prayed her not to do so, for he was sure it would betray them.  ‘Here goes, however,’ said she: and down went the door with such a clatter upon the thieves, that they cried out ‘Murder!’ and not  knowing what was coming, ran away as  fast as  they could, and left  all the gold. So when Frederick and Catherine came down, there they found all their money safe and sound.