The Cat and the Fox
A free B2-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
A fox and cat argue about their cleverness while on a pilgrimage — until hounds chase them, and the cat's one simple trick saves him while the fox's hundred ruses fail.
The cat and the fox, in the manner of good little saints, started out upon a pilgrimage. They were both humbugs, arch-hypocrites, two downright highwaymen, who for the expenses of their journey indemnified themselves by seeing who could devour the most fowls and gobble the most cheese.
Si kucing dan si rubah, dengan gaya para santo kecil yang saleh, memulai sebuah ziarah. Mereka berdua adalah penipu, munafik sejati, dua perampok jalanan yang sesungguhnya, yang untuk menutup biaya perjalanan mereka saling menguji siapa yang bisa melahap unggas paling banyak dan melahap keju paling banyak.
The way was long and therefore wearisome, so they shortened it by arguing. Argumentation is a great help. Without it one would go to sleep. Our pilgrims shouted themselves hoarse. Then having argued themselves out, they talked of other things.
Perjalanan itu panjang dan karenanya melelahkan, maka mereka mempersingkatnya dengan berdebat. Berdebat adalah bantuan yang besar. Tanpanya orang akan tertidur. Para peziarah kita berteriak-teriak hingga serak. Setelah puas berdebat, mereka pun membicarakan hal-hal lain.
At length the fox said to the cat, "You pretend that you're very clever. Do you know as much as I? I have a hundred ruses up my sleeve."
Akhirnya si rubah berkata kepada si kucing, "Kau berpura-pura sangat pintar. Apakah kau tahu sebanyak yang kutahu? Aku punya seratus tipu daya di balik lenganku."
"No," answered the cat, "I have but one; but that is always ready to hand, and I maintain that it is worth a thousand other dodges."
"Tidak," jawab si kucing, "aku hanya punya satu; tetapi itu selalu siap sedia, dan aku yakin itu bernilai seribu tipu daya lainnya."
Then they fell again to disputing one against the other on each side of the question, the whys and the wherefores, raising their voices higher and higher. Presently the sudden appearance of a pack of hounds stopped their noise.
Kemudian mereka kembali bertengkar, saling berbantah dari kedua sisi persoalan itu, alasan dan sebab-musababnya, dengan suara yang makin lama makin keras. Tak lama kemudian munculnya sekawanan anjing pemburu secara tiba-tiba menghentikan keributan mereka.
The cat said to the fox, "Now, my friend, ransack that cunning brain of yours for one of your thousand ruses. Fetch down from your sleeve one of those certain stratagems. As for me, this is my dodge." So saying, he bounded to a tall tree and climbed to its top with alacrity.
Si kucing berkata kepada si rubah, "Nah, sahabatku, gali-gali otak licikmu itu untuk salah satu dari seribu tipu dayamu. Keluarkan dari balik lenganmu salah satu dari tipu muslihat pastimu itu. Adapun aku, ini tipu dayaku." Sambil berkata begitu, ia melompat ke sebatang pohon tinggi dan memanjat ke puncaknya dengan gesit.
The fox tried a hundred futile doublings; ran into a hundred holes; put the hounds at fault a hundred times; tried everywhere to find a safe place of retreat, but everywhere failed between being smoked out of one and driven out of another by the hounds. Finally, as he came out of a hole two nimble dogs set upon him and strangled him at the first grip.
Si rubah mencoba seratus manuver yang sia-sia; berlari ke dalam seratus lubang; membuat anjing-anjing pemburu itu kebingungan seratus kali; mencoba di mana-mana mencari tempat berlindung yang aman, tetapi selalu gagal, antara terusir keluar dari satu lubang karena diasapi dan diusir dari lubang lain oleh anjing-anjing pemburu. Akhirnya, ketika ia keluar dari sebuah lubang, dua ekor anjing yang gesit menerkamnya dan mencekiknya pada cengkeraman pertama.
Too many expedients may spoil the business. One loses time in choosing between them and in trying too many. Have only one; but let it be a good one.
Terlalu banyak akal bisa merusak segalanya. Orang kehilangan waktu memilih di antaranya dan mencoba terlalu banyak cara. Milikilah hanya satu; tetapi pastikan itu yang terbaik.
