The Hen Who Called the Canoes

At Marsh Lake Canoe Hire, every boat came home on time. Nobody knew why. The tourists said the lake was friendly. The owner said it was good business. Only Joss and the owner knew the truth.

Di Marsh Lake Canoe Hire, setiap perahu pulang tepat waktu. Tidak ada yang tahu mengapa. Para turis mengatakan danau itu ramah. Pemiliknya mengatakan itu bisnis yang bagus. Hanya Joss dan sang pemilik yang tahu kebenarannya.

The truth sat on the counter, next to the cash box. It was an egg timer. It had the shape of a tin hen. She had a small beak and a small key in her back. When Joss turned the key, the hen ticked. When her time ended, she clucked three times. Then every canoe on the lake turned toward the dock. It felt as if a rope pulled it home.

Kebenaran itu duduk di atas meja kasir, di samping kotak uang. Sebuah pengatur waktu telur. Bentuknya seperti ayam betina dari timah. Ia punya paruh kecil dan sebuah kunci kecil di punggungnya. Ketika Joss memutar kuncinya, si ayam berdetak. Ketika waktunya habis, ia berkokok tiga kali. Lalu setiap kano di danau berbalik menuju dermaga. Rasanya seperti ada tali yang menariknya pulang.

Joss was sixteen, and this was his first summer job. He loved the hen. He loved how gently the canoes swung around. No tourist ever felt it. But he told nobody about her. The owner asked him not to.

Joss berusia enam belas tahun, dan ini pekerjaan musim panas pertamanya. Ia menyayangi si ayam. Ia menyukai cara kano-kano itu berputar dengan lembut. Tidak ada turis yang pernah merasakannya. Tetapi ia tidak memberi tahu siapa pun tentang ayam itu. Sang pemilik memintanya begitu.

Well, he told almost nobody. He told Yaw.

Yah, ia hampir tidak memberi tahu siapa pun. Ia memberi tahu Yaw.

Yaw was Joss's best friend. He came to the dock every afternoon. He ate sunflower seeds and gave advice. He did not believe in magic. "A timer is a timer," he liked to say. "Tin is tin."

Yaw adalah sahabat Joss. Ia datang ke dermaga setiap sore. Ia makan biji bunga matahari dan memberi nasihat. Ia tidak percaya pada sihir. "Pengatur waktu ya pengatur waktu," ia suka berkata. "Timah ya timah."

On Friday, the owner drove to town at four o'clock. "The last hire goes out at half past four," she said. "Wind the hen carefully. She is older than both of you."

Pada hari Jumat, sang pemilik pergi ke kota pukul empat. "Penyewaan terakhir berangkat pukul setengah lima," katanya. "Putar si ayam dengan hati-hati. Dia lebih tua daripada kalian berdua."

"I always do," said Joss.

"Aku selalu begitu," kata Joss.

When she was gone, Yaw laughed. "You are so serious about a toy."

Setelah ia pergi, Yaw tertawa. "Kamu serius sekali soal mainan."

"She is not a toy."

"Dia bukan mainan."

"Show me, then. Wind her up. Let me see the great magic."

"Kalau begitu tunjukkan. Putar dia. Biar aku lihat sihir hebatnya."

Joss wanted to prove it. He took the key and turned it. He turned it again, and again, harder each time. He wanted the hen to be loud for his friend. Then something inside went snap. The key spun round in his fingers with nothing to stop it.

Joss ingin membuktikannya. Ia mengambil kunci itu dan memutarnya. Ia memutarnya lagi, dan lagi, makin keras setiap kali. Ia ingin si ayam berbunyi keras untuk temannya. Lalu sesuatu di dalamnya berbunyi krak. Kunci itu berputar bebas di jarinya tanpa ada yang menahan.

"Oh no," said Joss.

"Oh tidak," kata Joss.

"What?"

"Apa?"

"I think I broke her spring."

"Kurasa aku mematahkan pegasnya."

Yaw stopped chewing. "Is that bad?"

Yaw berhenti mengunyah. "Itu buruk?"

Before Joss could answer, a family came down the dock. A dad and two small children wanted the last canoe. They wore orange life jackets. "One hour, please," said the dad.

Sebelum Joss sempat menjawab, sebuah keluarga datang menyusuri dermaga. Seorang ayah dan dua anak kecil menginginkan kano terakhir. Mereka memakai jaket pelampung oranye. "Satu jam, tolong," kata sang ayah.

Joss forced a smile. He set the hen to one hour, and the key spun uselessly. She did not tick. But the family was already in the canoe. They pushed away from the dock. Joss hoped for the best.

Joss memaksakan senyum. Ia mengatur si ayam ke satu jam, dan kuncinya berputar sia-sia. Si ayam tidak berdetak. Tetapi keluarga itu sudah berada di dalam kano. Mereka mendorong diri menjauh dari dermaga. Joss berharap yang terbaik.

An hour went by. The sun sank lower and turned the water to gold. At half past five, the hen made a sound. It was not a cluck. It was a tiny click, like a mouse sneezing.

Satu jam berlalu. Matahari turun makin rendah dan mengubah air menjadi keemasan. Pada pukul setengah enam, si ayam mengeluarkan bunyi. Itu bukan kokok. Itu bunyi klik kecil, seperti tikus bersin.

Out on the lake, the canoe did not turn. It floated near the trees by the island. The dad stood up and waved. One of the children dropped something in the water. It was the dad's paddle, and it slid away across the water.

Di tengah danau, kano itu tidak berbalik. Kano itu mengapung di dekat pepohonan di pulau. Sang ayah berdiri dan melambai. Salah satu anak menjatuhkan sesuatu ke air. Itu dayung sang ayah, dan dayung itu hanyut menjauh di atas air.

"Uh-oh," said Yaw.

"Aduh," kata Yaw.

"We have a problem," said Joss.

"Kita punya masalah," kata Joss.

He ran to the end of the dock. He rang the big brass bell. The sound rolled out over the lake. The dad waved again. He thought it was a greeting. The canoe went on drifting slowly toward the island.

Ia berlari ke ujung dermaga. Ia membunyikan lonceng kuningan yang besar. Bunyinya bergulung menyeberangi danau. Sang ayah melambai lagi. Ia mengira itu sapaan. Kano itu terus hanyut perlahan menuju pulau.

"Plan B," Yaw said. "I swim out."

"Rencana B," kata Yaw. "Aku berenang ke sana."

"It is far, and the water is cold."

"Jauh, dan airnya dingin."

"Plan C. You fix the hen."

"Rencana C. Kamu perbaiki si ayam."

"I can't. The spring is broken. Only the owner can fix it." Joss pushed both hands into his hair. "The dock closes at six. They will soon be in the dark."

"Aku tidak bisa. Pegasnya patah. Hanya pemiliknya yang bisa memperbaikinya." Joss memasukkan kedua tangan ke rambutnya. "Dermaga tutup pukul enam. Sebentar lagi mereka akan berada dalam gelap."

They looked at the tin hen together. She sat silent on the counter, with her small beak shining.

Mereka memandang ayam timah itu bersama-sama. Ia duduk diam di atas meja, dengan paruh kecilnya yang berkilau.

Then Yaw said slowly, "You told me the hen calls the canoes. Right?"

Lalu Yaw berkata pelan, "Kamu bilang ayam itu memanggil kano-kano. Benar?"

"Right."

"Benar."

"But what makes her call them? Is it the hen? Or is it the end of the time?"

"Tapi apa yang membuatnya memanggil? Si ayam? Atau berakhirnya waktu?"

Joss was silent for a moment. He never thought about that. All summer he believed the magic lived in the tin. But maybe the magic lived in the sound. Maybe it lived in the moment a clock said, time is over.

Joss terdiam sejenak. Ia tidak pernah memikirkan itu. Sepanjang musim panas ia percaya sihirnya ada di dalam timah itu. Tetapi mungkin sihirnya ada di dalam bunyinya. Mungkin ada pada saat sebuah jam berkata, waktu sudah habis.

"A timer is a timer," Joss said softly.

"Pengatur waktu ya pengatur waktu," kata Joss lirih.

"Exactly. Say it with me."

"Tepat. Katakan bersamaku."

They ran to the kitchen behind the dock. On the shelf above the sink sat three more timers. There was a plastic tomato with a loud beep. There was a yellow chick that went ding. And there was a small wind-up pig that squealed like a gate.

Mereka berlari ke dapur di belakang dermaga. Di rak di atas bak cuci ada tiga pengatur waktu lain. Ada tomat plastik dengan bip yang nyaring. Ada anak ayam kuning yang berbunyi ting. Dan ada babi kecil putar kunci yang menjerit seperti gerbang.

Yaw grabbed the pig and the chick. Joss took the tomato. They ran back to the end of the dock. They stood side by side. They twisted all three dials to one minute.

Yaw menyambar si babi dan si anak ayam. Joss mengambil si tomat. Mereka berlari kembali ke ujung dermaga. Mereka berdiri berdampingan. Mereka memutar ketiga tombol ke satu menit.

For a short time, nothing happened. The lake lay flat and shining. The family drifted. A bird cried far away.

Sesaat, tidak terjadi apa-apa. Danau terbentang datar dan berkilau. Keluarga itu terus hanyut. Seekor burung menjerit jauh di sana.

Then the tomato beeped. The chick went ding. The pig squealed, and it went on squealing. All three made their noises together in one wild, silly noise.

Lalu si tomat berbunyi bip. Si anak ayam berbunyi ting. Si babi menjerit, dan terus menjerit. Ketiganya mengeluarkan bunyi mereka bersamaan menjadi satu keributan liar yang konyol.

Out on the water, the canoe shivered. Then slowly, it swung around. Its nose pointed straight at the dock. It began to glide, quietly and smoothly. No one paddled.

Di atas air, kano itu bergetar. Lalu perlahan, ia berputar. Hidungnya menunjuk lurus ke dermaga. Ia mulai meluncur, tenang dan mulus. Tidak ada yang mendayung.

"It works!" Yaw shouted. "It really works!"

"Berhasil!" teriak Yaw. "Benar-benar berhasil!"

The dad sat very still in the middle of the canoe. His mouth was open. The two children cheered. The canoe slid into the dock. The smaller child pointed at the timers.

Sang ayah duduk sangat diam di tengah kano. Mulutnya ternganga. Kedua anak itu bersorak. Kano itu meluncur ke dermaga. Anak yang lebih kecil menunjuk pengatur waktu itu.

"We heard chickens!" she said happily. "And a pig!"

"Kami dengar ayam!" katanya gembira. "Dan babi!"

"And a tomato," said the other child.

"Dan tomat," kata anak yang satunya.

The dad climbed out and looked at Joss. He looked at the lake. He looked at the three small timers. "Thank you," he said at last. "I think." He took his children by the hands. They walked away along the dock. Twice he looked back over his shoulder.

Sang ayah turun dan menatap Joss. Ia menatap danau. Ia menatap ketiga pengatur waktu kecil itu. "Terima kasih," katanya akhirnya. "Kurasa." Ia menggandeng tangan kedua anaknya. Mereka berjalan pergi menyusuri dermaga. Dua kali ia menoleh ke belakang.

When the family was gone, Joss sat down hard on the dock. His legs felt like water. Yaw sat beside him. He put the pig, the chick, and the tomato in a row.

Setelah keluarga itu pergi, Joss terduduk keras di dermaga. Kakinya terasa seperti air. Yaw duduk di sampingnya. Ia menata si babi, si anak ayam, dan si tomat berderet.

"So," said Yaw. "I was wrong."

"Jadi," kata Yaw. "Aku salah."

"A little."

"Sedikit."

"Only a little." Yaw picked up the tin hen and looked at her closely. "What do we tell the owner about her spring?"

"Cuma sedikit." Yaw mengambil ayam timah itu dan memandanginya dari dekat. "Apa yang kita katakan pada pemilik soal pegasnya?"

"The truth. Mostly." Joss took a deep breath. "And tomorrow we ask her to fix the hen."

"Yang sebenarnya. Sebagian besar." Joss menarik napas dalam-dalam. "Dan besok kita minta dia memperbaiki si ayam."

Yaw grinned and shook the pig until it squealed. "Next summer," he said, "we buy a whole farm of timers."

Yaw nyengir dan mengocok si babi sampai menjerit. "Musim panas depan," katanya, "kita beli satu peternakan penuh pengatur waktu."