The Heron Lantern and the Oar

It is the last afternoon before the Festival of Lights. Ximena's workshop is full of paper, glue and thin bamboo. Many lanterns hang from the roof. They glow in blue and gold and green.

Ini sore terakhir sebelum Festival Cahaya. Bengkel Ximena penuh dengan kertas, lem, dan bambu tipis. Banyak lampion tergantung dari atap. Lampion-lampion itu bersinar biru, emas, dan hijau.

In the middle of the room stands the biggest lantern of all. It is a heron, taller than two people. Its wings are white silk. Its eyes are two small round lamps.

Di tengah ruangan berdiri lampion terbesar dari semuanya. Itu seekor bangau, lebih tinggi daripada dua orang. Sayapnya dari sutra putih. Matanya dua lampu bundar kecil.

Ximena makes one great lantern every year. Tonight, the town will see it.

Ximena membuat satu lampion besar setiap tahun. Malam ini, seluruh kota akan melihatnya.

Egon walks in with a long wooden shape on his shoulder. It is an oar. The blade is pale and worn. One side has a deep scratch.

Egon masuk dengan benda kayu panjang di bahunya. Itu sebuah dayung. Bilahnya pucat dan aus. Satu sisinya punya goresan dalam.

"I found it behind the boat shed," he says. "It is the only spare oar left."

"Aku menemukannya di belakang gudang perahu," katanya. "Ini satu-satunya dayung cadangan yang tersisa."

"Why an oar?" asks Ximena.

"Kenapa dayung?" tanya Ximena.

"You need something. The heron has no pole, and no steering stick."

"Kamu butuh sesuatu. Bangau itu tidak punya tiang, dan tidak punya tongkat kemudi."

She looks at the heron. He is right. The lantern has a place for a pole under its feet. The old pole broke last week. The wood for a new one is not dry.

Ia memandang bangau itu. Egon benar. Lampion itu punya tempat untuk tiang di bawah kakinya. Tiang lama patah minggu lalu. Kayu untuk tiang baru belum kering.

"So the oar must be the pole," she says.

"Jadi dayung itu harus jadi tiangnya," katanya.

"Or the oar must be an oar," says Egon.

"Atau dayung itu harus tetap jadi dayung," kata Egon.

Ximena frowns. "What do you mean?"

Ximena mengerutkan kening. "Maksudmu?"

"The festival has two ways to end," says Egon. "Some people march the great lantern through the streets. Some people float it down the river in a boat. We have to choose one."

"Festival ini punya dua cara berakhir," kata Egon. "Sebagian orang mengarak lampion besar keliling jalan. Sebagian orang menghanyutkannya di sungai dengan perahu. Kita harus memilih satu."

Ximena knows this already. Each way is good. Neither way is wrong. She has only one oar. She can prepare only one of them.

Ximena sudah tahu itu. Kedua cara itu bagus. Tidak ada yang salah. Ia hanya punya satu dayung. Ia hanya bisa menyiapkan salah satunya.

"If we march," she says, "the oar becomes the pole. Four people carry the heron on the pole. Everyone in town can see it."

"Kalau kita mengarak," katanya, "dayung itu menjadi tiang. Empat orang memikul bangau itu dengan tiang tersebut. Semua orang di kota bisa melihatnya."

"If we float," says Egon, "the oar steers the boat. The heron shines on the water. The river carries the light away."

"Kalau kita menghanyutkan," kata Egon, "dayung itu mengemudikan perahu. Bangau itu bersinar di atas air. Sungai membawa cahayanya pergi."

"Which do you like?"

"Kamu lebih suka yang mana?"

"I like the streets," says Egon. "I want to hear the children shout when it passes."

"Aku suka jalanan," kata Egon. "Aku ingin mendengar anak-anak berteriak ketika lampion itu lewat."

"I like the river," says Ximena. "But I do not know why."

"Aku suka sungai," kata Ximena. "Tapi aku tidak tahu kenapa."

They both go quiet. The lanterns move above them.

Keduanya terdiam. Lampion-lampion bergerak di atas mereka.

Then Ximena has an idea. She lifts the oar. She carries it to the washing trough at the back. It is a long tub of water for her brushes.

Lalu Ximena mendapat ide. Ia mengangkat dayung itu. Ia membawanya ke bak cuci di belakang. Itu bak air panjang untuk kuas-kuasnya.

"What are you doing?" asks Egon.

"Apa yang kamu lakukan?" tanya Egon.

"A test," says Ximena. "A small test with a big answer."

"Sebuah uji coba," kata Ximena. "Uji coba kecil dengan jawaban besar."

She puts the blade of the oar into the water. For a moment nothing happens. Then a soft light begins at the end of the wood. It is a faint silver glow, like the moon on a pond.

Ia memasukkan bilah dayung itu ke dalam air. Sesaat tidak terjadi apa-apa. Lalu cahaya lembut mulai muncul di ujung kayu itu. Sebuah pendar perak yang samar, seperti bulan di atas kolam.

Egon steps closer. The glow runs up the oar to Ximena's hands. It does not hurt. It feels cool and quick, like a fish.

Egon melangkah mendekat. Pendar itu merambat naik di dayung sampai ke tangan Ximena. Rasanya tidak sakit. Rasanya sejuk dan cepat, seperti ikan.

"It knows the water," Ximena whispers.

"Dia mengenal air," bisik Ximena.

"It is an oar," says Egon. "Of course it knows the water."

"Itu dayung," kata Egon. "Tentu saja dia mengenal air."

"No. Look."

"Bukan. Lihat."

Ximena lifts the oar out of the trough. The glow fades at once. She puts a bamboo pole in the tub instead. Nothing happens. The pole is only a pole.

Ximena mengangkat dayung itu keluar dari bak. Pendar itu langsung memudar. Ia memasukkan tiang bambu ke dalam bak sebagai gantinya. Tidak terjadi apa-apa. Tiang itu hanya tiang.

"The oar likes the river," says Egon slowly.

"Dayung itu menyukai sungai," kata Egon pelan.

"And the heron likes it too." Ximena points to the lantern. Its wing lamps blink, one by one. They shine brighter when the oar is near the water.

"Dan bangau itu juga." Ximena menunjuk lampion itu. Lampu-lampu di sayapnya berkedip, satu per satu. Lampu-lampu itu bersinar lebih terang ketika dayung berada di dekat air.

"But the streets," says Egon. He sounds sad. "The children will miss it."

"Tapi jalanan," kata Egon. Suaranya terdengar sedih. "Anak-anak akan kehilangan."

"I know," says Ximena. "A new pole needs a week. We do not have a week."

"Aku tahu," kata Ximena. "Tiang baru butuh waktu seminggu. Kita tidak punya seminggu."

"Then the oar must choose," says Egon.

"Kalau begitu dayung itu yang harus memilih," kata Egon.

"It did," she says. "The oar is special. I cannot use it as a stick."

"Dia sudah memilih," katanya. "Dayung ini istimewa. Aku tidak bisa memakainya sebagai tongkat."

Egon laughs. He puts the oar down on the table and sits beside it.

Egon tertawa. Ia meletakkan dayung itu di atas meja dan duduk di sampingnya.

"All right," he says. "The river. But I have one wish."

"Baiklah," katanya. "Sungai. Tapi aku punya satu permintaan."

"Tell me."

"Katakan."

"Four friends carry the heron down one street. It is a short walk. The children can still see it."

"Empat temanku memikul bangau itu melewati satu jalan. Jaraknya pendek. Anak-anak masih bisa melihatnya."

Ximena thinks about it. This is a good idea. It is not both choices, but it is a kind plan. The heron will pass the school, the market and the old gate. Then it will reach the water.

Ximena memikirkannya. Ini ide yang bagus. Ini bukan kedua pilihan sekaligus, tetapi rencana yang baik hati. Bangau itu akan melewati sekolah, pasar, dan gerbang tua. Lalu ia akan sampai di air.

"One street," she says. "Not the whole town."

"Satu jalan," katanya. "Bukan seluruh kota."

"One street is enough."

"Satu jalan sudah cukup."

They shake hands over the oar. It is heavy and smooth. The light inside it glows once, like a heartbeat.

Mereka berjabat tangan di atas dayung itu. Dayung itu berat dan halus. Cahaya di dalamnya berpendar sekali, seperti detak jantung.

They work until the sun goes down. Egon fixes the heron's wings with new thread. Ximena paints a thin line of gold along the oar's blade. She covers the scratch with silver paint. When she finishes, the oar looks like a piece of the river.

Mereka bekerja sampai matahari terbenam. Egon memperbaiki sayap bangau dengan benang baru. Ximena melukis garis emas tipis di sepanjang bilah dayung. Ia menutupi goresan itu dengan cat perak. Ketika selesai, dayung itu tampak seperti sepotong sungai.

At dusk, the first drums sound outside. The town begins to gather. Voices rise in the street, and children laugh.

Pada senja, tabuhan drum pertama terdengar di luar. Kota mulai berkumpul. Suara-suara meninggi di jalan, dan anak-anak tertawa.

Ximena holds the oar in both hands. Egon and three friends lift the heron by its base. The wings catch the light of every lantern on the wall.

Ximena memegang dayung itu dengan kedua tangan. Egon dan tiga temannya mengangkat bangau itu dari dasarnya. Sayap-sayapnya menangkap cahaya setiap lampion di dinding.

At the workshop door, Ximena stops. The river waits at the end of the road. It is dark and quiet and wide. She feels the oar warm in her palms.

Di pintu bengkel, Ximena berhenti. Sungai menunggu di ujung jalan. Sungai itu gelap, sunyi, dan lebar. Ia merasakan dayung itu hangat di telapak tangannya.

"Egon," she says. "Do you want to steer, or do I?"

"Egon," katanya. "Kamu yang mengemudi, atau aku?"