The Parrot at the Door

Sana's uncle has a green parrot called Kiwi. Her uncle is on a trip for ten days. Kiwi stays with Sana's family. Sana's mother puts the cage in the living room.

Paman Sana punya seekor burung beo hijau bernama Kiwi. Paman sedang bepergian selama sepuluh hari. Kiwi tinggal bersama keluarga Sana. Ibu Sana meletakkan sangkarnya di ruang tamu.

On the first day, everything is fine. Kiwi eats seeds and says, "Hello." He says it to the lamp. He says it to the couch. He says it to the shoes by the door.

Pada hari pertama, semuanya baik-baik saja. Kiwi makan biji-bijian dan berkata, "Halo." Dia mengatakannya kepada lampu. Dia mengatakannya kepada sofa. Dia mengatakannya kepada sepatu-sepatu di dekat pintu.

On the second morning, the doorbell rings. Ding-dong. Sana runs to the door and opens it. Nobody is there. She looks left and right. The street is empty. "Strange," she says.

Pada pagi kedua, bel pintu berbunyi. Ting-tong. Sana berlari ke pintu dan membukanya. Tidak ada siapa-siapa. Dia menoleh ke kiri dan ke kanan. Jalanan sepi. "Aneh," katanya.

She goes back to her cereal. Two minutes later, the bell rings again. Ding-dong. Sana's father walks to the door. He opens it. Nobody is there. "Maybe it is a child," he says.

Dia kembali ke sereal sarapannya. Dua menit kemudian, bel berbunyi lagi. Ting-tong. Ayah Sana berjalan ke pintu. Dia membukanya. Tidak ada siapa-siapa. "Mungkin ada anak kecil," katanya.

"A child plays a game."

"Anak-anak suka bermain."

"I think the bell is broken," says Sana.

"Kurasa belnya rusak," kata Sana.

They check the bell. It is fine. When they push it, it makes the same sound. But there is something odd. When the bell rings, the parrot is always quiet. He looks at them with one black eye.

Mereka memeriksa bel itu. Belnya baik-baik saja. Saat ditekan, bunyinya sama saja. Tetapi ada hal yang aneh. Setiap kali bel berbunyi, si beo selalu diam. Dia menatap mereka dengan satu mata hitamnya.

By noon, the bell rings six times. Every time, someone goes to the door. Every time, there is no one. Sana's mother is tired and a little angry. She looks through the window first.

Menjelang siang, bel sudah berbunyi enam kali. Setiap kali, ada yang pergi ke pintu. Setiap kali, tidak ada siapa pun. Ibu Sana lelah dan sedikit kesal. Sekarang dia mengintip lewat jendela lebih dulu.

At one o'clock, the bell rings. Sana looks at the parrot. His beak is open. His small head moves up and down. She hears the sound come out of him. Ding-dong. "Mama!" she shouts.

Pada pukul satu, bel berbunyi. Sana menatap si beo. Paruhnya terbuka. Kepala kecilnya bergerak naik turun. Dia mendengar bunyi itu keluar dari tubuhnya. Ting-tong. "Ibu!" teriaknya.

"It is Kiwi!" Her mother comes in. She has a spoon in her hand.

"Itu Kiwi!" Ibunya masuk. Dia memegang sendok di tangannya.

"What?"

"Apa?"

"Kiwi rings the bell," says Sana.

"Kiwi yang membunyikan bel," kata Sana.

"He does it with his mouth." Her mother stares at the parrot. The parrot stares back. Then he makes the sound again. He does it slowly. Ding-dong.

"Dia melakukannya dengan mulutnya." Ibunya menatap si beo. Si beo balas menatapnya. Lalu dia membuat bunyi itu lagi. Dia melakukannya dengan pelan. Ting-tong.

"You," says her mother, "are a very bad bird."

"Kamu," kata ibunya, "burung yang sangat nakal."

"Hello," says Kiwi.

"Halo," kata Kiwi.

"Do not say hello to me," says her mother.

"Jangan bilang halo kepadaku," kata ibunya.

Sana laughs until her stomach hurts. Her father laughs too, from the hall. Her mother tries to look serious. But she smiles.

Sana tertawa sampai perutnya sakit. Ayahnya juga tertawa, dari lorong. Ibunya berusaha tampak serius. Tetapi dia tersenyum.

For the next two days, they ignore Kiwi's bell. It is not easy. The sound is the same as the real one. Every time it rings, Sana's feet want to run. She learns to wait for one more second. She learns to look at Kiwi first.

Selama dua hari berikutnya, mereka mengabaikan bel Kiwi. Itu tidak mudah. Bunyinya sama dengan bel yang asli. Setiap kali berbunyi, kaki Sana ingin berlari. Dia belajar menunggu satu detik lagi. Dia belajar melihat Kiwi lebih dulu.

On the fourth day, a real visitor comes. The postman knocks and then pushes the bell. Ding-dong. Nobody moves. The family sits on the couch and drinks tea. "It is Kiwi," says Sana's father. "It is Kiwi," says her mother.

Pada hari keempat, seorang tamu sungguhan datang. Tukang pos itu mengetuk, lalu menekan bel. Ting-tong. Tidak ada yang bergerak. Keluarga itu duduk di sofa dan minum teh. "Itu Kiwi," kata ayah Sana. "Itu Kiwi," kata ibunya.

The bell rings again. The postman knocks harder. Kiwi looks at the door and says, "Come in!" Sana jumps up.

Bel berbunyi lagi. Tukang pos mengetuk lebih keras. Kiwi menoleh ke pintu dan berkata, "Masuk!" Sana melompat berdiri.

"It is a real man," she says.

"Itu orang sungguhan," katanya.

"Open the door!" Her mother runs. The postman stands outside with a box. He looks cold.

"Buka pintunya!" Ibunya berlari. Tukang pos berdiri di luar membawa sebuah kotak. Dia tampak kedinginan.

"Did someone call me?" he asks.

"Tadi ada yang memanggil saya?" tanyanya.

"Yes," says Sana's mother.

"Ya," kata ibu Sana.

"Our parrot did."

"Beo kami yang memanggil."

The postman looks past her into the living room. Kiwi bows his head, as if he is proud. "A very nice parrot," says the postman.

Tukang pos melihat melewatinya ke ruang tamu. Kiwi menundukkan kepala, seakan-akan bangga. "Beo yang bagus sekali," kata tukang pos itu.

"He has a fine voice."

"Suaranya merdu."

"He has too many voices," says Sana's mother.

"Suaranya terlalu banyak," kata ibu Sana.

The postman leaves. They put Kiwi's cage in the back room. It is quieter there, and the bell sounds far away. But Sana misses the bird. Before dinner, she brings the cage back. She hangs a blue cloth over it. At night, she sits on the floor. She whispers to him. "Kiwi, say my name."

Tukang pos itu pergi. Mereka memindahkan sangkar Kiwi ke ruang belakang. Di sana lebih tenang, dan bunyi bel terdengar jauh. Tetapi Sana merindukan si burung. Sebelum makan malam, dia membawa sangkar itu kembali. Dia menutupinya dengan kain biru. Malam itu, dia duduk di lantai. Dia berbisik kepada si beo. "Kiwi, sebut namaku."

Kiwi looks at her for a moment. Then he opens his beak. In her mother's voice, he says, "Sana, dinner!" Sana laughs loudly. Her mother comes to the door.

Kiwi menatapnya sejenak. Lalu dia membuka paruhnya. Dengan suara ibu Sana, dia berkata, "Sana, makan malam!" Sana tertawa keras. Ibunya datang ke ambang pintu.

"What is it?" asks her mother.

"Ada apa?" tanya ibunya.

"Nothing," says Sana.

"Tidak ada apa-apa," kata Sana.

"Kiwi did it again." Her mother crosses her arms.

"Kiwi berulah lagi." Ibunya melipat tangan.

"Did what?"

"Berulah apa?"

Kiwi says, "Ding-dong," and Sana's mother cannot help herself. She laughs too.

Kiwi berkata, "Ting-tong," dan ibu Sana tidak bisa menahan diri. Dia pun tertawa.