The Small Pumpkin

Alba grows pumpkins in her garden. This year she wants to win the town contest. The prize is for the biggest pumpkin. She waters her pumpkin every day. She even talks to it.

Alba menanam labu di kebunnya. Tahun ini ia ingin memenangkan kontes di kotanya. Hadiahnya untuk labu terbesar. Ia menyiram labunya setiap hari. Ia bahkan mengajaknya bicara.

But the pumpkin stays small. In October, it is as small as a melon. Her neighbor's pumpkin is as big as a chair.

Tetapi labu itu tetap kecil. Pada bulan Oktober, labu itu hanya sebesar melon. Labu tetangganya sebesar kursi.

On contest day, the town square is full. The pumpkins sit in a long line. The judges measure each pumpkin. Alba puts her pumpkin at the end.

Pada hari kontes, alun-alun kota penuh. Labu-labu berjajar dalam barisan panjang. Para juri mengukur setiap labu. Alba menaruh labunya di ujung.

People look at it and smile. "Is that a pumpkin?" a boy asks.

Orang-orang melihatnya dan tersenyum. "Itu labu?" tanya seorang anak laki-laki.

Alba laughs. "It is a baby," she says.

Alba tertawa. "Ini masih bayi," katanya.

A man with a giant pumpkin wins the big prize. Alba claps for him. She does not win.

Seorang pria dengan labu raksasa memenangkan hadiah besar. Alba bertepuk tangan untuknya. Ia tidak menang.

The next day, the town has a pie contest. Alba has a plan. She cuts her small pumpkin and bakes a pie. The kitchen smells sweet.

Keesokan harinya, kota itu mengadakan kontes pai. Alba punya rencana. Ia memotong labu kecilnya dan memanggang pai. Dapurnya berbau manis.

She puts the pie on the long table. The judges taste it. One judge closes her eyes. Then she writes a big number on her paper.

Ia menaruh pai itu di meja panjang. Para juri mencicipinya. Seorang juri memejamkan matanya. Lalu ia menulis angka besar di kertasnya.

Alba wins the pie table. A judge asks, "What is the secret?"

Alba memenangkan meja pai. Seorang juri bertanya, "Apa rahasianya?"

"A small pumpkin," Alba says. She smiles and cuts the judge a second slice.

"Labu kecil," kata Alba. Ia tersenyum dan memotongkan potongan kedua untuk juri itu.