The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Flower

Long, long ago there lived an old man and his wife who supported themselves by cultivating a small plot of land. Their life had been a very happy and peaceful one save for one great sorrow, and this was they had no child. Their only pet was a dog named Shiro, and on him they lavished all the affection of their old age. Indeed, they loved him so much that whenever they had anything nice to eat they denied themselves to give it to Shiro. Now Shiro means “white,” and he was so called because of his color. He was a real Japanese dog, and very like a small wolf in appearance.

Dahulu kala hiduplah seorang pria tua dan istrinya yang menghidupi diri mereka dengan menggarap sebidang kecil tanah. Hidup mereka sangat bahagia dan tenang kecuali satu kesedihan besar, yaitu mereka tidak memiliki anak. Satu-satunya hewan peliharaan mereka adalah seekor anjing bernama Shiro, dan kepadanya mereka mencurahkan segala kasih sayang di usia tua mereka. Bahkan, mereka begitu menyayanginya sehingga setiap kali mereka memiliki sesuatu yang enak untuk dimakan, mereka menahan diri demi memberikannya kepada Shiro. Shiro berarti "putih," dan ia disebut demikian karena warnanya. Ia adalah anjing Jepang asli, dan sangat mirip seekor serigala kecil dalam rupanya.

The happiest hour of the day both for the old man and his dog was when the man returned from his work in the field, and having finished his frugal supper of rice and vegetables, would take what he had saved from the meal out to the little veranda that ran round the cottage. Sure enough, Shiro was waiting for his master and the evening tit-bit. Then the old man said “Chin, chin!” and Shiro sat up and begged, and his master gave him the food.

Saat paling membahagiakan sepanjang hari, baik bagi pria tua itu maupun anjingnya, adalah ketika sang pria pulang dari kerjanya di ladang, dan setelah menyelesaikan makan malamnya yang sederhana berupa nasi dan sayuran, membawa apa yang telah ia sisihkan dari makanannya ke teras kecil yang mengelilingi pondok itu. Benar saja, Shiro sudah menunggu tuannya dan camilan malam itu. Kemudian pria tua itu berkata "Chin, chin!" dan Shiro duduk dan memohon, lalu tuannya memberinya makanan itu.

Next door to this good old couple there lived another old man and his wife who were both wicked and cruel, and who hated their good neighbors and the dog Shiro with all their might. Whenever Shiro happened to look into their kitchen they at once kicked him or threw something at him, sometimes even wounding him.

Di sebelah pasangan tua yang baik ini tinggal pasangan tua lainnya yang keduanya jahat dan kejam, yang membenci tetangga baik mereka dan anjing Shiro sepenuh hati. Setiap kali Shiro kebetulan mengintip ke dapur mereka, mereka segera menendangnya atau melempar sesuatu kepadanya, kadang bahkan melukainya.

One day Shiro was heard barking for a long time in the field at the back of his master’s house. The old man, thinking that perhaps some birds were attacking the corn, hurried out to see what was the matter. As soon as Shiro saw his master he ran to meet him, wagging his tail, and, seizing the end of his kimono, dragged him under a large yenoki tree. Here he began to dig very industriously with his paws, yelping with joy all the time. The old man, unable to understand what it all meant, stood looking on in bewilderment. But Shiro went on barking and digging with all his might.

Suatu hari Shiro terdengar menggonggong lama sekali di ladang di belakang rumah tuannya. Pria tua itu, mengira mungkin ada burung yang menyerang jagungnya, bergegas keluar untuk melihat ada apa. Begitu Shiro melihat tuannya, ia berlari menyambutnya, mengibaskan ekornya, dan menggigit ujung kimononya, menyeretnya ke bawah sebatang pohon yenoki besar. Di sana ia mulai menggali dengan penuh semangat menggunakan cakarnya, melolong kegirangan sepanjang waktu. Pria tua itu, tak paham apa artinya semua ini, berdiri terheran-heran memandanginya. Tetapi Shiro terus menggonggong dan menggali sekuat tenaga.

The thought that something might be hidden beneath the tree, and that the dog had scented it, at last struck the old man. He ran back to the house, fetched his spade and began to dig the ground at that spot. What was his astonishment when, after digging for some time, he came upon a heap of old and valuable coins, and the deeper he dug the more gold coins did he find. So intent was the old man on his work that he never saw the cross face of his neighbor peering at him through the bamboo hedge.

Pikiran bahwa mungkin ada sesuatu yang tersembunyi di bawah pohon itu, dan bahwa anjing itu telah menciumnya, akhirnya terlintas di benak pria tua itu. Ia berlari kembali ke rumah, mengambil sekopnya dan mulai menggali tanah di titik itu. Betapa terkejutnya ia ketika, setelah menggali beberapa saat, ia menemukan tumpukan koin lama dan berharga, dan makin dalam ia menggali makin banyak koin emas yang ia temukan. Pria tua itu begitu terpaku pada pekerjaannya sehingga ia tidak pernah melihat wajah masam tetangganya yang mengintip melalui pagar bambu.

At last all the gold coins lay shining on the ground. Shiro sat by erect with pride and looking fondly at his master as if to say, “You see, though only a dog, I can make some return for all the kindness you show me.”

Akhirnya semua koin emas itu tergeletak berkilau di tanah. Shiro duduk tegak dengan bangga dan memandang penuh sayang kepada tuannya seolah berkata, "Kau lihat, meski hanya seekor anjing, aku bisa membalas sedikit semua kebaikan yang kau tunjukkan padaku."

The old man ran in to call his wife, and together they carried home the treasure. Thus in one day the poor old man became rich. His gratitude to the faithful dog knew no bounds, and he loved and petted him more than ever, if that were possible.

Pria tua itu berlari masuk untuk memanggil istrinya, dan bersama-sama mereka membawa pulang harta itu. Demikianlah dalam satu hari pria tua yang miskin itu menjadi kaya. Rasa syukurnya kepada anjing setia itu tak terhingga, dan ia menyayangi serta memanjakannya lebih dari sebelumnya, jika itu masih mungkin.

The cross old neighbor, attracted by Shiro’s barking, had been an unseen and envious witness of the finding of the treasure. He began to think that he, too, would like to find a fortune. So a few days later he called at the old man’s house and very ceremoniously asked permission to borrow Shiro for a short time.

Tetangga tua yang pemarah itu, tertarik oleh gonggongan Shiro, telah menjadi saksi tersembunyi dan penuh iri atas penemuan harta itu. Ia mulai berpikir bahwa ia pun ingin menemukan kekayaan. Maka beberapa hari kemudian ia mengunjungi rumah pria tua itu dan dengan sangat sopan meminta izin untuk meminjam Shiro sebentar.

Shiro’s master thought this a strange request, because he knew quite well that not only did his neighbor not love his pet dog, but that he never lost an opportunity of striking and tormenting him whenever the dog crossed his path. But the good old man was too kind-hearted to refuse his neighbor, so he consented to lend the dog on condition that he should be taken great care of.

Tuan Shiro menganggap ini permintaan yang aneh, karena ia tahu betul bahwa tetangganya bukan hanya tidak menyukai anjing peliharaannya, tetapi ia tak pernah melewatkan kesempatan memukul dan menyiksanya setiap kali anjing itu melintas di jalannya. Tetapi pria tua yang baik itu terlalu berhati lembut untuk menolak tetangganya, jadi ia setuju meminjamkan anjing itu dengan syarat anjing itu harus dijaga dengan sangat baik.

The wicked old man returned to his home with an evil smile on his face, and told his wife how he had succeeded in his crafty intentions. He then took his spade and hastened to his own field, forcing the unwilling Shiro to follow him. As soon as he reached a yenoki tree, he said to the dog, threateningly:

Pria tua yang jahat itu pulang ke rumahnya dengan senyum licik di wajahnya, dan memberi tahu istrinya betapa berhasilnya niat culasnya. Ia lalu mengambil sekopnya dan bergegas ke ladangnya sendiri, memaksa Shiro yang enggan untuk mengikutinya. Begitu ia tiba di sebatang pohon yenoki, ia berkata kepada anjing itu dengan mengancam:

“If there were gold coins under your master’s tree, there must also be gold coins under my tree. You must find them for me! Where are they? Where? Where?”

"Jika ada koin emas di bawah pohon tuanmu, pasti ada juga koin emas di bawah pohonku. Kau harus menemukannya untukku! Di mana koin itu? Di mana? Di mana?"

And catching hold of Shiro’s neck he held the dog’s head to the ground, so that Shiro began to scratch and dig in order to free himself from the horrid old man’s grasp.

Dan sambil mencengkeram leher Shiro, ia menekan kepala anjing itu ke tanah, sehingga Shiro mulai mencakar dan menggali untuk membebaskan dirinya dari cengkeraman pria tua yang mengerikan itu.

The old man was very pleased when he saw the dog begin to scratch and dig, for he at once supposed that some gold coins lay buried under his tree as well as under his neighbor’s, and that the dog had scented them as before; so pushing Shiro away he began to dig himself, but there was nothing to be found. As he went on digging a foul smell was noticeable, and he at last came upon a refuse heap.

Pria tua itu sangat senang ketika melihat anjing itu mulai mencakar dan menggali, karena ia langsung mengira ada koin emas terkubur di bawah pohonnya juga seperti di bawah pohon tetangganya, dan bahwa anjing itu telah menciumnya seperti sebelumnya; maka sambil mendorong Shiro menjauh ia mulai menggali sendiri, tetapi tak ada apa pun yang ditemukan. Saat ia terus menggali, tercium bau busuk, dan akhirnya ia menemukan tumpukan sampah.

The old man’s disgust can be imagined. This soon gave way to anger. He had seen his neighbor’s good fortune, and hoping for the same luck himself, he had borrowed the dog Shiro; and now, just as he seemed on the point of finding what he sought, only a horrid smelling refuse heap had rewarded him for a morning’s digging. Instead of blaming his own greed for his disappointment, he blamed the poor dog.

Rasa jijik pria tua itu bisa dibayangkan. Ini segera berubah menjadi amarah. Ia telah melihat keberuntungan baik tetangganya, dan berharap mendapat keberuntungan yang sama, ia telah meminjam anjing Shiro; dan kini, tepat saat ia tampak hampir menemukan apa yang ia cari, hanya tumpukan sampah berbau busuk yang menjadi imbalan atas penggalian sepanjang pagi itu. Alih-alih menyalahkan keserakahannya sendiri atas kekecewaannya, ia menyalahkan anjing malang itu.

He seized his spade, and with all his strength struck Shiro and killed him on the spot. He then threw the dog’s body into the hole which he had dug in the hope of finding a treasure of gold coins, and covered it over with the earth. Then he returned to the house, telling no one, not even his wife, what he had done.

Ia mengambil sekopnya, dan dengan sekuat tenaga memukul Shiro dan membunuhnya di tempat. Ia lalu melempar tubuh anjing itu ke dalam lubang yang telah ia gali dengan harapan menemukan harta koin emas, dan menimbunnya kembali dengan tanah. Kemudian ia kembali ke rumah, tidak memberi tahu siapa pun, bahkan istrinya, apa yang telah ia lakukan.

After waiting several days, as the dog Shiro did not return, his master began to grow anxious. Day after day went by and the good old man waited in vain. Then he went to his neighbor and asked him to give him back his dog. Without any shame or hesitation, the wicked neighbor answered that he had killed Shiro because of his bad behavior.

Setelah menunggu beberapa hari, karena anjing Shiro tidak kembali, tuannya mulai cemas. Hari demi hari berlalu dan pria tua yang baik itu menunggu dengan sia-sia. Kemudian ia pergi ke tetangganya dan memintanya untuk mengembalikan anjingnya. Tanpa rasa malu atau ragu, tetangga jahat itu menjawab bahwa ia telah membunuh Shiro karena perilaku buruknya.

At this dreadful news Shiro’s master wept many sad and bitter tears. Great indeed, was his woful surprise, but he was too good and gentle to reproach his bad neighbor. Learning that Shiro was buried under the yenoki tree in the field, he asked the old man to give him the tree, in remembrance of his poor dog Shiro.

Mendengar kabar mengerikan ini, tuan Shiro menangis dengan air mata yang sedih dan pedih. Sungguh besar keterkejutan menyedihkannya, tetapi ia terlalu baik dan lembut untuk mencela tetangganya yang jahat. Mengetahui bahwa Shiro dikubur di bawah pohon yenoki di ladang itu, ia meminta pria tua itu untuk memberinya pohon itu, sebagai kenangan akan anjingnya yang malang, Shiro.

Even the cross old neighbor could not refuse such a simple request, so he consented to give the old man the tree under which Shiro lay buried. Shiro’s master then cut the tree down and carried it home. Out of the trunk he made a mortar. In this his wife put some rice, and he began to pound it with the intention of making a festival to the memory of his dog Shiro.

Bahkan tetangga tua yang pemarah itu tidak bisa menolak permintaan sederhana itu, jadi ia setuju memberikan pria tua itu pohon tempat Shiro dikubur. Tuan Shiro kemudian menebang pohon itu dan membawanya pulang. Dari batangnya ia membuat sebuah lesung. Di dalamnya istrinya menaruh beberapa beras, dan ia mulai menumbuknya dengan niat mengadakan perayaan untuk mengenang anjingnya, Shiro.

A strange thing happened! His wife put the rice into the mortar, and no sooner had he begun to pound it to make the cakes, than it began to increase in quantity gradually till it was about five times the original amount, and the cakes were turned out of the mortar as if an invisible hand were at work.

Sesuatu yang aneh terjadi! Istrinya memasukkan beras ke dalam lesung, dan begitu ia mulai menumbuknya untuk membuat kue, beras itu mulai bertambah banyak secara bertahap hingga menjadi sekitar lima kali jumlah semula, dan kue-kue itu keluar dari lesung seolah ada tangan tak terlihat yang bekerja.

When the old man and his wife saw this, they understood that it was a reward to them from Shiro for their faithful love to him. They tasted the cakes and found them nicer than any other food. So from this time they never troubled about food, for they lived upon the cakes with which the mortar never ceased to supply them.

Ketika pria tua dan istrinya melihat ini, mereka mengerti bahwa itu adalah balasan dari Shiro atas cinta setia mereka kepadanya. Mereka mencicipi kue-kue itu dan mendapati rasanya lebih enak dari makanan lainnya. Sejak saat itu mereka tidak lagi khawatir soal makanan, sebab mereka hidup dari kue-kue itu yang terus-menerus dihasilkan oleh lesung tersebut.

The greedy neighbor, hearing of this new piece of good luck, was filled with envy as before, and called on the old man and asked leave to borrow the wonderful mortar for a short time, pretending that he, too, sorrowed for the death of Shiro, and wished to make cakes for a festival to the dog’s memory.

Tetangga yang serakah itu, mendengar keberuntungan baru ini, dipenuhi rasa iri seperti sebelumnya, dan mengunjungi pria tua itu dan meminta izin untuk meminjam lesung ajaib itu sebentar, berpura-pura bahwa ia juga berduka atas kematian Shiro, dan ingin membuat kue untuk sebuah perayaan mengenang anjing itu.

The old man did not in the least wish to lend it to his cruel neighbor, but he was too kind to refuse. So the envious man carried home the mortar, but he never brought it back.

Pria tua itu sama sekali tidak ingin meminjamkannya kepada tetangganya yang kejam, tetapi ia terlalu baik hati untuk menolak. Maka pria yang iri itu membawa pulang lesung itu, tetapi ia tak pernah mengembalikannya.

Several days passed, and Shiro’s master waited in vain for the mortar, so he went to call on the borrower, and asked him to be good enough to return the mortar if he had finished with it. He found him sitting by a big fire made of pieces of wood. On the ground lay what looked very much like pieces of a broken mortar. In answer to the old man’s inquiry, the wicked neighbor answered haughtily:

Beberapa hari berlalu, dan tuan Shiro menunggu lesung itu dengan sia-sia, maka ia pergi mengunjungi peminjam itu, dan memintanya agar sudi mengembalikan lesung itu jika ia sudah selesai menggunakannya. Ia mendapati orang itu duduk di dekat api besar yang terbuat dari potongan-potongan kayu. Di tanah tergeletak sesuatu yang tampak sangat mirip pecahan lesung yang hancur. Menjawab pertanyaan pria tua itu, tetangga jahat itu menjawab dengan angkuh:

“Have you come to ask me for your mortar? I broke it to pieces, and now I am making a fire of the wood, for when I tried to pound cakes in it only some horrid smelling stuff came out.”

"Kau datang untuk meminta lesungmu kembali? Aku telah menghancurkannya berkeping-keping, dan sekarang aku sedang membuat api dari kayunya, karena ketika aku mencoba menumbuk kue dengannya yang keluar hanya benda berbau busuk."

The good old man said:

Pria tua yang baik itu berkata:

“I am very sorry for that. It is a great pity you did not ask me for the cakes if you wanted them. I would have given you as many as ever you wanted. Now please give me the ashes of the mortar, as I wish to keep them in remembrance of my dog.”

"Aku sangat menyesal mendengarnya. Sungguh disayangkan kau tidak memintaku untuk kue-kue itu jika kau menginginkannya. Aku akan memberimu sebanyak yang kau mau. Sekarang tolong berikan aku abu dari lesung itu, karena aku ingin menyimpannya sebagai kenangan akan anjingku."

The neighbor consented at once, and the old man carried home a basket full of ashes.

Tetangga itu segera setuju, dan pria tua itu membawa pulang sekeranjang penuh abu.

Not long after this the old man accidentally scattered some of the ashes made by the burning of the mortar on the trees of his garden. A wonderful thing happened!

Tak lama setelah itu, pria tua itu tanpa sengaja menaburkan sebagian abu dari pembakaran lesung itu ke pohon-pohon di kebunnya. Sebuah hal yang menakjubkan terjadi!

It was late in autumn and all the trees had shed their leaves, but no sooner did the ashes touch their branches than the cherry trees, the plum trees, and all other blossoming shrubs burst into bloom, so that the old man’s garden was suddenly transformed into a beautiful picture of spring. The old man’s delight knew no bounds, and he carefully preserved the remaining ashes.

Saat itu sudah akhir musim gugur dan semua pohon telah menggugurkan daunnya, tetapi begitu abu itu menyentuh dahan-dahannya, pohon-pohon sakura, pohon-pohon plum, dan semua semak berbunga lainnya langsung mekar berbunga, sehingga kebun pria tua itu tiba-tiba berubah menjadi gambaran indah musim semi. Kegembiraan pria tua itu tak terhingga, dan ia dengan hati-hati menyimpan sisa abu itu.

The story of the old man’s garden spread far and wide, and people from far and near came to see the wonderful sight.

Kisah tentang kebun pria tua itu tersebar luas, dan orang-orang dari jauh dan dekat datang untuk melihat pemandangan menakjubkan itu.

One day, soon after this, the old man heard some one knocking at his door, and going to the porch to see who it was he was surprised to see a Knight standing there. This Knight told him that he was a retainer of a great Daimio (Earl); that one of the favorite cherry trees in this nobleman’s garden had withered, and that though every one in his service had tried all manner of means to revive it, none took effect.

Suatu hari, tak lama setelah itu, pria tua itu mendengar seseorang mengetuk pintunya, dan pergi ke teras untuk melihat siapa itu, ia terkejut melihat seorang Kesatria berdiri di sana. Kesatria ini memberitahunya bahwa ia adalah pengikut seorang Daimio (Earl) yang besar; bahwa salah satu pohon sakura kesayangan di kebun bangsawan itu telah layu, dan bahwa meski semua orang dalam pelayanannya telah mencoba segala cara untuk menghidupkannya kembali, tak satu pun berhasil.

The Knight was sore perplexed when he saw what great displeasure the loss of his favorite cherry tree caused the Daimio. At this point, fortunately, they had heard that there was a wonderful old man who could make withered trees to blossom, and that his Lord had sent him to ask the old man to come to him.

Sang Kesatria sangat bingung ketika melihat betapa besar rasa tidak senang yang disebabkan oleh hilangnya pohon sakura kesayangannya itu bagi Daimio. Pada titik ini, untungnya, mereka telah mendengar bahwa ada seorang pria tua menakjubkan yang bisa membuat pohon layu berbunga, dan bahwa Tuannya telah mengutusnya untuk meminta pria tua itu datang kepadanya.

“And,” added the Knight, “I shall be very much obliged if you will come at once.”

"Dan," tambah sang Kesatria, "aku akan sangat berterima kasih jika kau mau datang segera."

The good old man was greatly surprised at what he heard, but respectfully followed the Knight to the nobleman’s Palace.

Pria tua yang baik itu sangat terkejut mendengar apa yang ia dengar, tetapi dengan hormat mengikuti sang Kesatria ke Istana bangsawan itu.

The Daimio, who had been impatiently awaiting the old man’s coming, as soon as he saw him asked him at once:

Sang Daimio, yang telah menunggu kedatangan pria tua itu dengan tidak sabar, begitu ia melihatnya langsung bertanya kepadanya:

“Are you the old man who can make withered trees flower even out of season?”

"Apakah kau pria tua yang bisa membuat pohon layu berbunga bahkan di luar musimnya?"

The old man made an obeisance, and replied:

Pria tua itu memberi hormat, dan menjawab:

“I am that old man!”

"Akulah pria tua itu!"

Then the Daimio said:

Kemudian sang Daimio berkata:

“You must make that dead cherry tree in my garden blossom again by means of your famous ashes. I shall look on.”

"Kau harus membuat pohon sakura mati di kebunku berbunga kembali dengan abu terkenalmu itu. Aku akan menyaksikannya."

Then they all went into the garden—the Daimio and his retainers and the ladies-in waiting, who carried the Daimio’s sword.

Kemudian mereka semua pergi ke kebun—sang Daimio dan para pengikutnya serta para dayang, yang membawa pedang sang Daimio.

The old man now tucked up his kimono and made ready to climb the tree. Saying “Excuse me,” he took the pot of ashes which he had brought with him, and began to climb the tree, every one watching his movements with great interest.

Pria tua itu kini menyingsingkan kimononya dan bersiap memanjat pohon itu. Sambil berkata "Permisi," ia mengambil pot abu yang telah ia bawa bersamanya, dan mulai memanjat pohon itu, semua orang mengawasi gerak-geriknya dengan penuh minat.

At last he climbed to the spot where the tree divided into two great branches, and taking up his position here, the old man sat down and scattered the ashes right and left all over the branches and twigs.

Akhirnya ia memanjat sampai ke titik tempat pohon itu bercabang menjadi dua dahan besar, dan mengambil posisi di sana, pria tua itu duduk dan menaburkan abu ke kiri dan kanan di seluruh dahan dan ranting.

Wonderful, indeed, was the result! The withered tree at once burst into full bloom! The Daimio was so transported with joy that he looked as if he would go mad. He rose to his feet and spread out his fan, calling the old man down from the tree. He himself gave the old man a wine cup filled with the best SAKE, and rewarded him with much silver and gold and many other precious things. The Daimio ordered that henceforth the old man should call himself by the name of Hana-Saka-Jijii, or “The Old Man who makes the Trees to Blossom,” and that henceforth all were to recognize him by this name, and he sent him home with great honor.

Sungguh menakjubkan hasilnya! Pohon yang layu itu langsung mekar sepenuhnya! Sang Daimio begitu bahagia sehingga ia tampak seperti akan menjadi gila karenanya. Ia bangkit berdiri dan mengembangkan kipasnya, memanggil pria tua itu turun dari pohon. Ia sendiri memberikan pria tua itu cawan anggur berisi SAKE terbaik, dan menghadiahinya dengan banyak perak dan emas serta banyak barang berharga lainnya. Sang Daimio memerintahkan agar selanjutnya pria tua itu menyebut dirinya dengan nama Hana-Saka-Jijii, atau "Pria Tua yang Membuat Pohon Berbunga," dan bahwa selanjutnya semua orang harus mengenalinya dengan nama ini, dan ia mengirimnya pulang dengan penuh kehormatan.

The wicked neighbor, as before, heard of the good old man’s fortune, and of all that had so auspiciously befallen him, and he could not suppress all the envy and jealousy that filled his heart. He called to mind how he had failed in his attempt to find the gold coins, and then in making the magic cakes; this time surely he must succeed if he imitated the old man, who made withered trees to flower simply by sprinkling ashes on them. This would be the simplest task of all.

Tetangga yang jahat itu, seperti sebelumnya, mendengar tentang keberuntungan pria tua yang baik itu, dan segala hal baik yang telah menimpanya, dan ia tidak bisa menahan segala rasa iri dan cemburu yang memenuhi hatinya. Ia teringat bagaimana ia gagal dalam usahanya menemukan koin emas, lalu dalam membuat kue ajaib itu; kali ini ia pasti akan berhasil jika ia meniru pria tua itu, yang membuat pohon layu berbunga hanya dengan menaburkan abu padanya. Ini pastilah tugas yang paling sederhana dari semuanya.

So he set to work and gathered together all the ashes which remained in the fire-place from the burning of the wonderful mortar. Then he set out in the hope of finding some great man to employ him, calling out loudly as he went along:

Maka ia mulai bekerja dan mengumpulkan semua abu yang tersisa di perapian dari pembakaran lesung ajaib itu. Kemudian ia berangkat dengan harapan menemukan orang besar yang mau mempekerjakannya, berseru keras-keras sepanjang jalan:

“Here comes the wonderful man who can make withered trees blossom! Here comes the old man who can make dead trees blossom!”

"Inilah pria menakjubkan yang bisa membuat pohon layu berbunga! Inilah pria tua yang bisa membuat pohon mati berbunga!"

The Daimio in his Palace heard this cry, and said:

Sang Daimio di Istananya mendengar seruan ini, dan berkata:

“That must be the Hana-Saka-Jijii passing. I have nothing to do to-day. Let him try his art again; it will amuse me to look on.”

"Itu pasti Hana-Saka-Jijii yang lewat. Aku tidak ada urusan hari ini. Biarkan ia menunjukkan kepandaiannya lagi; akan menghiburku untuk menyaksikannya."

So the retainers went out and brought in the impostor before their Lord. The satisfaction of false old man can now be imagined.

Maka para pengikutnya keluar dan membawa masuk si penipu itu di hadapan Tuan mereka. Kepuasan pria tua palsu itu kini bisa dibayangkan.

But the Daimio looking at him, thought it strange that he was not at all like the old man he had seen before, so he asked him:

Tetapi sang Daimio memandangnya, dan merasa aneh bahwa ia sama sekali tidak mirip pria tua yang pernah ia lihat sebelumnya, jadi ia bertanya kepadanya:

“Are you the man whom I named Hana-Saka-Jijii?”

"Apakah kau orang yang kunamai Hana-Saka-Jijii?"

And the envious neighbor answered with a lie:

Dan tetangga yang iri itu menjawab dengan bohong:

“Yes, my Lord!”

"Ya, Tuanku!"

“That is strange!” said the Daimio. “I thought there was only one Hana-Saka-Jijii in the world! Has he now some disciples?”

"Aneh sekali!" kata sang Daimio. "Kukira hanya ada satu Hana-Saka-Jijii di dunia ini! Apakah sekarang ia punya murid?"

“I am the true Hana-Saka-Jijii. The one who came to you before was only my disciple!” replied the old man again.

"Akulah Hana-Saka-Jijii yang sejati. Yang datang kepadamu sebelumnya hanyalah muridku!" jawab pria tua itu lagi.

“Then you must be more skillful than the other. Try what you can do and let me see!”

"Kalau begitu kau pasti lebih terampil dari yang lain. Coba tunjukkan kemampuanmu dan biar kulihat!"

The envious neighbor, with the Daimio and his Court following, then went into the garden, and approaching a dead tree, took out a handful of the ashes which he carried with him, and scattered them over the tree.

Tetangga yang iri itu, dengan sang Daimio dan istananya mengikuti, kemudian pergi ke kebun, dan menghampiri sebatang pohon mati, mengambil segenggam abu yang ia bawa, dan menaburkannya ke atas pohon itu.

But not only did the tree not burst into flower, but not even a bud came forth. Thinking that he had not used enough ashes, the old man took handfuls and again sprinkled them over the withered tree. But all to no effect. After trying several times, the ashes were blown into the Daimio’s eyes. This made him very angry, and he ordered his retainers to arrest the false Hana-Saka-Jijii at once and put him in prison for an impostor. From this imprisonment the wicked old man was never freed. Thus did he meet with punishment at last for all his evil doings.

Tetapi bukan hanya pohon itu tidak mekar berbunga, bahkan tak satu pun kuncup yang muncul. Mengira ia belum menggunakan cukup banyak abu, pria tua itu mengambil segenggam lagi dan kembali menaburkannya ke pohon layu itu. Tetapi semua sia-sia. Setelah mencoba beberapa kali, abu itu tertiup ke mata sang Daimio. Ini membuatnya sangat marah, dan ia memerintahkan para pengikutnya untuk segera menangkap Hana-Saka-Jijii palsu itu dan memenjarakannya sebagai penipu. Dari penjara ini pria tua yang jahat itu tidak pernah dibebaskan. Demikianlah ia akhirnya mendapat hukuman atas segala perbuatan jahatnya.

The good old man, however, with the treasure of gold coins which Shiro had found for him, and with all the gold and the silver which the Daimio had showered on him, became a rich and prosperous man in his old age, and lived a long and happy life, beloved and respected by all.

Pria tua yang baik itu, bagaimanapun, dengan harta koin emas yang telah ditemukan Shiro untuknya, dan dengan semua emas dan perak yang telah dilimpahkan Daimio kepadanya, menjadi orang yang kaya dan makmur di usia tuanya, dan menjalani hidup yang panjang dan bahagia, dicintai dan dihormati oleh semua orang.