by Sugeng Hariyanto
The Bird Language
The king's ministers often envied King Aaron's attention to Abunawas. Abu often got prizes from their king. They made a plan to embarrass Abunawas in front of the king. Therefore, they create a false story to make their king belief that Abunawas could interpret the birds' singing. One of them said to the king, "Your Majesty, your starling is beautiful and sings beautifully, too."
"I know," said the king.
"Do you understand what it sings, Your Majesty?"
"No, of course not. Nobody does."
"There is one man in this country who is able to interpret the bird language. He is Abunawas. People say so."
"Really?" the king began to be interested.
The following morning Abu was in the palace. The king and the ministers were sitting around a beautiful bird cage.
"Abu," the king began. "People say that you are the only man in my country who has the ability to interpret the bird language."
"No, Your Majesty. That's a lie!"
"Oh, come on, Abu. Try interpret this bird's singing for me."
The ministers smiled seeing Abunawas was bent over in his sadness. They thought they would win this time because soon they would see Abu's red face. After silence for some time Abu finally nodded slowly and said, "All right, Your Majesty. I will try as best as I can."
"That's a good boy. Do it!"
Before long the bird sang cheerfully.
"What did it say in its song, Abu?"
"It said good morning," Abu said.
The king and the ministers laughed gayly. The bird sang again. That time it sang for a minute.
"What did it say in such a long song?" asked the king.
"It said all ministers are greedy," Abu answered. All the ministers kept silent but their faces could not hide their anger. One of them protested, "That's not true!"
Abu quickly answered, "If you don't believe me, interpret it yourself!"
"All right, all right. Abu, you may coninue," the king said. The bird sang again, longer than before. Abu said to the king, "It said the ministers often say bad things about you behind you back."
There were noises. The ministers were angry. One of them said, "That's a big lie!"
Abu answered back, "If you think you understand the bird language, why not interpret it yourself?"
Once again the king calmed them down. The bird, again, sang beautifully for a few minutes. After it stopped Abu interpreted this way," All ministers want you to die soon because they are tired of you!"
The ministers rose from their seats and came over to Abu. They intended to beat Abu but Abu had already ran out of the room. He looked back and smiled. The king left the room quietly. He seemed to be disappointed. The ministers looked at each other guiltily.
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"I know," said the king.
"Do you understand what it sings, Your Majesty?"
"No, of course not. Nobody does."
"There is one man in this country who is able to interpret the bird language. He is Abunawas. People say so."
"Really?" the king began to be interested.
The following morning Abu was in the palace. The king and the ministers were sitting around a beautiful bird cage.
"Abu," the king began. "People say that you are the only man in my country who has the ability to interpret the bird language."
"No, Your Majesty. That's a lie!"
"Oh, come on, Abu. Try interpret this bird's singing for me."
The ministers smiled seeing Abunawas was bent over in his sadness. They thought they would win this time because soon they would see Abu's red face. After silence for some time Abu finally nodded slowly and said, "All right, Your Majesty. I will try as best as I can."
"That's a good boy. Do it!"
Before long the bird sang cheerfully.
"What did it say in its song, Abu?"
"It said good morning," Abu said.
The king and the ministers laughed gayly. The bird sang again. That time it sang for a minute.
"What did it say in such a long song?" asked the king.
"It said all ministers are greedy," Abu answered. All the ministers kept silent but their faces could not hide their anger. One of them protested, "That's not true!"
Abu quickly answered, "If you don't believe me, interpret it yourself!"
"All right, all right. Abu, you may coninue," the king said. The bird sang again, longer than before. Abu said to the king, "It said the ministers often say bad things about you behind you back."
There were noises. The ministers were angry. One of them said, "That's a big lie!"
Abu answered back, "If you think you understand the bird language, why not interpret it yourself?"
Once again the king calmed them down. The bird, again, sang beautifully for a few minutes. After it stopped Abu interpreted this way," All ministers want you to die soon because they are tired of you!"
The ministers rose from their seats and came over to Abu. They intended to beat Abu but Abu had already ran out of the room. He looked back and smiled. The king left the room quietly. He seemed to be disappointed. The ministers looked at each other guiltily.
Back
