The Golden Key
A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
While gathering firewood in the snow, a poor boy finds a golden key and, buried nearby, a mysterious locked chest — but you'll have to wait to find out what's inside.
It was winter, and a little lad had gone out into the forest to gather wood to keep the fire going at home. As there was snow upon the ground he took his little sledge with him, for he could carry home a larger load on the sledge than on his back.
Saat itu musim dingin, dan seorang anak lelaki kecil telah pergi ke hutan untuk mengumpulkan kayu bakar agar api tetap menyala di rumah. Karena ada salju di tanah, ia membawa serta kereta luncur kecilnya, sebab ia bisa membawa pulang muatan yang lebih besar dengan kereta luncur itu daripada dipikul di punggungnya.
He gathered together a heap of fallen branches, and then piled them neatly on the sledge, putting the larger pieces at the bottom. Before he had finished the task his fingers were almost frozen, for he had no mittens. “Before I start to drag my sled home,” said he to himself, “I will build a fire and warm my hands a bit.”
Ia mengumpulkan setumpuk ranting yang jatuh, lalu menyusunnya rapi di atas kereta luncur, meletakkan potongan-potongan yang lebih besar di bagian bawah. Sebelum ia menyelesaikan tugasnya, jari-jarinya hampir membeku, sebab ia tidak memiliki sarung tangan. "Sebelum aku mulai menyeret kereta luncurku pulang," katanya pada dirinya sendiri, "aku akan membuat api dan menghangatkan tanganku sebentar."
He took a stick, and cleared away some of the snow, so as to have a place to build the fire. When he had done this he saw a little golden key lying there on the ground. The little lad picked it up, wondering. “Wherever there is a key, there must be a lock,” he said.
Ia mengambil sebatang ranting, dan menyingkirkan sebagian salju, agar ada tempat untuk membuat api. Setelah melakukan ini, ia melihat sebuah kunci emas kecil tergeletak di tanah. Anak lelaki kecil itu memungutnya, penuh keheranan. "Di mana pun ada kunci, pasti ada gembok," katanya.
He began to scrape away the earth, and presently he found a curious looking chest made of iron inlaid with silver. There were words written on the lid of the chest, but the little boy could not read them.
Ia mulai mengeruk tanah, dan tak lama kemudian ia menemukan sebuah peti besi yang aneh berhias perak. Ada kata-kata tertulis di tutup peti itu, tetapi anak lelaki kecil itu tidak bisa membacanya.
He lifted the chest out from the earth, and it seemed to him that something was stirring inside of it. Then a little thin voice, as thin as a thread, cried to him. “Let me out! Let me out, and I will make your fortune.”
Ia mengangkat peti itu keluar dari tanah, dan tampak baginya seolah ada sesuatu yang bergerak-gerak di dalamnya. Kemudian sebuah suara kecil yang tipis, setipis benang, berseru kepadanya. "Keluarkan aku! Keluarkan aku, dan aku akan membuat nasibmu beruntung."
The little boy was very much surprised. The chest seemed too small for any living being to be in it.
Anak lelaki kecil itu sangat terkejut. Peti itu tampak terlalu kecil untuk ditempati makhluk hidup apa pun.
“Who are you?” he asked.
"Siapa kau?" tanyanya.
“Open the chest and see. If you will only let me out you will never be sorry.”
"Bukalah peti itu dan lihatlah. Jika kau mau mengeluarkanku saja, kau tidak akan pernah menyesal."
The little boy put the golden key in the lock and it fitted exactly. He turned it round and the lock flew back. But as to what was in the chest you will have to wait until he lifts the lid before you can see.
Anak lelaki kecil itu memasukkan kunci emas itu ke dalam gembok dan ternyata pas sekali. Ia memutarnya dan gembok itu pun terbuka. Namun mengenai apa yang ada di dalam peti itu, kau harus menunggu sampai ia mengangkat tutupnya sebelum kau bisa melihatnya.
