The Two Mules
A free B2-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
A proud mule hauling the tax silver looks down on his humble companion carrying only oats — until robbers appear on the road and only one mule's burden becomes a curse.
There were two heavily-laden mules making a journey together. One was carrying oats and the other bore a parcel of silver money collected from the people as a tax upon salt. This, we learn, was a tax which produced much money for the government, but it bore very hard upon the people, who revolted many times against it.
Ada dua ekor bagal yang membawa muatan berat dalam perjalanan bersama. Salah satunya membawa gandum dan yang lain membawa sekantong uang perak yang dikumpulkan dari rakyat sebagai pajak atas garam. Ini, kita ketahui, adalah pajak yang menghasilkan banyak uang bagi pemerintah, tetapi sangat memberatkan rakyat, yang berkali-kali memberontak melawannya.
The mule that carried the silver was very proud of his burden, and would not have been relieved of it if he could. As he stepped out he took care that the bells upon his harness should jingle well as became a mule of so much importance.
Bagal yang membawa uang perak itu sangat bangga akan bebannya, dan tidak mau dibebaskan darinya sekalipun bisa. Saat ia melangkah keluar ia menjaga agar lonceng-lonceng di tali kekangnya berdenting nyaring sebagaimana layaknya bagal yang begitu penting.
Suddenly a band of robbers burst into the road, pounced upon the treasure mule, seized it by the bridle, and stopped it short. Struggling to defend itself the unhappy creature groaned and sighed as it cried: "Is this then the fate that has been in store for me: that I must fall and perish whilst my fellow traveller escapes free from danger?"
Tiba-tiba sekelompok perampok menyerbu ke jalan, menyergap bagal pembawa harta itu, mencengkeram kekangnya, dan menghentikannya seketika. Berjuang untuk membela diri, makhluk malang itu mengerang dan mengeluh sambil berseru: "Inikah nasib yang telah ditakdirkan bagiku: bahwa aku harus jatuh dan binasa sementara sahabat seperjalananku lolos bebas dari bahaya?"
"My friend," exclaimed the mule that carried only the oats, and whom the robbers had not troubled about, "it is not always good to have exalted work to do. Had you been like me, a mere slave to a miller, you would not have been in such a bad way now!"
"Kawanku," seru bagal yang hanya membawa gandum, dan yang tidak dipedulikan oleh para perampok, "tidak selalu baik memiliki pekerjaan yang terhormat. Seandainya kau seperti aku, hanya seorang budak bagi seorang penggilingan, kau tentu tidak akan berada dalam keadaan seburuk ini sekarang!"
