Grandpa Bee

Every bee in the Orchard are diligent workers, they gather the sweets from each and every flower in the wide land. However that morning, the rain pours heavily so that every under-the-sun activity cannot be done.

The Owl sleeps soundly in a niche of a banyan tree. The swine also sleeps tightly in her whole under the flowery bush, accompanied by a group of butterflies who take shelter under the leaves and flowers. The bees are also gathering inside their huge hive which is hung in a branch of a jackfruit tree. The bees, just like the other animals, have no Sundays or holidays. They take a rest from their work of gathering sweets only in rainy days like this.

In a rainy morning like this, young bees, kiddy bees, and baby bees gather in the wide and dim-lighted common room, drink various choices of flower honey. They are busy warming themselves so that they continuously forget that Grandpa Bee sits alone in the corner of the room.

Grandpa Bee is a very old bee whose life is long and full. His black face is carved with furrowed wrinkles, just like a date fruit. His wings are rumpled and dull, no longer clear like they used to be. Grandpa Bee never flies too far in the orchard to draw honey nowadays. It is more often that he sits inside a buttercup, chewing the flower’s stamens while watching his grandchildren work hard drawing the sweet, sticky liquids into the hive.

Usually young bees takes shifts in nursing him in the morning, helping him to wake up from his wax powder bed, taking him to the door and seating him down inside a buttercup to bask in the sunlight. When Grandpa Bee already seems convenient in his seat, when his hands are already located in the right angle to get the stamens easily, the young bee will quickly leave him to be with his fellow young bees, to fly from flowers to flowers, and to draw the sweet, sticky, fragrant liquid.

In this rainy day Grandpa Bee is seated on a pillow made of purple lavender petals. He lies his elderly head against the warm wax wall. Hiss hazy eyes watch the herd of his grandchildren. The young bee who helped him has gone to enter the herd. The young bees are so energetic… they drink more and more honey… they are restless waiting the day shines again… Grandpa Bee, when his real name was still in use, also had the similar young herd. At his young time, there was an old bee called Grandpa Bee also. That old bee passed away. Then the younger bees grew old. Then one by one his friends died and faded, until he became the oldest bee in the colony. Without knowing it, he inherit the nick name, Grandpa Bee.

Those young bees… they are so busy growing up that they forget he is getting older.

Grandpa Bee closes his eyes. His wings go loose. His antenna slip off.

Somewhere in the Orchard, The Owl sleeps soundly in a niche of a banyan tree. The swine also sleeps tightly in her whole under the flowery bush, accompanied by a group of butterflies who take shelter under the leaves and flowers. Somewhere in the Orchard, amongst the heavy raindrops, a little buttercup bud blooms, opening its petals widely into a blossom, drawn by its curiosity of the new world it just enters.

Kakek Lebah

Semua lebah di kebun buah rajin bekerja, mengumpulkan memanisan dari berbagai bunga di lahan yang luas itu. Akan tetapi, pagi itu hujan turun begitu lebat sehingga semua kegiatan di hari cerah tak dapat dilakukan.
Si burung hantu tidur nyenyak di suatu rongga di batang pohon beringin. Si babi juga tidur di liangnya di bawah semak-semak berbunga, ditemani rombongan kupu-kupu yang berteduh di balik daun dan bunga. Lebah-lebah pun berkumpul di dalam sarang mereka yang besar, yang tergantung-gantung di dahan pohon nangka. Lebah, seperti semua binatang yang lain, tidak punya hari Minggu atau pun hari libur lainnya. Mereka beristirahat dari pekerjaan mengumpulkan memanisan hanya di hari hujan seperti ini.

Di pagi hari hujan seperti ini, lebah-lebah muda, anak-anak lebah, dan bayi-bayi lebah berkumpul bersama di ruang rekreasi yang luas dan temaram, minum berbagai pilihan madu bunga. Mereka begitu sibuk menghangatkan diri di sehingga mereka sering lupa ada Kakek Lebah yang duduk sendiri di pojok ruangan.
Kakek Lebah adalah lebah sangat tua yang hidupnya telah panjang dan penuh. Wajahnya yang hitam penuh kerut keriput seperti sebutir kurma. Sayapnya sudah hampir kusut dan sudah buram, tidak transparan lagi. Kakek Lebah sudah tidak pernah terbang jauh-jauh keliling kebun buah mengangkuti madu. Bahkan ia lebih sering duduk-duduk di dalam kelopak bunga mangkok, mengunyah-nguyah benang sari sambil mengawasi cucu-cucunya bekerja keras mengangkut cairan-cairan yang lengket dan manis ke dalam sarang.

Biasanya lebah-lebah muda bergiliran mengurusnya di pagi hari, membantunya bangun dari ranjang yang terbuat dari serbuk lilin, menuntunnya ke pintu dan mendudukkannya di kelopak bunga mangkuk untuk berjemur. Kemudian ketika Kakek Lebah sudah terlihat duduk nyaman dan tangannya sudah bisa menjangkau serbuk sari dengan mudah, lebah muda itu akan meninggalkannya untuk bergabung dengan rombongan lebah muda lain, terbang dari satu bunga ke bunga lain dan mengumpulkan cairan lengket yang manis dan harum itu.

Di hari hujan ini Kakek Lebah ini didudukkan di atas bantal yang terbuat dari kelopak-kelopak bunga lavender yang berwarna ungu. Ia menyandarkan kepalanya yang sudah tua di dinding lilin yang hangat. Matanya yang rabun memandang kerumunan cucu-cucunya. Lebah muda yang membantunya duduk tadi telah pergi bergabung dengan teman-temannya. Lebah-lebah muda itu begitu bersemangat… minum madu banyak-banyak… tidak sabar menunggu hari cerah…Kakek Lebah, ketika nama aslinya masih dipakai, juga pernah bergabung dalam kerumunan muda seperti itu. Kalau tidak salah dulu juga ada lebah tua yang dipanggil Kakek Lebah. Lebah tua itu meninggal. Lalu lebah-lebah yang lebih muda pun jadi tua. Satu persatu teman-temannya meninggal, sampai akhirnya ia menjadi lebah paling tua di koloni. Tanpa sadar ia mewarisi panggilan itu, Kakek Lebah.

Lebah-lebah muda itu… mereka begitu sibuk tumbuh besar, sampai lupa bahwa ia semakin hari makin tua pula.

Kakek Lebah menutup matanya. Sayapnya terkulai. Antenanya merosot.

Di suatu tempat di kebun buah, si burung hantu tidur nyenyak di suatu rongga di batang pohon beringin. Si babi juga tidur di liangnya di bawah semak-semak berbunga, ditemani rombongan kupu-kupu yang berteduh di balik daun dan bunga. Di suatu tempat di kebun buah, di antara hujan yang turun dengan derasnya, sekuncup bunga mangkok kecil mekar, membuka kelopaknya lebar-lebar karena rasa penasarannya mengenai dunia yang baru dimasukinya ini.

Gajah, Kepik, dan Burung Hantu

Suatu hari, adalah seekor gajah yang berteman dengan seekor kepik. Gajah itu ingin menjadi sekecil kepik, jadi ia bisa terbang bebas dari satu bunga wangi ke bunga wangi ke bunga wangi yang lain.

Si Kepik, di sisi lain, ingin jadi sebesar si Gajah, supaya ia bisa mengangkat batang pohon dengan belalainya.

Seekor burung hantu yang berusaha tidur siang dia sebuah cabang pohon ceri di atas mereka menyuruh mereka diam.

The Elephant, The Ladybug, and The Owl

One day, there was an elephant who made friends with a ladybug. The elephant wants to be as tiny as the ladybug, so that he can fly freely from one fragrant flower to another.

The ladybug, on the other hand, wants to be as big as the elephant so that it can lift a tree trunk with its trunk.

An owl who tries to take a nap on a cherry tree branch above them tell them to shut up.

Kisah Sang Dingin

Si Burung Hantu saat ini sedang terbang melayang meninggalkan kebun buah yang sunyi dan indah. Ia menyeberang ke kota kita, ya, kota Anda wahai pembaca. Ia bertengger di dahan pohon terdekat di jendelamu dan mengawasi segala kegiatan rahasiamu yang kaukira tak ada yang melihat.

Saat ini ia sedang mengawasi mereka yang meringkuk kedinginan, ketika tangan-tangan Sang Dingin berkeretakan mengelus pipi mereka yang gemetar.

***

Dingin sekali malam itu, seperti tidak nyata. Angin tidak bertiup tetapi udara yang diam membawa hawa setajam serpihan es yang menembus kulitmu dan menusuk tulangmu. Seluruh bumi diam tak bergerak, tak sehelai daun pun bergetar dalam kebekuan aneh yang telah berlangsung selama beberapa malam. Jengkerik, gangsir, dan binatang berdesir lainnya bersembunyi di celah-celah kayu, terlalu kaku untuk mendesirkan sayap mereka di dinginnya wengi. Burung-burung liar dan unggas-unggas ternak membenamkan kepala mereka ke dalam leher berbulu lembut yang hangat, bertengger di dahan tertinggi dan terdalam pada pohon-pohon berdaun lebat atau mengerut di dalam kandang yang dihangatkan lampu bercahaya kuning lima watt. Kucing-kucing garong dan anjing-anjing peliharaan bergelung rapat, ekor masing-masing menyaput wajah mereka yang berbulu.

Bulan melayang seorang diri di langit yang gelap. Biru gelapnya sepekat tinta. Bintang-bintang tidak terlihat dari permukaan bumi, tertutup kabut tipis dingin yang melapisi angkasa. Cahaya bulan yang keperakan terkalahkan cahaya artifisial lampu-lampu listrik di daerah berpenduduk padat, tetapi menerangi hutan-hutan dan padang-padang rumput, jalan-jalan setapak sepi dan pantai-pantai perawan di seluruh bumi dengan cahayanya yang misterius tetapi agung. Cahaya itu dingin, seperti hawa yang sedang menggantung di udara dan menusuk-nusuk indera peraba semua makhluk yang diterpanya.

Sang Dingin sedang menguasai dunia.

Sang Dingin adalah wanita yang sudah sangat tua, ia tinggal di berbagai tempat di sudut-sudut bumi ini. Dari rahimnya yang senyap lahir glasier-glasier tertua di dunia yang senantiasa beradu dengan Sang Panas untuk menghasilkan air. Sang Dingin menghantui kolong-kolong dunia, tempat yang dihindari makhluk-makhluk hidup berperadaban. Kau bisa tiba-tiba berhadapan muka dengan Sang Dingin di kolong tempat tidurmu sendiri, di loteng yang berangin dan lembab, di gua-gua kelam tempat kawanan kelelawar besemayam, di luar angkasa, dalam sepotong es lilin atau segelas minuman buah, dalam tempayan air mandimu tiap pagi, dan di antara pepohonan kesepian di padang rumput yang sunyi.

Sang Dingin menyukai kegelapan karena cahaya mengundang panas, tetapi Sang Dingin menghormati Bulan tua yang memancarkan cahaya dingin keperakan yang membuat bayangan paling pekat dari benda-benda di bumi. Ketika Bulan sedang purnama, Sang Dingin menyebarkan hawa dinginnya lebih menggila.

Saat-saat ini ketika malam-malam dan dini hari menjadi dingin tak tertahankan, manusia dan makhluk lain yang memiliki naluri mencari Kehangatan dalam segelas minuman jahe, semangkuk makanan berkuah pedas, sepasang kaus kaki, seoles minyak gosok, atau sehelai selimut tebal. Tetapi mereka tetap kedinginan ketika Sang Dingin menyapa mereka dan mengelus sayang pipi mereka tanpa mereka sadari. Makhluk hidup membenci Sang Dingin…

Sang Dingin juga dapat merasuki hati manusia. Wanita tua ini merayap ke dalam pori-pori dan hinggap di dalam hati kekasih-kekasih yang patah, ayah-ayah yang beranak kesialan, dan anak-anak yang berayah kegegagalan. Perasaan dan pikiran mereka pun tersaput kabut beku sehingga mereka menolak penghiburan, percobaan kembali, dan bahkan kehidupan. Sang Dingin menggerogoti hati-hati mereka yang malang hingga hati-hati itu berlubang-lubang oleh keputus-asaan. 

 ***

Si Burung Hantu terbang lagi dari dahan pohon itu, mengikuti Sang Dingin yang terbang berayun di hati-hati keropos manusia.

The Apple Girl and The Angel

In a shiny morning, The Owl is sleepily perching on a branch of her cherry tree. She is tired of wandering all night to magical places out of the Orchard.

She is in a deep nap when a little girl’s sobbing wakes her up. She opens one of her sleepy eyes and she sees a tiny young gnome girl, her height is not higher than a wide spread hand of an old man. She is crying sadly and rubbing her eyes. She is Lila, a fat short girl with a beautiful face and a pair of shiny green eyes.

But the face is now in a mess and those eyes are now red, and circled with ugly black eye bags.

“What happened to you, Sweetie Pie?” The Owl asks. Though she is terribly sleepy, she has to keep her reputation high among the young gnomes.

Lila is not surprised that she has wakened the Old Kind-hearted Owl up. It’s her intention to tell her burden to The Wise Owl.

“Dodo...hiks...and Dido... hiks... they are cruel. The said that I... I am porky... huhuhuhuuu..”

The Wisest of All Owl has faced many young girls like this before. “Hush now, hush now,” she says. “It is okay. You are not alone. In fact, there are many girls like you. They stop eating wild strawberry cake and cream pudding, but still they are fat... or they think they’re fat.

And she continues, “Once there was a girl who is really like you.”

“Really?” said Lila. “What happened to her?”

“Oh, she’s dead.” The Owl says immediately.

“What?”

“So here is the story...”

***

Adriana is her name. She is fat and beautiful like an apple. But she does not know it. A friend of hers, Dio, is an evil young boy whose mouth only can produce bad words. No good things can be said from his wicked mouth. Therefore, Dio is so fond of teasing Adriana and say bad things about her. Dio only can see her fat body. He cannot see that Adriana is so lovely in her plump posture.

Therefore, Adriana cannot take it anymore. She kills herself by drinking a bowl of yew poison.

Her hope is that she can tell God what happen so that He will punish Dio the most unbearable suffering.

Therefore, the first thing Adriana says to the first angel she meets is “Where is God? I need to talk to Him.”

The Angel says: “There are thousands of people, queuing to talk to God. It is easier to talk to me, who knows I can help you with my limited divinity.”

So Adriana tells the Angel her story of unhappiness. Unpredictably, the Angel laughs.

“Stupid little girl. Why are you sweet but full of hatred? Why do you choose to be lovely but thorny like roses, if you can be true and open yourself like Sunflowers? Anyway, God does not work on hatred. He is peaceful and full of love. But, believe me, He will work for justice.”

And she takes Adriana to a long queue of people who will be sorted to heaven or hell.

In her turn, Adriana enters the room and meets The Judge. The Judge examines her closely from top to toe. A scale in front of Him is moving up and down uncontrollably. And all of the sudden Adriana falls in a vortex that consists of the colors of times and places.

In her ears The Angel whispers, “See, Good is Kind!”

“Where am I? Heaven or Hell?” asks Adriana.

“Well... you can say, both.” The Angel says. “You are human, you are smart, you have reason. You can choose for yourself whether you want to live in Heaven or in Hell. You can choose your own hereafter. Let me tell you a secret: life is the hereafter. God is Kind.” And with that the Angel goes by.

Adriana thinks about the Angel’s words for a loooong time in her new place. The place is warm and comfortable, but it is so dark. Adriana has not understood the Angel’s words yet when it is the time for her to slide again in a vortex of colors. But this trip is a bit wet.

Afterwards, she cries so loud.

Oh! She is reborn!

In the process Adriana changes. She has forgotten her past life and becomes a new person. In fact, she is a boy now and her name is Dio. Dio has forgotten anything about Adriana. He even has forgotten the Angel. But one thing he remember, strangely, that he can choose his own Heaven.

He makes his life as happy as can be. Even when his Daddy is bankrupt, and they have to move to a slummy ugly house, and then his parents divorce, Dio always remembers to be cheerful. He always seeks for happiness from every of his sufferings. He always remembers to be happy and see everything from many angles.

And finally, in a point of his life, Dio meets a lovely chubby girl named Adriana. Dio is so in love with the girl. He does everything for the girl’s happiness, also with words of spirit and joy. Their happiness makes other people happy, so that the world turns to be a better place.

***

“So that’s why, Lila, never be down-hearted. Always be cheerful and choose Heaven for yourself.” Says the Owl.

Lila’s tears have dried. She is now seated on the grass and listening to the story while eating a ripe cherry that has dropped to the ground.

“So... so... actually Dodo and Dido likes me?” she says naively.

The Owl is gone a chapfallen “tsk tsk”.

“Could be yes or no,” she says, “perhaps they just have a real bad day at home.”

“But, Baby, can’t you see? Everyone is One. We are all sharing the same soul. When it comes the time, you will be me and I will be you, do you understand? It is difficult to see everybody else as yourself, but that is the reality. Treat people like how you like to be treated, because they are actually you. And make sure that you and they are in heaven, understand? Now go and do your role of this lifetime with the best you can.”

Lila gets up and feels happier. She strolls back to under the yew tree, and ready to share Heaven.

The Owl goes back on her deep nap.

Yogyakarta, June 28, 2012

 Gisela Swaragita