Once upon a time, there were three brothers named Samuel, Timothy and Xander, who lived in a cottage by the woods. They were honest and hardworking. Every day, they would venture into the forest to fell wood. Later, they would sell it in the market where it would fetch a decent price. Thus, their life continued in this manner.
However, the brothers were always sad and morose. Even though they lived a good life, they were unhappy. Each one hankered for something or the other and would pine for it.
One day, while Samuel, Timothy and Xander were returning home from the woods carrying their bundle of logs, they saw an old haggard woman bent low with a sack on her back. As they were kind and compassionate, the brothers immediately approached the poor woman and offered to carry the sack all the way to her home. She smiled and expressed her gratefulness, while replying that the sack actually contained apples that she had collected in the forest. Samuel, Timothy and Xander took turns in carrying the sack, and at last, when they reached the woman’s home, they were very tired indeed.
Now, this old woman was no ordinary person and had magical powers. Pleased with the brothers’ kind and selfless nature, she asked them whether there was anything she could help them with, as a reward.
“We are not happy, and that has become our greatest cause of concern,” replied Samuel. The woman asked what would make them happy. Each brother spoke of a different thing that would please him.
“A splendid mansion with plenty of servants would make me happy. There is nothing more that I would want,” said Samuel.
“A big farm with lots of harvest would make me happy. Then I could be rich without having to worry,” said Timothy.
“A beautiful wife would make me happy. Every day, after returning home, her sweet little face would light me up and make me forget my sorrows,” said Xander.
“That is fine,” said the old woman, “If these things will give you happiness, you deserve them in every respect for helping a poor helpless person like me. Go home, and each of you shall find exactly what you have wished for.”
This took the brothers by surprise as they did not know about the woman’s powers. Nevertheless, they took leave and returned home. But lo behold, beside their cottage, there was a huge mansion with a doorman and other servants waiting outside! They greeted Samuel and ushered him in. At some distance, a yellow farmland showed itself. A ploughman came and announced that it belonged to Timothy. Timothy gasped. Just at that moment, a beautiful maiden approached Xander and coyly said that she was his wife. The brothers were beside themselves with joy at this new turn of events. They thanked their lucky stars and adapted to their new lifestyles.
The days passed and soon a year was over. The situation was however, now different for Samuel, Timothy and Xander. Samuel had grown tired of owning the mansion. He became lazy and did not supervise his servants into taking proper care of the mansion. Timothy, who had built a decent house next to his farmland, found it burdensome to plough the fields and sow seeds from time to time. Xander too, grew used to his beautiful wife and no longer found any joy in keeping her company. In short, all of them were unhappy again.
One day, the three of them met up and decided to visit the old woman at her home. “That woman has magical powers which turned our dreams into reality. However, since we are no longer happy, we must go and seek her help now. It is she who will be able to tell us the secret to attaining happiness,” said Samuel.
When they came to the old woman, she was cooking stew in a pot. Greeting her, each of the brothers recounted how he had turned unhappy again. “Please tell us how we can once more be happy,” said Timothy.
Old Woman“Well,” replied the old woman. “It is all in your own hands. See, when each of you made his wish and it was granted, you were happy. However, happiness never lasts without a very important thing – content. Earlier, since you were happy but never really content or satisfied, boredom and misery overcame you and you became sad again. Only if you learn to be content, can you truly enjoy the bliss of happiness.”
Samuel, Timothy and Xander realized their mistake and went back home. They saw how lucky they were to have the gifts for which they had once craved. Samuel felt grateful for being the owner of a mansion and began taking good care of it. Timothy began to plough his land diligently so as to have a good harvest in time. Xander too learnt to appreciate his pretty wife’s chores in the house and her devotion towards him. Remembering that happiness and content went side by side, never again did the brothers take their blessings for granted. And thus, they lived happily ever after.
Indonesian:
Suatu ketika, ada tiga laki-laki bersaudara bernama Samuel, Timothy dan Xander, yang hidup di gubuk dekat hutan. Mereka jujur dan pekerja keras. Setiap hari mereka menjelajahi hutan dan menebang kayu. Kemudian, mereka menjualnya di pasar dengan harga yang pantas. Begitulah kehidupan mereka setiap harinya.
Namun demikian, kakak beradik itu selalu sedih dan murung. Meskipun mereka berkecukupan, mereka tidak bahagia. Masing-masing dari mereka menginginkan sesuatu dan tak akan bahagia sampai mendapatkannya.
Suatu hari, saat Samuel, Timothy dan Xander sedang dalam perjalanan pulang ke rumah dan membawa gelondongan kayu, mereka melihat wanita tua kurus kering yang berjalan terbungkuk-bungkuk karena karung yang dipanggulnya. Karena kakak beradik itu orang baik dan merasa kasihan, mereka dengan segera mendekati wanita miskin itu dan menawarkan diri membawakan karung itu sampai rumahnya. Wanita itu tersenyum dan sangat berterima kasih pada mereka karena membawakan karungnya yang berisi apel yang ia kumpulkan dari hutan. Samuel, Timothy dan Xander mengambil alih karung dan mulai membawanya, dan akhirnya mereka sampai pad rumah wanita itu. Mereka sangat kelelahan.
Rupanya wanita itu bukan wanita biasa karena memiliki kekuatan magis. Ia senang akan kebaikan kakak beradik itu dan sifatnya yang tidak egois. Ia menyuruh mereka mengajukan permintaan yang nantinya akan dikabulkan oleh wanita itu.
“Kami tidakbahagia, dan hal itu menjadi perhatian utama kami,” jawab Samuel. Perkataan wanita itu membuat mereka bahagia. Segera masing-masing dari mereka berbicara tentang apa yang membuat mereka bahagia.
“Rumah besar mewah dengan banyak pelayan akan membuatku bahagia. Hanya itulah keinginanku,” ujar Samuel.
“Tanah pertanian yang besar dengan panenan yang banyak akan membuatku bahagia. Karenanya aku bisa menjadi kaya tanpa perlu kuatir,” timpal Timothy.
“Istri yang cantik akan membuat aku bahagia. Setiap hari, sesudah pulang bekerja, senyumnya akan membuatku senang dan melupakan penderitaanku,” sahut Xander.
“Baiklah,” kata wanita tua itu, “Kalau hal-hal itu bisa membuat kalian bahagia, kalian pantas mendapatkannya karena sudah membantu orang miskin seperti aku. Pulanglah, dan masing-masing dari kamu akan mendapatkan apa yang kalian minta.”
Perkataan wanita itu membuat kakak beradik itu terkejut karena tidak mengetahui kekuatan magis wanita itu sebelumnya.Namun demikian, mereka tetap pergi dan pulang ke rumah. Tapi mereka terhenti sejenak, disamping gubuk mereka, ada sebuah rumah besar mewah dengan penjaga pintu dan pelayan-pelayan menunggu diluar! Mereka menyambut Samuel dan membimbingnya ke dalam. Tidak jauh dari situ, sebuah tanah pertanian kekuning-kuningan menampakkan diri. Seorang pembajak tanah datang dan mengatakan bahwa tanah pertanian ini milik Timothy. Timothy kesulitan menarik nafas. Tepat pada saat itu, seorang perempuan cantik mendekati Xander dan dengan malu-malu berkata bahwa dia adalah istrinya. Mereka berbahagia dengan nasib mereka yang baru. Mereka berterima kasih atas keberuntungan ini dan mulai menyesuaikan diri mereka masing-masing pada keadaan baru mereka.
Hari berganti hari, satu tahun telah terlewati. SItuasinya menjadi berbeda bagi Samuel, Timothy dan Xander. Samuel lelah memiliki rumah mewah. Dia menjadi malas dan tidak mengawasi pelayan-pelayannya saat mengurus rumah. Timothy, yang mendirikan rumah yang layak untuknya berada disamping tanah pertaniannya, menyadari bahwa membajak sawah dan menaburkan benih dari waktu ke waktu terlalu memberatkan. Xander juga, meskipun hidup bersama dengan istrinya yang cantik, ia tidak lagi menemukan kegembiraan karena kehadirannya. Singkatnya, mereka mulai tidak bahagia lagi.
Suatu hari, mereka bertemu dan memutuskan untuk mengunjungi wanita tua itu di rumahnya. “Wanita itu memiliki kekuatan magis yang mengubah mimpi kita menjadi kenyataan. Dengan demikian, karena kita tidak bahagia lagi, kita harus meminta tolong dia lagi. Hanya dia yang dapat menceritakan pada kita rahasia mendapatkan kebahagiaan,” kata Samuel.
Saat mereka mendatangi, wanita tua itu sedang merebuat sesuatu di panci. Setelah mengucapkan salam, masing-masing dari mereka menceritakan kembali bagaimana mereka sekarang merasa tidak berbahagia lagi. “Bantulah kami, bagaimana caranya agar kami dapat berbahagia kembali,” kata Timothy.
“Begini,” jawab wanita tua itu. “Semuanya terserah kalian sendiri, saat kalian memiliki keinginan dan mencapainya, kamu bahagia. Tetapi kebahagiaan tidak akan berlangsung lama tanpa satu hal yang penting ini – kepuasan. Dulu kalian bahagia tetapi tidak pernah puas atau lega, bosan dan kesengsaraan mendatangimu sehingga kamu sedih lagi. Hanya jika kamu belajar untuk puas, maka kamu dapat merasakan kebahagiaan yang sesungguhnya.”
Samuel, Timothy dan Xander menyadari kesalahannya dan pulang ke rumah mereka. Mereka melihat bahwa betapa beruntungnya mereka karena telah memiliki apa yang mereka inginkan. Samuel bersyukur karena menjadi pemilik rumah mewah dan mulai merawatnya dengan baik. Timothy mulai membajak tanahnya dengan cermat sehingga mendapat hasil panen pada waktunya. Xander juga belajar untuk menghargai pekerjaan rumah tangga istrinya yang cantik dan pengabdiannya pada dirinya. Mengingat bahwa kebahagiaan dan kepuasaan berjalan berdampingan, mereka tidak pernah meminta anugerah apa-apa lagi. Dengan demikian, mereka berbahagia selama-lamanya.
Gambar dari: tuuliky.deviantart.com
Cerita oleh: Ananya Sarkar
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