One Night Miss Universe

"That night, I looked on a meeting of plant experts and the like," said the Moon after saying Basmalah and Salaam. "Just as I shone my light above the Hall, it was time for reces, and they were invited to enjoy the food. A light music and a lovely song of a lovely singer, played. Then I spot a Botanist and Horticulturist, having a discussion while the singer sang, 

Rasa deg-degan, di hatiku

[Anxiety, was in my heart]

Saat kutatap, paras wajahku di cermin

[When I was staring at my face in the mirror]

Pipi merah, bibirku merah

[Red cheeks, my lips were red]

Merekah, menantang setiap pandangan

[Blooming, challenging every gaze]

The Botanist said, 'Obscurity is the Realm of Error.' The Horticulturalist respond, 'But, often, Obscurity brings safety!' The Botanist frowning, 'Might be, but I'm curious, what's the backdrop?'

'Listen to this!' The Horticulturalist told a story,

An Oak, which hung over the bank of a river, was blown down by a violent storm of wind; and as it was carried along by the stream, some of its boughs, brushed against a Reed, which grew near the shore. This struck the Oak with a thought of admiration; and he could not forbear asking the Reed, how he came to stand so secure and unhurt in a tempest, which had been furious enough to tear an Oak up by the roots?

'Why,' says the Reed, 'I secure myself by putting on a behaviour quite contrary to what you do, instead of being stubborn and stiff, and confiding in my strength, I yield and bend to the blast, and let it go over me; knowing how vain and fruitless it would be to resist.'

'Though a tame submission to injuries which it is in our power to redress,' the Horticulturalist explained, 'be generally, esteemed a base and a dishonourable thing; yet, to resist where there is no probability, or even hopes of our getting the better, may also be looked upon as the effect of a blind temerity, and perhaps of a weak understanding. The strokes of fortune are oftentimes as irresistible as they are severe and, he who with an impatient reluctant spirit fights against her, instead of alleviating, does but double her blows upon himself.

A person of a quiet still temper, whether it is given him by nature, or acquired by art, calmly composes himself in the midst of a storm, so as to elude the shock, or receive it with the least detriment: like a prudent experienced sailor, who is swimming to the shore from a wrecked vessel in a swelling sea; he does not oppose the fury of the waves, but stoops and gives way, that they may roll over his head without obstruction. The doctrine of absolute submission in all cases, is an absurd, dogmatical precept, with nothing but ignorance and superstition to support it: but, upon particular occasions, and where it is impossible for us to overcome, to submit patiently is one of the most reasonable maxims in life,' said the Horticulturist closing their conversation.

The sound stream of the artist, kept flowing,

Kupoles lagi, alis mataku

[I polished again, my eyebrows]

Hidung, telinga, jidat, tangan sampai betis

[Nose, ears, forehead, hands to calves]

'Ouw betapa cantiknya, wajahku malam ini!'

['Wow how beautiful my look, tonight!']

Pasti, kuterpilih jadi Ratu

[Certainly, I was chosen to be the Queen]

Then, I turned my gaze to another angle, there were two men, one a phytologist, the other, a naturalist. They were talking about something. The Naturalist said, 'Prudence, as well as Gratitude, is concerned in the Protection of a friend, that will show his Friendship, in Adversity.' The phytologist asked, 'And ... what is the reason?' The Naturalist replied, 'Implicitly, listen carefully to this story,

In the quarters of a shrubbery, where deciduous plants and evergreens were intermingled with an air of negligence, it happened that a Rose grew not far from a Laurustinus.

The Rose, enlivened by the breath of June—in the northern hemisphere usually considered the first month of summer, about summer and sunny days. It comes from the ancient Roman mythological goddess Juno, who was a powerful influencer and was considered the protector of pregnant women—and attired in all its gorgeous blossoms, looked with much contempt on the Laurustinus—an evergreen winter-flowering viburnum with dense glossy green leaves and white or pink flowers, native to the Mediterranean area and cultivated elsewhere—which had no thing to display but the dusky verdure of its leaves.

'What a wretched neighbourhood,' cried she, 'is this; and how unworthy to partake, the honour of my company! Better to bloom and die in the desert, than to associate myself here with such low and dirty vegetables. And this is my lot at last, whom every nation has agreed to honour, and every poet conspired to reverence, as the undoubted sovereign of the field and garden! If I really am so, let my subjects at least keep their distance, and let a circle remain vacant around me, suitable to the state my rank requires. Here, Gardener, bring thy hatchet; prithee, cut down this Laurustinus, or at least remove it to its proper sphere.'

'Be pacified, my lovely Rose,' replied the Gardener; 'enjoy thy sovereignty with moderation, and thou shalt receive all the homage which thy beauty can require. But remember that in winter, when neither thou nor any of thy tribe, produce one flower or leaf to cheer me, this faithful shrub, which thou despisest, will become the glory of my garden. Prudence, therefore, as well as gratitude, is concerned in the protection of a friend that will show his friendship, in adversity.' said the Naturalist while drinking the served green tea.

The singer, kept on singing,

Aku berbisik, dalam hati

[I whispered in my heart]

'Mungkinkah ini 'kan terjadi sesungguhnya?'

['Could this really happen?']

Kulangkahkan kaki, menyusuri

[I stepped my feet along]

Panggung pemilihan Ratu Sejagad

[Election stage of Miss Universe]

And in that corner, I noticed, an entomologist and folklorist, were brainstorming. The Folklorist said, 'Self-interest alone moves some men.' The Mycologist tilted his head, 'Pardon me?' The Folklorist smiled, 'Listen, a peasant had in his garden, an Apple-Tree which bore no fruit, but only served as a harbor for the sparrows and grasshoppers. He resolved to cut it down, and taking his axe in his hand, made a bold stroke at its roots.

The grasshoppers and sparrows entreated him not to cut down the tree that sheltered them, but to spare it, and they would sing to him and lighten his labors.

He paid no attention to their request, but gave the tree a second and a third blow with his axe. When he reached the hollow of the tree, he found a hive full of honey. Having tasted the honeycomb, he threw down his axe, and looking on the tree as sacred, took great care of it,' and again, the Folklorist, smiled while feeding a tablespoon of honey available, into his mouth.

And again, the song lyrics of the singer's, appeared,

Putar ke kiri, balik ke kanan

[Turning left, flipping right]

Senyum sana, senyum sini, ikut irama

[Smiling there, smiling here, following the rhythm]

Oh semua tepuk tangan, seiring kuberlalu

[Ow all applaused, as I walked away]

Sampai menghilang, dibalik layar

['Till vanished behind the curtain]

In another corner, there were a Dendrologist and a Palaeontologist, had some talks. The Palaeontologist said, 'Brag and nature, may bring you down!' The Dendrologist surprised, 'Could it be?' The Palaeontologist said, 'The olive-tree ridiculed the Fig-Tree, because, while she was green all the year round, the Fig-Tree changed its leaves with the seasons.

A shower of snow fell upon them, and, finding the Olive full of foliage, it settled upon its branches and broke them down with its weight, at once despoiling it, of its beauty, and killing the tree. But finding the Fig-Tree denuded of leaves, the snow fell through to the ground, and did not injure it at all.'

Again, the Singer, sang,

Akupun bersorak, lompat kegirangan

[I then cheered up, jumped for joy]

Tapi, kuterjatuh dari kursi goyang

[But, I fell off the rocking chair]

Kiranya kumimpi ... uh! Sebel

[Apparently, I had a dream... uh! it's a catastrophe]

Jadi Ratu Sejagad semalam *)

[Being one night Miss Universe]

Shortly after, the Committee announced that the time of reces had ended, and the participants were asked to return to their respective places. I wanted to follow them, but my time was up."

Before she took her leave, the Moon said, "However, I wonder, instead of talking about automotive and clean energy, they didn't even talk about Palm Trees or the fluctuations of the Fruit Bunches price, which is a scourge for the farmers. If the price of Fruit Bunches drastically falls, the Bankers will lean on their chin, because, Non-performing Loan, is lurking. Oh or is it maybe because I was dreaming about, being one night Miss Universe? Allah knows best."

Citations & References:
- Samuel Croxall, D.D., Fables of Aesop and Others, Simon Probasco
- Rev. Geo. Fyler Townsend, M.A., Aesop Fables, George Routledge and Sons
*) "Ratu Sejagad Semalam" written by Dani Mamesah

English