Polly at the Market

Berta kept her promise. At nine in the morning she was already knocking at the green door, basket in paw, and they walked together to the square where the Saturday market opens. The street smelled of oranges and fresh bread. "Good morning!" Polly called out at the first stall, and the whole row of awnings seemed to answer at once.

Berta menepati janjinya. Pukul sembilan pagi ia sudah mengetuk pintu hijau, keranjang di tangan, dan mereka berjalan bersama ke lapangan tempat pasar Sabtu dibuka. Jalanan beraroma jeruk dan roti hangat. “Selamat pagi!” seru Polly di kios pertama, dan seolah seluruh deretan tenda menjawab serentak.

At the fruit stall a goat in a striped apron was stacking apples into a perfect pyramid. Polly pointed at something green and spiky. "What is this? I have never seen this fruit." The goat laughed, cut a thin slice, and held it out. That is how Polly learned that in this neighborhood you taste first and decide later. "I want two apples and one of those, to try it."

Di kios buah, seekor kambing bercelemek garis-garis menyusun apel menjadi piramida yang sempurna. Polly menunjuk sesuatu yang hijau dan berduri. “Ini apa? Saya belum pernah melihat buah ini.” Kambing itu tertawa, memotong satu irisan tipis, dan menyodorkannya. Begitulah Polly belajar bahwa di lingkungan ini orang mencicipi dulu dan memutuskan kemudian. “Saya mau dua apel dan satu yang itu, untuk dicoba.”

"How much is it all together?" The goat named a price, Berta nodded that it was fair, and Polly counted out the coins one by one, proud of every single number. "A bag, please. I have to carry everything home." On the walk back, with the bag swinging under one wing, Polly decided that the market would be a Saturday habit. Some lessons taste better than they sound.

“Berapa harga semuanya?” Kambing itu menyebut harga, Berta mengangguk bahwa harganya wajar, dan Polly menghitung koin satu per satu, bangga pada setiap angka. “Satu kantong, tolong. Saya harus membawa semuanya pulang.” Dalam perjalanan pulang, dengan kantong berayun di bawah satu sayap, Polly memutuskan bahwa pasar akan menjadi kebiasaan hari Sabtu. Ada pelajaran yang rasanya lebih enak daripada bunyinya.