Isang batang babae ang unang nakakita ng kakaibang hugis mula sa malayo.
It was a little girl who first saw the mysterious shape in the distance.
Habang papalapit nang papalapit ang hugis, nakita niyang isa itong babaeng nagdadalang-tao.
As the shape moved closer, she saw that it was a heavily pregnant woman.
Mahiyain pero matapang, lumapit ang batang babae sa babaeng nagdadalang-tao. “Kailangan natin siyang panatilihin dito,” napagdesisyunan ng mga kababayan ng batang babae. “Aalagaan natin ang ina at anak.”
Shy but brave, the little girl moved nearer to the woman.
“We must keep her with us,” the little girl’s people decided. “We’ll keep her and her child safe.”
Sa madaling panahon ay lumabas din ang bata. “Tulak pa!” “Kumot!” “Tubig!” “Kaunti na laaaaannnnnggg!”
The child was soon on its way.
“Push!”
“Bring blankets!”
“Water!”
“Puuuuussssshhh!!!”
Ngunit nasindak ang lahat nang lumabas ang sanggol. “Isang asno?!”
But when they saw the baby, everyone jumped back in shock.
“A donkey?!”
Nagsimulang mag-away ang lahat, “Sinabi nating aalagaan natin ang ang ina at anak, at iyon ang gagawin natin,” sabi ng iba. “Pero magdadala ito ng kamalasan sa atin!” sabi ng iba.
Everyone began to argue.
“We said we would keep mother and child safe, and that’s what we’ll do,” said some.
“But they will bring us bad luck!” said others.
At muli ay mag-isa na naman ang babae. Inisip niya kung ano ang gagawin sa kanyang bardagol na anak. Inisip niya kung ano ang gagawin sa sarili niya.
And so the woman found herself alone again.
She wondered what to do with this awkward child.
She wondered what to do with herself.
Pero sa huli ay tinanggap niya na anak niya ang asno at siya ang ina nito.
But finally she had to accept that he was her child and she was his mother.
Ngayon, kung hindi nagbago ang batang ito at nanatiling maliit, marahil ay iba ang lahat. Pero lumaki nang lumaki ang batang asno hanggang sa hindi na ito makarga sa likod ng kanyang ina. At kahit anong gawin niya, hindi nito kayang magpakatao. Madalas ay nararamdaman ng kanyang ina ang kapaguran at pagkabigo. Minsan ay pinagagawa niya rito ang mga gawaing pang-hayop.
Now, if the child had stayed that same, small size, everything might have been different. But the donkey child grew and grew until he could no longer fit on his mother’s back.
And no matter how hard he tried, he could not behave like a human being. His mother was often tired and frustrated. Sometimes she made him do work meant for animals.
Unti-unting umiral ang pagkalito at galit kay Asno. Hindi siya puwedeng gumawa ng ganito at ganyan. Hindi siya puwedeng maging ganito at ganyan. Isang araw, tinadyakan niya ang kanyang ina sa sobrang galit.
Confusion and anger built up inside Donkey. He couldn’t do this and he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t be like this and he couldn’t be like that.
He became so angry that, one day, he kicked his mother to the ground.
Nakaramdam ng pagkahiya si Asno. Tumakbo siya ng napakabilis para tumakas.
Donkey was filled with shame. He started to run away as far and fast as he could.
Gabi na nang tumigil siya sa pagktakbo, at nawala siya. “Hi haw?” bulong niya sa kadiliman. “Hi Haw?” ulyaw nito. Mag-isa siya. Niyakap niya ang sarili niya na parang bolang mahigpit, at nakatulog siya ng mahimbing at maligalig.
By the time he stopped running, it was night, and Donkey was lost.
“Hee haw?” he whispered to the darkness.
“Hee Haw?” it echoed back. He was alone.
Curling himself into a tight ball, he fell into a deep and troubled sleep.
Nagising si Asno at nakita ang isang kakaibang matandang lalake na nakatitig sa kanya. Tumingin siya sa mga mata nito at nakaramdam ng pag-asa.
Donkey woke up to find a strange old man staring down at him. He looked into the old man’s eyes and started to feel a twinkle of hope.
Nakituloy si Asno sa matandang lalake na siyang nagturo sa kanya ng iba’t ibang paraan para mamuhay. Nakinig at natuto si Asno, at gayundin naman ang matandang lalake. Nagtulungan sila, at nagtawanan sila.
Donkey went to stay with the old man, who taught him many different ways to survive.
Donkey listened and learned, and so did the old man. They helped each other, and they laughed together.
Isang umaga, nakiusap ang matandang lalake na dalhin siya ni Asno sa tuktok ng isang bundok.
One morning, the old man asked Donkey to carry him to the top of a mountain.
Nakatulog sila sa itaas ng bundok, kapantay ang mga ulap. Napanaginipan ni Asno na may sakit ang kanyang ina at nananawagan ito. At nang magising siya…
High up amongst the clouds they fell asleep.
Donkey dreamed that his mother was sick and calling to him.
And when he woke up…
…nawala na ang mga ulap kasama ng kanyang kaibigan, ang matandang lalake.
… the clouds had disappeared along with his friend, the old man.
Alam na ni Asno kung ano ang dapat gawin.
Donkey finally knew what to do.
Nakita ni Asno ang kanyang ina, nag-iisa at nagluluksa para kanyang nawawalang anak. Matagal silang tumitig sa isa’t isa. At pagkatapos ay nagyakapan sila nang nakapahigpit.
Donkey found his mother, alone and mourning her lost child. They stared at each other for a long time.
And then hugged each other very hard.
Ang batang asno at ang kanyang ina ay tumanda nang magkasama at nakahanap ng maraming paraan para mamuhay nang magkaagapay. Unti-unting pumalagay ang mga pamilya sa paligid nila.
The donkey child and his mother have grown together and found many ways of living side by side.
Slowly, all around them, other families have started to settle.
