올드코난의 이솝우화 제29화 원숭이와 돌고래 (The Monkey and the Dolphin)

올드코난 (Old Conan)이 재해석하는 현대판 이솝우화 (Aesop's Fables, Aesopica) => 원 저작자: Aesop; 참고 번역본 저자: 조지 파일러 타운센드(George Fyler Townsend, 1814-1900) 외 / 현재 알려진 이솝우화들을 현대적으로 해석해  소개해 드리겠습니다.

올드코난의 이솝우화 스물 아홉 번째 이야기 제29화 원숭이와 돌고래 (The Monkey and the Dolphin)  

 

오랫동안 배를 타고 항해를 해야 하는 선원들이 무료함을 달래기 위해 원숭이를 배에 태우고 다녔다. 그리스를 향해 가던 어느날 심한 폭풍우를 만나 배가 난파되고 만다. 물에 빠진 선원과 원숭이는 저 멀리 보이는 해변가를 향해 헤엄을 치기 시작했다. 원숭이가 사람보다 먼저 앞으로 나아가고 있었고, 마침 돌고래가 원숭이를 발견한다. 돌고래는 원숭이를 아테네 사람으로 착각해 구해 주기로 결심한다.

돌고래는 재빨리 원숭이에게 다가가 원숭이를 등에 태우고 아테네 해변가를 향해 나아간다. 그리고 원숭이에게 아테네 사람인지 물었다.

그러자 원숭이는 “네, 아네테의 명망있는 가문의 사람입니다”

돌고래는 “그렇다면 Piraeus(피레우스: 아테네의 항구)를 알겠군요”

원숭이는 대답했다.

“네, 그는 유명한 아테네 시민이고 저와 매우 친한 친구 사이입니다”

원송이의 거짓말에 화가난 돌고래는 바다 밑으로 잠수해 버렸고 물 위에 남겨졌던 원숭이는 결국 물에 빠져 죽고 말았다.

 

[올드코난 한마디]

거짓말을 하지 말라, 반드시 들통 난다. 거짓은 거짓을 부른다. 실수로 한번은 할 수 있지만 연이어 하게 되면 신용을 잃게 된다. 거짓말쟁이는 사회에서 매장될 것이라는 교훈이 담긴 일화다.

 

하지만, 오늘날 한국 사회에서는 이 말이 잘못된 듯 하다.

위선적이고 거짓말을 밥먹듯이 하는 자들이 오히려 큰 성공을 거두고 있다.

오히려 정직하고 성실하게 사는 사람들이 손해를 보고 있다.

이건 어떻게 봐야 할까.

 

[영어 원문]

Perry 73. The Ape and the Dolphin

Dolphin saved a Monkey from drowning and gave him a ride to Athens. Dolphin questioned Monkey about Athens and was lied to. Monkey got drowned after all.

Bragging, lying, and pretending, has cost many a man his life and estate.

1. Townsend version

A sailor, bound on a long voyage, took with him a Monkey to amuse him while on shipboard. As he sailed off the coast of Greece, a violent tempest arose in which the ship was wrecked and he, his Monkey, and all the crew were obliged to swim for their lives. A Dolphin saw the Monkey contending with the waves, and supposing him to be a man (whom he is always said to befriend), came and placed himself under him, to convey him on his back in safety to the shore. When the Dolphin arrived with his burden in sight of land not far from Athens, he asked the Monkey if he were an Athenian. The latter replied that he was, and that he was descended from one of the most noble families in that city. The Dolphin then inquired if he knew the Piraeus (the famous harbor of Athens). Supposing that a man was meant, the Monkey answered that he knew him very well and that he was an intimate friend. The Dolphin, indignant at these falsehoods, dipped the Monkey under the water and drowned him.

2. JBR Collection

 

A Ship, wrecked off the coast of Greece, had on board a large Ape, kept for the diversion of the sailors. The ship went down, and the Ape, with most of the crew, was left struggling in the water. Dolphins are said to have a great friendship for man, and one of these fishes, taking the Ape for a man, came under him and, supporting him on his back, swam with him to the mouth of the Piraeus (a harbour in Greece so called). “In what part of Greece do you live?” demanded the Dolphin. “I am an Athenian,” said the Ape. “Oh, then, you know Piraeus, of course?” said the Dolphin. “Know Piraeus!” cried the Ape, not wishing to appear ignorant to the Dolphin; “I should rather think I did. Why, my father and he are first cousins.” Thereupon the Dolphin, finding that he was supporting an impostor, slipped from beneath his legs, and left him lo his fate.

3. L’Estrange version

People were us’d in the days of old, to carry game-some puppies and apes with ’em to sea, to pass away the time withall. Now there was one of these apes, it seems, aboard a vessel that was cast away in a very great storm. As the men were paddling for their lives, and the ape for company, a certain dolphin that took him for a man, got him upon his back and was making towards land with him. He had him into a safe road call’d the Pyraeus, and took occasion to ask the ape, whether he was an Athenian or not? He told him, yes, and of a very ancient family there. Why then (says the dolphin) you know Pyraeus: Oh! exceedingly well, says t’other, (taking it for the name of a man) why Pyraeus is my very particular good friend. The dolphin, upon this, had such an indignation for the impudence of the buffoon-ape that he gave him the slip from between his legs, and there was an end of my very good friend, the Athenian.

Moral: Bragging, lying, and pretending, has cost many a man his life and estate.

4. Aesop For Children

It happened once upon a time that a certain Greek ship bound for Athens was wrecked off the coast close to Piraeus, the port of Athens. Had it not been for the Dolphins, who at that time were very friendly toward mankind and especially toward Athenians, all would have perished. But the Dolphins took the shipwrecked people on their backs and swam with them to shore.

Now it was the custom among the Greeks to take their pet monkeys and dogs with them whenever they went on a voyage. So when one of the Dolphins saw a Monkey struggling in the water, he thought it was a man, and made the Monkey climb up on his back. Then off he swam with him toward the shore.

The Monkey sat up, grave and dignified, on the Dolphin’s back.

“You are a citizen of illustrious Athens, are you not?” asked the Dolphin politely.

“Yes,” answered the Monkey, proudly. “My family is one of the noblest in the city.”

“Indeed,” said the Dolphin. “Then of course you often visit Piraeus.”

“Yes, yes,” replied the Monkey. “Indeed, I do. I am with him constantly. Piraeus is my very best friend.”

This answer took the Dolphin by surprise, and, turning his head, he now saw what it was he was carrying. Without more ado, he dived and left the foolish Monkey to take care of himself, while he swam off in search of some human being to save.

Moral: One falsehood leads to another.

5. Delphinus et Simius

Quidam maritimum iter aggressus, simium secum assumpsit. Cum ad Sunium, Atticae promontorium, pervenissent, tempestas ingens oborta est. Cuius impetu nave diffracta, natantibus omnibus, simius quoque natabat. Delphinus quidam interim, eum conspicatus et hominem ratus esse, protinus accedens, suum supra dorsum excepit ut salvum ad terram portaret. Ast ubi prope Piraeeum, Atheniensium navale, fuit, delphinus simium rogare coepit an genere esset Atheniensis. Id illo affirmante ac praeterea se claros apud illos habuisse parentes, eum rursus an etiam Piraeeum nosceret interrogavit. Tum simius, ipsum de homine loqui arbitratus, se maxima familiaritate cum eo iunctum esse respondit. At delphinus, tanto mendacio indignatus, excussum humeris simium in undis demersit.

Moral: Haec eos fabula carpit qui, veritatis ignari, alios decipere posse arbitrantur. 

 글 작성/편집 올드코난 (Old Conan)

글에 공감하신다면 SNS (요즘,트위터,미투데이, 페이스북)로 널리 널리 알려 주세요. ★ 글의 오타, 하고픈 말, 그리고 동영상 등이 재생이 안되는 등 문제가 발견 되면 본문 하단에 댓글로 남겨 주시면 감사하겠습니다