이솝우화 제 136화 당나귀와 애완견 (Perry 91. The Ass who would be Playmate to his Master)

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 제 136화 당나귀와 애완견 (Perry 91. The Ass who would be Playmate to his Master. ) or The Ass and The Lapdog

늘 열심히 일을 하지만 주인에게 푸대접을 받는 당나귀가 있었다. 당나귀의 주인인 농부에게는 애완견이 한 마리 있었다. 농부는 당나귀와는 달리 애완견에는 많은 사랑과 맛있는 음식을 주었다. 당나귀는 이런 애완견이 한없이 부러웠다. 그러던 어느날 당나귀는 문득 이런 생각이 들었다. 애완견처럼 농부의 무릎에 앉아 주인의 얼굴을 핥고 꼬리를 흔들며 귀염을 떨면 자신도 이쁘게 봐줄 것이라고 생각한 것이다.

그날 일이 끝나 집으로 돌아온 농부에게 당나귀가 다가가 농부의 얼굴을 비비고 혀를 핥으면서 앞다리를 들어 농부에게 안겼다. 그러자 농부는 당나귀의 무게에 쓰러졌고, 화가나 당나귀를 마구 때리며 마구간에 가두고 그날 먹을 것도 주지 않았다.

다른 사람을 어설프게 따라 하지 마라.

[올드코난 한마디]

이 이야기는 주제 파악하지 못하는 사람을 꾸짖는 말로만 쓰여지지만 다른 한편으로 생각해 보면 당나귀는 열심히 일하지만, 애완견은 그저 아양만 떨고 주인에게 사랑을 받는다. 이 또한 세상인 것이다. 성실한 사람이 성공하는 세상은 가장 바람직한 세상이다. 하지만, 현실이라는게 그렇지만은 않다. 대표적으로 최순실 국정농단을 보자, 최태민이라는 자는 박근혜 단 한사람에게 이쁨을 받아 엄청난 부와 권력을 차지했다. 이 자가 유능한가? 도덕적으로도 형편 없는 이른 자를 이쁘게 여긴 박근혜 대통령에게 문제가 있는 것이다.

과거에는 당나귀가 한심했지만, 지금 이 이야기를 다시 보면 당나귀가 무척 불쌍해 보이고, 농부가 야박하고 애완견이 얄밉게 느껴진다.

[영어 문장]

Perry 91. The Ass who would be Playmate to his Master

An Ass sees a lap Dog fawned over and decides to sit on the master’s lap like the Dog. Bad move as the Ass quickly finds out.

Clumsy jesting is no joke.

1. Eliot/Jacobs Version

A farmer went to the stables to see to his beasts of burden; among them was his favorite Ass, that was always well fed and often carried his master. With the farmer came his Lapdog, who danced about and licked his hand and frisked about. The farmer gave the Lapdog some food, and sat down. The Lapdog jumped into his master’s lap, and lay there while the farmer stroked his ears. The Ass, seeing this, broke loose from his halter and commenced prancing about in imitation of the Lapdog. The farmer could not hold his sides with laughter, so the Ass went up to him, and attempted to climb into his lap. The farmer’s servants rushed up with sticks and pitchforks and drove the Ass back to the stables.

2.Townsend version

A man had an Ass, and a Maltese Lapdog, a very great beauty. The Ass was left in a stable and had plenty of oats and hay to eat, just as any other Ass would. The Lapdog knew many tricks and was a great favorite with his master, who often fondled him and seldom went out to dine without bringing him home some tidbit to eat. The Ass, on the contrary, had much work to do in grinding the corn-mill and in carrying wood from the forest or burdens from the farm. He often lamented his own hard fate and contrasted it with the luxury and idleness of the Lapdog, till at last one day he broke his cords and halter, and galloped into his master’s house, kicking up his heels without measure, and frisking and fawning as well as he could. He next tried to jump about his master as he had seen the Lapdog do, but he broke the table and smashed all the dishes upon it to atoms. He then attempted to lick his master, and jumped upon his back. The servants, hearing the strange hubbub and perceiving the danger of their master, quickly relieved him, and drove out the Ass to his stable with kicks and clubs and cuffs. The Ass, as he returned to his stall beaten nearly to death, thus lamented: “I have brought it all on myself! Why could I not have been contented to labor with my companions, and not wish to be idle all the day like that useless little Lapdog!”

3.L’Estrange version (An Asse and A Whelp)

A gentleman had got a favourite spaniel, that would be still toying, and leaping upon him, licking his cheeks, and playing a thousand pretty gambles, which the master was well enough pleas’d withall. This wanton humour succeeded so well with the puppy, that an asse in the house would needs go the same gamesom way to work, to curry favour for himself too; but he was quickly given to understand, with a good cudgel, the difference betwixt the one play-fellow and the other.

Moral; People that live by example, should do well to look very narrowly into the force and authority of the president, without saying, or doing things at a venture: for that may become one man, which would be absolutely intolerable in another, under differing circumstances.

4. Aesop For Children

There was once an Ass whose Master also owned a Lap Dog. This Dog was a favorite and received many a pat and kind word from his Master, as well as choice bits from his plate. Every day the Dog would run to meet the Master, frisking playfully about and leaping up to lick his hands and face.

All this the Ass saw with much discontent. Though he was well fed, he had much work to do; besides, the Master hardly ever took any notice of him.

Now the jealous Ass got it into his silly head that all he had to do to win his Master’s favor was to act like the Dog. So one day he left his stable and clattered eagerly into the house.

Finding his Master seated at the dinner table, he kicked up his heels and, with a loud bray, pranced giddily around the table, upsetting it as he did so. Then he planted his forefeet on his Master’s knees and rolled out his tongue to lick the Master’s face, as he had seen the Dog do. But his weight upset the chair, and Ass and man rolled over together in the pile of broken dishes from the table.

The Master was much alarmed at the strange behavior of the Ass, and calling for help, soon attracted the attention of the servants. When they saw the danger the Master was in from the clumsy beast, they set upon the Ass and drove him with kicks and blows back to the stable. There they left him to mourn the foolishness that had brought him nothing but a sound beating.

Moral: Behavior that is regarded as agreeable in one is very rude and impertinent in another.

Do not try to gain favor by acting in a way that is contrary to your own nature and character.

5. JBR Collection

The Ass observing how great a favourite a Little Dog was with his master, how much caressed and fondled, and fed with choice bits at every meal–and for no other reason, that he could see, but skipping and frisking about and wagging his tail–resolved to imitate him, and see whether the same behaviour would not bring him similar favours. Accordingly, the master was no sooner come home from walking, and seated in his easy-chair, than the Ass came into the room, and danced around him with many an awkward gambol. The man could not help laughing aloud at the odd sight. The joke, however, became serious when the Ass, rising on his hind-legs, laid his fore-feet upon his master’s shoulders, and braying in his face in the most fascinating manner, would fain have jumped into his lap. The man cried out for help, and one of his servants running in with a good stick, laid it unmercifully on the bones of the poor Ass, who was glad to get back to his stable. 

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