이솝우화 제 89화 염소지기와 야생 염소 (Perry 6. The Goatherd and the Wild Goats)

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 89화 염소지기와 야생 염소 (Perry 6. The Goatherd and the Wild Goats) 

* Goatherd : ① 염소를 돌보는 사람 ② 염소지기 ③ 염소 치기

어느 추운 겨울날, 염소지기(혹은 목동)는 잠시 추위를 피해 자신의 염소 떼를 근처 동굴 안으로 몰고 들어 갔다. 근데 이미 동굴안에는 많은 야생 염소들이 먼저 들아와 쉬고 있었다. 염소지기는 야생 염소들 마저 자신의 염소로 만들고 싶다는 욕심이 생겼다. 염소지기는 동굴에 있는 동안 야생 염소들에게는 먹을 것들을 많이 주어 호감을 사려했다. 하지만 정작 자신의 염소들게는 주린 배를 채울 정도로 적은 양만 주었다.

몇일후 폭풍우가 물러가고 날씨가 화창해졌다.

염소지기는 양들을 이끌고 동굴 밖으로 나오는데 먹을 것을 잘주고 돌보아 주었던 야생 염소들이 언덕을 향해 쏜살같이 도망가 버렸다.

염소지기가 화가 나 이렇게 외쳤다.

"난 너희들을 잘 볼봐주었는데, 고맙다는 인사도 없이 그냥 가버리냐? 고마운 줄 알아야지“

야생 염소 한마리가 이 말에 고개를 돌리고 대답했다..

"우리가 당신의 염소무리에 들어가리라고는 생각조차 하지를 마세요. 당신은 원래 있던 염소보다 다른 야생 염소들에게만 잘해줄 사람이라 결국 우리도 찬밥신세가 될게 뻔하잖아요!“

새로운 친구를 위해서 오랜 친구를 홀대하는 것은 현명하지 못하다.

[올드코난 한마디]

많은 사람들이 늘 곁에 있는 친구나 가족들에게 소홀히 대한다. 항상 있으니 고마운 존재인 것을 모르기 때문이다. 가끔오는 친구나 손님에게만 극진히 대접을 하지말고 내 곁을 지켜주는 사람들에게도 애정을 가지라는 교훈이 담긴 이야기다.

이 이야기에 내 자신을 돌아 본다. 나 역시 과거 그런 적이 있기 때문이다. 

원래 아주 친하던 친구가 있었는데, 소개 받은 사람과 잠시 친해졌다. 결국은 둘 다 잃었다.

지금 생각해 보면 정말 괜찮은 사람들이었었다.

사회 생활을 하다보면 이런 경우는 반드시 있을 것이다.

단지, 그걸 깨닫지 못하고 사람을 잃은 다음에야 눈치를 채는게 문제다.

좋은 친구를 만난다는 것은 매우 어렵다.

새로운 친구보다 옛친구가 소중하다는 것을 잊지말자.

[영어 문장]

The Goatherd and the Wild Goats

1.잘 알려진 버전

A Goatherd found some Wild Goats mingled in his herd and allowed them to stay in the fold. When it snowed the next day the Wild Goats were allowed to stay and when the herd was fed the Goatherd fed them better than the rest thinking that if he did so they might want to stay and his herd would increase. Upon the thaw, however, the Wild Goats scampered away once the herd was released. The Goatherd scolded them for their ingratitude. One of the Wild Goats responded: “Because you treated us better than the Goats you have had so long, it is plain that you would prefer any who followed better than ourselves.”

2.어린이 버전

One cold stormy day a Goatherd drove his Goats for shelter into a cave, where a number of Wild Goats had also found their way. The Shepherd wanted to make the Wild Goats part of his flock; so he fed them well. But to his own flock, he gave only just enough food to keep them alive. When the weather cleared, and the Shepherd led the Goats out to feed, the Wild Goats scampered off to the hills.

“Is that the thanks I get for feeding you and treating you so well?” complained the Shepherd.

“Do not expect us to join your flock,” replied one of the Wild Goats. “We know how you would treat us later on, if some strangers should come as we did.”

Moral: It is unwise to treat old friends badly for the sake of new ones

3. 타운샌드 버전(Townsend version)

A Goatherd, driving his flock from their pasture at eventide, found some Wild Goats mingled among them, and shut them up together with his own for the night. The next day it snowed very hard, so that he could not take the herd to their usual feeding places, but was obliged to keep them in the fold. He gave his own goats just sufficient food to keep them alive, but fed the strangers more abundantly in the hope of enticing them to stay with him and of making them his own. When the thaw set in, he led them all out to feed, and the Wild Goats scampered away as fast as they could to the mountains. The Goatherd scolded them for their ingratitude in leaving him, when during the storm he had taken more care of them than of his own herd. One of them, turning about, said to him: “That is the very reason why we are so cautious; for if you yesterday treated us better than the Goats you have had so long, it is plain also that if others came after us, you would in the same manner prefer them to ourselves.”

Moral: Old friends cannot with impunity be sacrificed for new ones.

4.JBR Collection 버전

During a snowstorm in the depth of winter, a Goatherd drove his Goats for shelter to a large cavern in a rock. It happened that some Wild Goats had already taken refuge there. The Man was so struck by the size and look of these Goats, and with their superior beauty to his own, that he gave to them alone all the food he could collect. The storm lasted many days, and the Tame Goats, being entirely without food, died of starvation. As soon as the sun shone again, the strangers ran off, and made the best of their way to their native wilds. The Goatherd had to go goatless home, and was well laughed at by all for his folly.

5. Caprae Silvestres et Caprarius

In desertam speluncam caprarius, hieme deductis capris, silvestres inibi capras reperit hircosque, longe plures et grandiores illis quos habebat. Propriis ergo propter silvestres capris dimissis, illas frondibus educavit. Ubi vero serenitas advenit, proprias quidem demortuas fame reperit, silvestres vero in montem effugere. At caprarius, ridens, domum vacuus reversus est.

Moral: Non decet ullo modo nos propria negligere spe lucri ex alienis rebus futuri.

글 작성/편집 올드코난 (Old Conan)

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