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 108화 똑똑한 제비 (Perry 39. The Wise Swallow)
어느 봄 농부가 밭에 삼 씨를 뿌리고 있었다. 다른 새들은 이에 관심이 없었지만, 똑똑한 제비는 농부의 생각을 눈치챘다. 그래서 새들에게 이를 알리기 시작한다. “조심하세요. 농부가 심는 씨는 삼 씨앗이에요. 그냥 두면 여러분들이 위험해져요.”
하지만, 새들은 제비의 말을 무시했다. 저 작은 씨앗 갖고 왜 그래냐는 반응을 보이며 제비를 외면해 버렸다. 얼마후 삼 씨가 싹을 틔우고 조금씩 자라기 시작했다. 제비는 걱정이 되어 다시 새들에게 주의하라고 경고를 했지만 새들은 더더욱 제비를 무시할 뿐이었다.
실망한 제비는 홀로 다른 곳에 보금자리를 옮겼다.
시간이 지나 삼이 다 자라 농부는 삼껍질로 그물을 만들었다.
그리고 그 그물로 근처에 있는 새들을 모두 다 잡아 버렸다.
새들은 뒤늦게 후회했지만, 이미 늦어 버렸다.
현명한 자의 충고를 무시하면 반드시 댓가를 치르게 될 것이다.
[참고] hemp [삼]은 중앙아시아가 원산지이며, 씨로 번식하는 1년생 식물로 키가 5m까지 자란다. 삼의 섬유는 아마보다 더 길지만 신축성이 부족하다. 섬유가 질기고 튼튼해 삼실·직물용 실·밧줄 등을 만드는 데 쓰이고 인공 스펀지나 굵은 마직 캔버스와 같은 거친 직물을 만드는 데도 사용된다. (중략, 백과사전 참고)
[올드코난 한마디]
이 이야기는 악의 씨앗은 자라기 전에 제거해야 한다는 뜻으로 위험을 인지했을 때 늦기 전에 해결해야한다는 교훈이 담겨있다. 또한, 위험한 자들이 힘을 얻기 전에 그 힘을 뺏어야 한다는 의미도 있고, 이런 자들에게 힘(지지)을 주어서는 안된다는 뜻이 담겨있다.
대표적인 인물이 MB가 아닐까.
과거 고 정주영 현대 회장이 젊은 이명박을 키워주었지만, 훗날 현대건설 부도의 원인을 제공하기도 했고, 대통령이 되어서는 엄청난 국가 예산을 낭비했을뿐만아니라 언론과 인권의 자유를 후퇴시켰다. 이 후유증은 앞으로도 몇 년동안 지속될 것이다. MB의 씨앗은 아직도 사회 곳곳에 남아 있다.
[영어 문장]
The Wise Swallow (The Swallow and Other Birds)
Destroy the seed of evil, or it will grow up to your ruin. A Swallow was warned to eat all sown hemp seeds else they grow up; the fibers woven into a net.
Destroy the seed of evil, or it will grow up to your ruin.
1. Eliot/Jacobs Version
It happened that a Countryman was sowing some hemp seeds in a field where a Swallow and some other birds were hopping about picking up their food. “Beware of that man,” quoth the Swallow. “Why, what is he doing?” said the others. “That is hemp seed he is sowing; be careful to pick up every one of the seeds, or else you will repent it.” The birds paid no heed to the Swallow’s words, and by and by the hemp grew up and was made into cord, and of the cords nets were made, and many a bird that had despised the Swallow’s advice was caught in nets made out of that very hemp. “What did I tell you?” said the Swallow.
2. JBR Collection
A Farmer, sowing his fields with flax, was observed by a Swallow, who, like the rest of her tribe, had travelled a good deal, and was very clever. Among other things, she knew that of this same flax, when it grew up, nets and snares would be made, to entrap her little friends, the Birds of the country. Hence, she earnestly besought them to help her in picking up and eating the hateful seed, before it had time to spring from the ground. Food of a much nicer kind was, however, then so plentiful, and it was so pleasant to fly about and sing, thinking of nothing, that they paid no attention to her entreaties. By and by the blades of the flax appeared above the ground, and the anxiety of the Swallow was renewed. “It is not yet too late,” said she; “pull it all up, blade by blade, and you may then escape the fate which is otherwise in store for you. You cannot, like me, fly to other countries when danger threatens you here.” The little Birds, however, still took no notice of the Swallow, except to consider her a very troublesome person,” whom silly fears had set beside herself. In the course of time the flax grew, ripened, and was gathered, spun, and made up into nets, as the Swallow had foretold. Many a little Bird thought, in dying, of the Swallow they held to be so crazy. The Swallow, in despair at their thoughtless behaviour, has since preferred the society of men to that of her former companions.
3. L’Estrange version
There was a country fellow at work a sowing his grounds, and a swallow (being a bird famous for providence and foresight) call’d a company of little birds about her, and bad ’em take good notice what that fellow was a doing. You must know (says the swallow) that all the fowlers nets and snares are made of hemp, or flax; and that’s the seed that he is now a sowing. Pick it up in time for fear of what may come on’t. In short, they put it off, till it took root; and then again, till it was sprung up into the blade. Upon this, the swallow told ’em once for all, that it was not yet too late to prevent the mischief, if they would but bestir themselves, and set heartily about it; but finding that no heed was given to what she said; she e’en bad adieu to her old companions in the woods, and so hetook herself to a city life, and to the conversation of men. This flax and hemp came in time to be gather’d, and wrought, and it was this swallows fortune to see several of the very same birds that she had forewarn’d, taken in nets, made of the very stuff she told them off. They came at last to be sensible of the folly of slipping their opportunity; but they were lost beyond all redemption first.
Moral: Wise men read effects in their causes, but fools will not believe them till ’tis too late to prevent the mischief. Delay in these cases is mortal.
4. Hirundo et Aviculae
Hirundo, cum linum coeptum esset seri, suadebat aliis aviculis impedire sementem, dictitans omnibus fieri insidias. Irridebant illae garrulamque vocabant. Surgente lino, rursum monebat evellere sata; irridebant iterum. Maturescente lino, hortabatur populari segetem et, cum ne tunc quidem consulentem audirent, hirundo cum homine foedus init cohabitatque cum eo. Ceteris avibus e lino retia fiunt et laquei.
Moral: Multi nec ipsi consulere sibi norunt, nec recte consulentem audiunt sed, cum in periculis versantur, tum demum incipiunt suam damnare socordiam.
글 작성/편집 올드코난 (Old Conan)
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