[이솝영어-001-고양이 목에 방울달기]

[이솝영어-001-고양이 목에 방울달기]

 

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Belling the Cat

 

■ 원문

LONG ago, the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat.

 

Some said this, and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet the case.

 

"You will all agree," said he, "that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us.

 

Now, if we could receive some signal of her approach, we could easily escape from her.

I venture, therefore, to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the Cat.

By this means we should always know when she was about, and could easily retire while she was in the neighbourhood."

 

"This proposal met with general applause, until an old mouse got up and said: "That is all very well, but who is to bell the Cat?"

 

The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke.

 

Then the old mouse said: "IT IS EASY TO PROPOSE IMPOSSIBLE REMEDIES."

 

▶ 어휘

mice : 쥐(mouse)의 복수형 / general council : 총회 / measures : 방책, 수단 / sly : 교활하게 / treacherous : 불안정한, 위험한 / remedies : 방법, 치료

 

■ 영한 대역 (역문은 옮긴이에 따라 차이가 있을 수 있습니다. 참고용으로만 삼으시기 바랍니다.)

 

LONG ago, the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat.

(옛날에 쥐들이 그들의 공공의 적, 고양이를 속일 묘책을 상의하려고 회의를 했다.)

 

Some said this, and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet the case.

(어떤 쥐들은 이렇게 말하고 어떤 쥐들은 저렇게 말했다. 그러나 마침내 젊은 쥐 한 마리가 일어나더니 자기에게 좋은 묘안이 있다고 말했다.)

 

"You will all agree," said he, "that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us.

(“여러분 모두 고양이가 우리에게 교활하게 다가오는 것이 우리를 주로 위험하게 만든다는 것에 동의할 거예요.)

 

Now, if we could receive some signal of her approach, we could easily escape from her.

(만약 우리가 고양이가 다가오는 신호를 안다면 우린 모두 재빨리 도망칠 수 있을 거예요.)

I venture, therefore, to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the Cat.

(그래서 말인데요. 작은 방울을 구해 고양이 목에 달면 어떨까요?)

By this means we should always know when she was about, and could easily retire while she was in the neighbourhood."

(이렇게 하면 고양이가 다가오는 걸 방울소리를 듣고 우리는 재빨리 숨을 수가 있을 거예요.”)

 

"This proposal met with general applause, until an old mouse got up and said: "That is all very well, but who is to bell the Cat?"

(이 제안에 모두들 박수를 치며 환호했다. 한 나이든 쥐가 일어나서 이렇게 말하기까지는. “그거 아주 좋은 생각이군요. 하지만 누가 고양이 목에 방울을 달지요?”)

 

The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke.

(쥐들은 서로 멀뚱히 얼굴만 쳐다보고 아무도 입을 열지 않았다.)

 

Then the old mouse said: "IT IS EASY TO PROPOSE IMPOSSIBLE REMEDIES."

(그러자 그 나이든 쥐가 이렇게 말했다. “불가능한 방법을 내놓는 건 아주 쉽지.”)

 

 

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