말과 황소와 개와 사람

제우스 신이 처음 사람을 창조했을 때, 사람은 그다지 오래 살 수 없었습니다. 제우스 신이 모든 동물의 수명을 비슷하게 말들었기 때문입니다. 그러나 사람은 지혜를 가지고 있었기에 집을 짓는 방법을 알고 있었습니다. 그래서 비가 내려도 얼마든지 비를 피할 수 있었고 겨울이 찾아오면 따뜻한 집에서 생활했습니다. 

그러던 어느 날 엄청난 추위가 찾아왔습니다. 비까지 쏟아지는 황량한 날씨여서 말은 더 이상 밖에서 견딜 수 없게 되었습니다. 말은 서둘러 사람의 집으로 달려갔습니다. 

말은 간절한 목소리로 사람에게 애원했습니다. 

"이 집에서 함께 있을 수 있을까요? 너무 추워서 그렇습니다."

"딱하게 되었군요. 내 부탁을 들어준다면 집으로 들어오게 해 드리죠."

"그렇게 하지요. 무엇이든지 들어드리겠습니다."

"당신은 나보다 더 긴 수명을 갖고 태어났죠? 그 긴 수명중에서 일부를 나에게 준다면 우리집에서 묵게 해 드리죠."

"알겠습니다. 그렇게 하지요."

다급한 말은 기꺼이 자신의 수명 중에서 일부를 사람에게 떼어 주었습니다. 그래서 말은 사람의 집에서 지낼 수 있게 되었습니다. 

그런데 얼마 후에 황소가 나타났습니다. 황소도 사람에게 집에서 묵을 수 있도록 해달라고 애원했습니다. 황소도 더 이상은 혹독한 날씨를 견딜 수가 없어던 것입니다. 

사람은 황수에게도 말에게 했던 것과 똑같은 조건을 내걸었습니다. 결국 황소도 자신의 수명을 사람에게 떼어주고 그 집에서 지내게 되었습니다. 마지막으로 춥고 배고픈 개가 나타났습니다. 그리고 자신에게 남아 있는 수명 중에서 일부분을 떼어주고 나서야 개도 따뜻한 집으로 들어올 수 있었습니다. 

이렇게 해서 제우스 신이 본래 사람에게 정해준 수명 기간 동안 사람은 순수하고 선량하게 살고, 말에게서 얻은 수명기간이 되자 사람은 영광을 누리면서 사았습니다. 황소에게서 얻은 수명 기간이 되자 사람은 스스로 규칙을 지키며 열심히 일하고, 개의 수며에 도달하자 불평이 많아지고 성미가 급해지게 되었습니다. 

 

옛날 이야기들은 교훈을 주거나 재미있게 하기 위해 사실과 다르게 꾸며내기도 합니다. 사람은 언제까지나 건강하고 젋게 살 수 있는 것이 아닙니다. 즐겁고 행복한 어린 시절이 지나가면, 말처럼 용감하고 씩씩하게 어려움을 헤쳐 나가야 합니다. 황소처럼 묵묵히 힘든 일을 해야 한 때도 있습니다. 그러므로 우리는 지금 주어진 삶에 최선을 다하고 다가올 미래를 준비해야만 합니다. 

 

1. 이 우화 속에서는 사람의 일생이 말과 황소와 개의 목숨에 비유되고 있습니다. 각 시기의 특징은 무엇일까요? 또 어떤 점에서 말과 황소와 개의 인생과 비슷하다고 할 수 있나요?

2. 여러분의 인생에 대한 계획표를 만들어 보세요. 10대와 20대, 30대 등 각 시기에 하고 싶은 일과 해야 할 일을 적어보세요.

3. 말과 황소와 개에 대해 생각해 보세요. 그들은 어떤 점에서 어리석다고 할수 있을까요?

 

When Zeus first created humans, they could not live very long because they had made all animals' lifespans similar. However, humans had wisdom and knew how to build houses. So they could avoid the rain whenever it rained, and they lived in warm houses when winter came.

Then, one day, a tremendous cold came. The weather was desolate, with rain pouring down, and the horse could no longer endure outside. The horse hurried to the human’s house.

The horse pleaded with the human in a desperate voice.

“Can I stay in this house with you? It’s because it’s too cold.”

“That’s tough. If you listen to my request, I’ll let you into the house .”

“Let’s do that. I will listen to anything.”

“You were born with a longer lifespan than me. If you give me some of that long lifespan, I’ll let you stay in our house.”

“Okay. Let’s do that.”

The desperate horse willingly gave up some of its lifespan to the human, so the horse was able to stay in the human’s house.

But soon after, a bull appeared. The bull also pleaded with the human to let it stay in the house. The bull could no longer endure the harsh weather.

The human offered the bull the same conditions as the horse. Eventually, the bull also gave up its lifespan to the human and was able to stay in the house. Finally, a cold and hungry dog appeared. The dog could enter the warm house after giving up some of its remaining lifespans.

So, during the lifespan that Zeus set initially for humans, humans lived purely and virtuously, and when the lifespan obtained from the horse came, humans lived enjoying glory. When the lifespan obtained from the bull came, humans kept the rules themselves and worked hard, and when they reached the lifespan of the dog, they became more complaining and quick-tempered.

Old stories are sometimes embellished differently from the facts to give lessons or to be fun. Humans cannot always live healthy and young. After a joyful childhood passes, you have to overcome difficulties bravely and vigorously like a horse. There is also a time when you have to work hard silently like a bull. Therefore, we must do our best in the life given to us now and prepare for the future.

1. In this fable, a person’s life is compared to the lives of a horse, a bull, and a dog. What are the characteristics of each period? And in what ways can the lives of a horse, a bull, and a dog be similar?
2. Make a plan for your life. Write down what you want and need to do in each period, such as your teens, twenties, thirties, etc.
3. Think about the horse, the bull, and the dog. In what ways can they be considered foolish?

When Zeus first created humans, they could not live very long because they had made all animals' lifespans similar. However, humans had wisdom and knew how to build houses. So they could avoid the rain whenever it rained, and they lived in warm houses when winter came.

Then, one day, a tremendous cold came. The weather was desolate, with rain pouring down, and the horse could no longer endure outside. The horse hurried to the human’s house.

The horse pleaded with the human in a desperate voice.

“Can I stay in this house with you? It’s because it’s too cold.”

“That’s tough. If you listen to my request, I’ll let you into the house .”

“Let’s do that. I will listen to anything.”

“You were born with a longer lifespan than me. If you give me some of that long lifespan, I’ll let you stay in our house.”

“Okay. Let’s do that.”

The desperate horse willingly gave up some of its lifespan to the human, so the horse was able to stay in the human’s house.

But soon after, a bull appeared. The bull also pleaded with the human to let it stay in the house. The bull could no longer endure the harsh weather.

The human offered the bull the same conditions as the horse. Eventually, the bull also gave up its lifespan to the human and was able to stay in the house. Finally, a cold and hungry dog appeared. The dog could enter the warm house after giving up some of its remaining lifespans.

So, during the lifespan that Zeus set initially for humans, humans lived purely and virtuously, and when the lifespan obtained from the horse came, humans lived enjoying glory. When the lifespan obtained from the bull came, humans kept the rules themselves and worked hard, and when they reached the lifespan of the dog, they became more complaining and quick-tempered.

Old stories are sometimes embellished differently from the facts to give lessons or to be fun. Humans cannot always live healthy and young. After a joyful childhood passes, you have to overcome difficulties bravely and vigorously like a horse. There is also a time when you have to work hard silently like a bull. Therefore, we must do our best in the life given to us now and prepare for the future.

1. In this fable, a person’s life is compared to the lives of a horse, a bull, and a dog. What are the characteristics of each period? And in what ways can the lives of a horse, a bull, and a dog be similar?
2. Make a plan for your life. Write down what you want and need to do in each period, such as your teens, twenties, thirties, etc.
3. Think about the horse, the bull, and the dog. In what ways can they be considered foolish?