[이솝우화] 연못가의 사슴 🦌 THE STAG AT THE POOL 🦌 泉のほとりの鹿（いずみのほとりのしか）

 

목이 마른 사슴 한 마리가 물을 마시기 위해 연못가로 내려갔습니다. 
고개를 숙여 물을 마시다가, 물속에 비친 자신의 모습을 보게 되었지요. 
그는 멋지게 뻗은 자기의 뿔에 감탄하면서도, 가늘고 약해 보이는 자신의 다리에는 실망하고 말았습니다.

그때, 한 사자가 사슴을 발견하고 달려들었습니다. 
사슴은 재빨리 달아났고, 나무가 없는 평지에서는 훨씬 앞서 도망칠 수 있었습니다. 
그러나 숲속에 이르자, 그의 뿔이 나뭇가지에 걸리고 말았고 결국 사자의 발톱과 이빨에 희생되고 말았습니다.

죽어가며 사슴은 외쳤습니다.
"내 다리는 나를 살릴 수도 있었는데, 하찮게 여겼고, 뿔은 자랑스러워했지만 결국 그 뿔이 나를 죽였구나!"

🪧 교훈:
가장 소중한 것은 종종 가장 하찮게 여겨진다.

 

THE STAG AT THE POOL

A thirsty Stag went down to a pool to drink.

As he bent over the surface he saw his own reflection in the water, and was struck with admiration for his fine spreading antlers, but at the same time he felt nothing but disgust for the weakness and slenderness of his legs.
While he stood there looking at himself, he was seen and attacked by a Lion;

but in the chase which ensued, he soon drew away from his pursuer, and kept his lead as long as the ground over which he ran was open and free of trees. 

But coming presently to a wood, he was caught by his antlers in the branches, and fell a victim to the teeth and claws of his enemy. 

"Woe is me!" 

he cried with his last breath; 

"I despised my legs, which might have saved my life: but I gloried in my horns, and they have proved my ruin."

    What is worth most is often valued least.

 

---

 

泉のほとりの鹿（いずみのほとりのしか） 🦌

喉が渇いた鹿が、水を飲もうと泉のほとりにやってきました。
水面に顔を近づけると、そこに映る自分の姿が見えました。
彼は自分の立派に広がった角に見とれましたが、細くて頼りない脚には失望しました。

そのとき、ライオンが鹿を見つけて襲いかかってきました。
鹿はすぐに逃げ出し、木のない開けた土地ではライオンを引き離すことができました。
しかし森に入ると、角が枝に引っかかってしまい、ついにはライオンに捕まってしまいました。

息絶える間際に鹿は叫びました。
「命を救えたかもしれない脚を軽んじて、誇りに思っていた角が命取りになるとは！」

🪧 教訓:
最も価値あるものは、しばしば最も軽んじられる。