여우와 원숭이

여우와 원숭이가 함께 길을 걷다가, 누가 더 고귀한 혈통을 가졌는지를 두고 말다툼을 벌였습니다.

서로 자기가 더 잘났다고 우기며 걷던 중, 길이 공동묘지를 지나게 되었고 그곳에는 무덤과 비석들이 가득했습니다.

원숭이는 그 자리에 멈춰 서서 주변을 둘러보더니, 크게 한숨을 쉬었습니다.

그 모습을 본 여우가 말했습니다.

“왜 갑자기 한숨을 쉬는 거죠?”

그러자 원숭이는 무덤들을 가리키며 대답했습니다.

“여기 보이는 비석들은 모두 내 조상들을 기리기 위해 세운 거예요. 그분들은 살아생전 아주 뛰어난 인물들이었답니다.”

여우는 잠시 말문이 막혔지만, 곧 정신을 차리고 이렇게 말했습니다.

“허허, 뭐 거짓말이라도 멈추지 마시죠. 어차피 여기 계신 조상님들께서 벌떡 일어나서 당신 말이 거짓이라고 들킬 일은 없으니까요.”

 

✅ 교훈

"증명할 수 없는 것을 뻔뻔하게 자랑하는 자를 조심하라."

이 우화는 사실 확인이 어려운 상황에서 거짓된 자랑을 하는 사람을 풍자합니다.
말로만 뛰어난 가문, 출신, 과거를 강조하며 허세를 부리는 사람을 조심하라는 교훈을 담고 있습니다.

---

 

THE FOX AND THE MONKEY

A Fox and a Monkey were on the road together, and fell into a dispute as to which of the two was the better born.

 

They kept it up for some time, till they came to a place where the road passed through a cemetery full of monuments, when the Monkey stopped and looked about him and gave a great sigh.

 

"Why do you sigh?"

said the Fox.

 

The Monkey pointed to the tombs and replied,

"All the monuments that you see here were put up in honour of my forefathers, who in their day were eminent men." 

 

The Fox was speechless for a moment, but quickly recovering he said,

 

"Oh! don't stop at any lie, sir; you're quite safe: I'm sure none of your ancestors will rise up and expose you."