Spring, Spring and The Camellias: 동백꽃

동백꽃

camellia flower

오늘도 또 우리 수탉이 막 쫓기었다.

Once again today, our rooster was being badly beaten.

내가 점심을 먹고 나무를 하러 갈 양으로 나올 때이었다.

It was just as I was coming out after lunch, intending to go gather firewood.

산으로 올라서려니까 등뒤에서 푸드득푸드득, 하고 닭의 횃소리가 야단이다.

As I was about to head up the mountain, I heard a great commotion behind me—the frantic flapping and squawking of chickens.

깜짝 놀라서 고개를 돌려보니 아니나다르랴, 두 놈이 또 얼리었다.

Startled, I turned around, and sure enough, the two of them were at it again.

점순네 수탉(은 대강이가 크고 똑 오소리같이 실팍하게 생긴 놈)이 덩저리 작은 우리 수탉을 함부로 해내는 것이다.

Jumsun's rooster (a sturdy-looking brute with a big head, built just like a badger) was making short work of our much smaller rooster.

그것도 그냥 해내는 것이 아니라 푸드득하고 면두를 쪼고 물러섰다가 좀 사이를 두고 푸드득하고 모가지를 쪼았다.

And he wasn't just beating him any old way. He would flap his wings, peck at his comb, and step back, then, after a short pause, flap again and peck at his neck.

이렇게 멋을 부려 가며 여지없이 닦아 놓는다.

He really put on a show as he gave him a thorough beating.

그러면 이 못생긴 것은 쪼일 적마다 주둥이로 땅을 받으며 그 비명이 킥, 킥, 할 뿐이다.

Meanwhile, our ugly rooster would thrust his beak into the ground with every peck, letting out nothing but pitiful little cries of 'Kik, kik!'

물론 미처 아물지도 않은 면두를 또 쪼이며 붉은 선혈은 뚝뚝 떨어진다.

Of course, the wounds on his comb hadn't even had time to heal before it was pecked again, and bright red blood dripped down in drops.

이걸 가만히 내려다보자니 내 대강이가 터져서 피가 흐르는 것같이 두 눈에서 불이 번쩍 난다.

As I stood there watching, my head felt as though it had been split open and was bleeding, and sparks of anger flashed before my eyes.

대뜸 지게막대기를 메고 달려들어 점순네 닭을 후려칠까 하다가 생각을 고쳐먹고 헛매질로 떼어만 놓았다.

I was about to grab my carrying-pole and rush over to beat Jumsun's rooster with it, but I thought better of it and merely swung at him to drive the two birds apart.

이번에도 점순이가 쌈을 붙여 놨을 것이다.

Jumsun must have set them fighting again this time, too.

바짝바짝 내 기를 올리느라고 그랬음에 틀림없을 것이다.

There's no doubt she did it just to get me worked up.

고놈의 계집애가 요새로 들어서 왜 나를 못 먹겠다고 고렇게 아르릉거리는지 모른다.

I can't for the life of me understand why that little brat has been so determined to get under my skin lately.

나흘 전 감자 쪼간만 하더라도 나는 저에게 조금도 잘못한 것은 없다.

Even over that potato business four days ago, I hadn't done a single thing wrong to her.

계집애가 나물을 캐러 가면 갔지 남 울타리 엮는 데 쌩이질을 하는 것은 다 뭐냐.

If the girl wanted to go pick greens, fine, but what business did she have pestering me while I was weaving someone else's fence?

그것도 발소리를 죽여 가지고 등뒤로 살며시 와서,

And she even crept up behind me, making sure I wouldn't hear her footsteps, and said,

"얘! 너 혼자만 일하니?"

"Hey! Are you working all by yourself?"

하고 긴치 않는 수작을 하는 것이다.

She came out with this completely unnecessary remark.

어제까지도 저와 나는 이야기도 잘 않고 서로 만나도 본체 만 척하고 이렇게 점잖게 지내던 터이련만 오늘로 갑작스레 대견해졌음은 웬일인가.

Until yesterday, she and I hardly ever spoke, and even when we met, we politely pretended not to notice each other. So why had she suddenly become so familiar with me today?

항차 망아지만 한 계집애가 남 일하는 놈 보구…….

And here was this little filly of a girl, barely bigger than a colt, bothering someone who was busy working...

"그럼 혼자 하지 떼루 하디?"

"Well, of course I'm working alone. Who else would I work with?"

내가 이렇게 내배앝는 소리를 하니까,

When I spat out this reply,

"너 일하기 좋니?"

"Do you like working?"

또는,

Or,

"한여름이나 되거든 하지 벌써 울타리를 하니?"

"Why are you putting up a fence already? Couldn't you wait until midsummer?"

잔소리를 두루 늘어놓다가 남이 들을까 봐 손으로 입을 틀어막고는 그 속에서 깔깔댄다.

She went on chattering away, then clapped a hand over her mouth for fear someone might hear her and giggled behind it.

별로 우스울 것도 없는데 날씨가 풀리더니 이 놈의 계집애가 미쳤나 하고 의심하였다.

There wasn't anything particularly funny about it, and I began to wonder whether the warmer weather had made that girl go crazy.

게다가 조금 뒤에는 제 집께를 할금 할금 돌아보더니 행주치마의 속으로 꼈던 바른손을 뽑아서 나의 턱밑으로 불쑥 내미는 것이다.

Then, a little later, she glanced furtively toward her house a few times, pulled her right hand from where she had tucked it inside her apron, and thrust it out right under my nose.

언제 구웠는 지 더운 김이 홱 끼치는 굵은 감자 세 개가 손에 뿌듯이 쥐였다.

In her hand were three big potatoes, still giving off a rush of heat, as though she'd just roasted them.

"느 집엔 이거 없지?"

"Your family doesn't have these at home, do you?"

하고 생색 있는 큰소리를 하고는 제가 준 것을 남이 알면은 큰일날 테니 여기서 얼른 먹어 버리란다.

She announced this rather boastfully, then told me to hurry up and eat them right there, because it would be terrible if anyone found out she'd given them to me.

그리고 또 하는 소리가,

Then she added,

"너 봄 감자가 맛있단다."

"Spring potatoes are supposed to be delicious."

"난 감자 안 먹는다. 너나 먹어라."

"I don't eat potatoes. You can have them yourself."

나는 고개도 돌리지 않고 일하던 손으로 그 감자를 도로 어깨 너머로 쑥 밀어 버렸다.

Without even turning my head, I used the hand I had been working with to shove the potatoes back over my shoulder.

그랬더니 그래도 가는 기색이 없고, 뿐만 아니라 쌔근쌔근하고 심상치 않게 숨소리가 점점 거칠어진다.

But she showed no sign of leaving. Instead, her breathing grew increasingly labored, coming in quick, strange little gasps.

이건 또 뭐야 싶어서 그때에야 비로소 돌아다보니 나는 참으로 놀랐다.

Wondering what on earth was going on now, I finally turned around—and was genuinely taken aback.

우리가 이 동네에 들어온 것은 근 삼 년째 되어 오지만 여태껏 가무잡잡한 점순의의 얼굴이 이렇게까지 홍당무처럼 새빨개진 법이 없었다.

We had been living in this village for nearly three years, but never before had Jumsun's usually dark, dusky face turned as red as a beet.

게다가 눈에 독을 올리고 한참 나를 요렇게 쏘아보더니 나중에는 눈물까지 어리는 것이 아니냐.

What's more, she glared at me with such fury for quite a while that, before long, tears even began to well up in her eyes.

그리고 바구니를 다시 집어들더니 이를 꼭 악물고는 엎어질 듯 자빠질 듯 논둑으로 횡하게 달아나는 것이다.

Then she picked up her basket again, clenched her teeth, and dashed off along the rice-paddy embankment as though she might stumble and fall at any moment.

어쩌다 동리 어른이,

Sometimes, when one of the village elders would say,

"너 얼른 시집을 가야지?"

"You ought to get married soon, shouldn't you?"

하고 웃으면,

and laugh,

"염려 마서유. 갈 때 되면 어련히 갈라구!"

"Don't you worry! I'll get married when the time comes, of course!"

이렇게 천연덕스레 받는 점순이었다.

Jumsun would answer as casually as could be.

본시 부끄럼을 타는 계집애도 아니거니와 또한 분하다고 눈에 눈물을 보일 얼병이도 아니다.

She was never a shy girl to begin with, nor was she the sort of fool who would let tears show just because she was angry.

분하면 차라리 나의 등어리를 바구니로 한번 모질게 후려쌔리고 달아날지언정.

If she was angry, she'd sooner give me one good, hard whack across the back with her basket and run off.

그런데 고약한 그 꼴을 하고 가더니 그 뒤로는 나를 보면 잡아먹으려 기를 복복 쓰는 것이다.

Yet after walking away in that wretched state, she had been positively itching to tear me apart whenever she saw me.

설혹 주는 감자를 안 받아먹는 것이 실례라 하면, 주면 그냥 주었지 '느 집엔 이거 없지.'

Even if refusing the potatoes she'd offered was impolite, she could simply have given them to me. But no, she had to say, 'Your family doesn't have these at home, do you?'

는 다 뭐냐.

What was the point of saying something like that?

그렇잖아도 저희는 마름이고 우리는 그 손에서 배재를 얻어 땅을 부치므로 일상 굽실거린다.

As it was, her family were the farm stewards, and we rented our land through them, so we were always having to bow and scrape before them.

우리가 이 마을에 처음 들어와 집이 없어서 곤란으로 지낼 제 집터를 빌리고 그 위에 집을 또 짓도록 마련해 준 것도 점순 네의 호의였다.

When we first came to this village and were struggling because we had no house, it was thanks to the kindness of Jumsun's family that we were lent a plot of land and allowed to build a home on it.

그리고 우리 어머니 아버지도 농사 때 양식이 딸리면 점순이네한테 가서 부지런히 꾸어다 먹으면서 인품 그런 집은 다시 없으리라고 침이 마르도록 칭찬하곤 하는 것이다.

And whenever my parents ran short of food during the farming season, they would hasten over to Jumsun's family to borrow some, praising them to no end as the finest people one could ever hope to meet.

그러면서도 열 일곱씩이나 된 것들이 수군수군하고 붙어 다니면 동네의 소문이 사납다고 주의를 시켜 준 것도 또 어머니였다.

Yet it was also my mother who warned me that, at our age of seventeen, whispering and hanging around together would give the village a bad impression.

왜냐하면 내가 점순이 하고 일을 저질렀다가는 점순네가 노할 것이고, 그러면 우리는 땅도 떨어지고 집도 내쫓기고 하지 않으면 안되는 까닭이었다.

That was because if I got involved in any sort of trouble with Jumsun, her family would be furious, and then we'd lose our land and be kicked out of our house.

그런데 이놈의 계집애가 까닭없이 기를 복복 쓰며 나를 말려 죽이려고 드는 것이다.

And yet this wretched girl was doing everything she could, for no apparent reason, to drive me to my grave.

눈물을 흘리고 간 담날 저녁나절이었다.

It was the following evening, the day after she had walked away in tears.

나무를 한 짐 잔뜩 지고 산을 내려오려니까 어디서 닭이 죽는 소리를 친다.

I had gathered a full load of firewood and was about to come down the mountain when I heard a chicken letting out a terrible squawk somewhere.

이거 뉘집에서 닭을 잡나, 하고 점순네 울 뒤로 돌아오다가 나는 고만 두 눈이 똥그랬다.

Wondering whose family was slaughtering a chicken, I came around behind Jumsun's fence—and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

점순이가 저희 집 봉당에 홀로 걸터앉았는데 이게 치마 앞에다 우리 씨암탉을 꼭 붙들어 놓고는,

Jumsun was sitting alone on the raised earthen porch of her house, holding our laying hen firmly in front of her skirt, and saying,

"이놈의 씨닭! 죽어라 죽어라."

"You miserable old hen! Drop dead, drop dead!"

요렇게 암팡스레 패 주는 것이 아닌가.

And she was beating the poor thing with all her might!

그것도 대가리나 치면 모른다마는 아주 알도 못 낳으라고 그 볼기짝께를 주먹으로 콕콕 쥐어박는 것이다.

If she'd been hitting it on the head, that would have been one thing, but she was deliberately jabbing it in the backside with her fist so it wouldn't be able to lay eggs anymore.

나는 눈에 쌍심지가 오르고 사지가 부르르 떨렸으나 사방을 한번 휘둘러보고야 그제서야 점순이 집에 아무도 없음을 알았다.

My eyes blazed with rage, and my whole body trembled. But after glancing around, I finally realized that there was no one else at Jumsun's house.

잡은 참 지게 막대기를 들어 울타리의 중턱을 후려치며,

I raised the carrying-pole I was holding and brought it crashing down against the middle of the fence, shouting,

"이놈의 계집애! 남의 닭 알 못 낳으라구 그러니?"

"You little brat! Are you trying to stop someone else's hen from laying eggs?"

하고 소리를 빽 질렀다.

I yelled at the top of my lungs.

그러나 점순이는 조금도 놀라는 기색이 없고 그대로 의젓이 앉아서 제 닭 가지고 하듯이 또 죽어라,죽어라, 하고 패는 것이다.

But Jumsun didn't look the least bit startled. She simply sat there calmly and kept beating the hen, just as though it were her own, muttering, 'Drop dead, drop dead!'

이걸 보면 내가 산에서 내려올 때를 겨냥해 가지고 미리부터 닭을 잡아가지고 있다가 네 보라는 듯이 내 앞에서 줴지르고 있음이 확실하다.

It was obvious that she'd been waiting for me to come down from the mountain, deliberately grabbing the hen beforehand so she could beat it right in front of me, as if to say, 'Just you watch!'

그러나 나는 그렇다고 남의 집에 뛰어들어가 계집애하고 싸울 수도 없는 노릇이고 형편이 썩 불리함을 알았다.

But even so, I couldn't exactly charge into someone else's house and start fighting with a girl. I knew perfectly well that I was in a very difficult position.

그래 닭이 맞을 적마다 지게 막대기로 울타리를 후려칠 수밖에 별 도리가 없다.

So all I could do was strike the fence with my carrying-pole every time she hit the hen.

왜냐하면 울타리를 치면 칠수록 울섶이 물러앉으며 뼈대만 남기 때문이다.

The more I struck it, the more the fence gave way, until only its bare framework remained.

허나 아무리 생각하여도 나만 밑지는 노릇이다.

Still, however I looked at it, I was the only one losing out.

"아, 이년아! 남의 닭 아주 죽일 터이야?"

"Hey, you little wretch! Are you going to kill someone else's hen or what?"

내가 도끼눈을 뜨고 다시 꽥 호령을 하니까 그제서야 울타리께로 쪼르르 오더니 울 밖에 섰는 나의 머리를 겨누고 닭을 내팽개친다.

When I glared at her and shouted again, she finally came scurrying over to the fence and flung the hen at my head as I stood outside.

"에이 더럽다! 더럽다!"

"Ugh, filthy! Filthy!"

"더러운 걸 널더러 입때 끼고 있으랬니? 망할 계집애년 같으니"

"Who told you to keep that filthy thing tucked against your clothes? You rotten little brat!"

하고 나도 더럽단 듯이 울타리께를 횡허케 돌아내리며 약이 오를 대로 다 올랐다, 라고 하는 것은 암탉이 풍기는 서슬에 나의 이마빼기에다 물지똥을 찍 갈겼는데 그걸 본다면 알집만 터졌을 뿐 아니라 골병은 단단히 든 듯싶다.

I shouted back as though I, too, found it disgusting, then stormed away around the fence, absolutely boiling with rage. The reason was that, in its fury, the hen had let fly a stream of watery droppings right across my forehead. Judging by the sight of it, the poor thing seemed not only to have damaged its egg-laying organs but to have suffered some serious internal injuries as well.

그리고 나의 등 뒤를 향하여 나에게만 들릴 듯 말 듯한 음성으로,

Then, from behind my back, in a voice just barely loud enough for me to hear, she said,

"이 바보 녀석아!"

"You stupid fool!"

"애! 너 배냇병신이지?"

"Hey! You were born a cripple, weren't you?"

그만도 좋으련만,

That alone would have been bad enough, but then she added,

"얘! 너 느 아버지가 고자라지?"

"Hey! Your father is a eunuch, isn't he?"

"뭐 울아버지가 그래 고자야?"

"What? My father is a eunuch?"

할 양으로 열벙거지가 나서 고개를 홱 돌리어 바라봤더니 그때까지 울타리 위로 나와 있어야 할 점순이의 대가리가 어디 갔는지 보이지를 않는다.

I was so furious that I whipped my head around, ready to shout, 'What did you say? My father is a eunuch?' But Jumsun's head, which ought to have been peeking over the fence, had vanished without a trace.

그러다 돌아서서 오자면 아까에 한 욕을 울 밖으로 또 퍼붓는 것이다.

And whenever I turned away and started walking back, she would hurl another insult at me from beyond the fence.

욕을 이토록 먹어 가면서도 대거리 한 마디 못하는 걸 생각하니 돌부리에 채이어 발톱 밑이 터지는 것도 모를 만큼 분하고 급기야는 두 눈에 눈물까지 불끈 내솟는다.

The thought that I had to put up with all those insults without being able to utter a single word in reply made me so furious that I could hardly feel it when I stubbed my toe against a stone and split the skin beneath my toenail. In the end, tears even sprang to my eyes.

그러나 점순이의 침해는 이것뿐이 아니다.

But that wasn't the only way Jumsun tormented me.

닭벼슬을 좋아한다면서도 사람들이 없으면 틈틈이 제 집 수탉을 몰고 와서 우리 수탉과 쌈을 붙여 놓는다.

Although she claimed to be fond of fighting cocks, whenever nobody was around, she would sneak her family's rooster over and set it fighting against ours.

제 집 수탉은 썩 험상궂게 생기고 쌈이라면 홰를 치는 고로 으레 이길 것을 알기 때문이다.

She knew hers would surely win, since it was a fearsome-looking bird and positively excelled at fighting.

그래서 툭하면 우리 수탉이 면두며 눈깔이 피로 흐드르하게 되도록 해 놓는다.

As a result, our rooster would often end up with its comb and eyes so badly battered that they were smeared with blood.

어떤 때에는 우리 수탉이 나오지를 않으니까 요놈의 계집애가 모이를 쥐고 와서 꾀어내다가 쌈을 붙인다.

Sometimes, when our rooster refused to come out, the wretched girl would bring some feed, lure it out, and then set the two birds fighting.

이렇게 되면 나도 다른 배차를 차리지 않을 수 없었다.

When things got to that point, I had no choice but to come up with a plan of my own.

하루는 우리 수탉을 붙들어 가지고 넌지시 장독께로 갔다.

One day, I caught our rooster and quietly took it over to the crock jars.

쌈닭에게 고추장을 먹이면 병든 황소가 살모사를 먹고 용을 쓰는 것처럼 기운이 뻗친다 한다.

They say that if you feed red pepper paste to a fighting cock, it gets so strong and fierce that it fights like a sick bull after swallowing a venomous snake.

장독에서 고추장 한 접시를 떠서 닭 주둥아리께로 들여 밀고 먹여 보았다.

I scooped a dishful of red pepper paste from one of the jars, held it up to the rooster's beak, and tried feeding it to him.

닭도 고추장에 맛을 들였는지 거스르지 않고 거진 반 접시 턱이나 곧잘 먹는다.

Perhaps the rooster acquired a taste for the red pepper paste, because it didn't resist and readily ate nearly half the dish.

그리고 먹고 금시는 용을 못쓸 터이므로 얼마쯤 기운이 돌도록 횃속에다 가두어 두었다.

Since it wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight immediately after eating, I shut it inside the chicken coop for a while to let its strength build up.

밭에 두엄을 두어 짐 져내고 나서 쉴 참에 그 닭을 안고 밖으로 나왔다.

After carrying a couple of loads of manure out to the field, I took a break and came outside carrying the rooster.

마침 밖에는 아무도 없고 점순이만 저희 울안에서 헌옷을 뜯는지 혹은 솜을 터는지 웅크리고 앉아서 일을 할 뿐이다.

As luck would have it, there was nobody else outside. Only Jumsun was sitting hunched over inside her family's yard, busy either picking apart some old clothes or fluffing up cotton.

나는 점순네 수탉이 노는 밭으로 가서 닭을 내려놓고 가만히 맥을 보았다.

I went to the field where Jumsun's rooster was roaming, set our bird down, and quietly watched to see how things would go.

두 닭은 여전히 얼리어 쌈을 하는데 처음에는 아무 보람이 없었다.

The two roosters immediately locked horns again, but at first, my efforts seemed to have made no difference.

멋지게 쪼는 바람에 우리 닭은 또 피를 흘리고 그러면서도 날갯죽지만 푸드득푸드득하고 올라 뛰고 뛰고 할뿐으로 제법 한번 쪼아 보지도 못한다.

The bigger rooster pecked away with great skill, and ours was soon bleeding again. All our bird could do was flap its wings furiously and leap about, without managing to land even a single decent peck.

그러나 한번엔 어쩐 일인지 용을 쓰고 펄쩍 뛰더니 발톱으로 눈을 하비고 내려오며 면두를 쪼았다.

But then, for some reason, it suddenly summoned all its strength, sprang into the air, clawed at the other bird's eye, and came down pecking at its comb.

큰 닭도 여기에는 놀랐는지 뒤로 멈씰하며 물러난다.

The bigger rooster seemed startled by this and stumbled backward, retreating a little.

이 기회를 타서 작은 우리 수탉이 또 날쌔게 덤벼들어 다시 면두를 쪼니 그제서는 감때사나운 그 대강이에서도 피가 흐르지 않을 수 없다.

Seizing the opportunity, our little rooster darted forward again and pecked at its comb once more. This time, even that fierce, hard-headed brute couldn't help but start bleeding.

옳다 알았다, 고추장만 먹이며는 되는구나 하고 나는 속으로 아주 쟁그러워 죽겠다.

That's it! I've got it! All I have to do is feed him red pepper paste! I was so delighted that I could hardly contain myself.

그때에는 뜻밖에 내가 닭쌈을 붙여 놓는 데 놀라서 울 밖으로 내다보고 섰던 점순이도 입맛이 쓴지 눈쌀을 찌푸렸다.

By then, even Jumsun, who had come out to the fence in surprise at seeing me set the roosters fighting, was frowning as though she had a bitter taste in her mouth.

나는 두 손으로 볼기짝을 두드리며 연방,

I slapped both hands against my thighs and kept shouting,

"잘한다! 잘한다!"

"That's it! That's it!"

하고, 신이 머리끝까지 뻐치었다.

I was beside myself with excitement.

그러나 얼마 되지 않아서 나는 넋이 풀리어 기둥같이 묵묵히 서 있게 되었다.

But before long, my excitement drained away, and I stood there silently, rooted to the spot like a post.

왜냐하면 큰 닭이 한번 쪼인 앙갚음으로 호들갑스레 연거푸 쪼는 서슬에 우리 수탉은 찔끔 못하고 막 곯는다.

For the bigger rooster, seeking revenge for that first peck, began attacking wildly and repeatedly. Our rooster could do nothing to fight back and was getting badly beaten.

이걸 보고서 이번에는 점순이가 깔깔거리고 되도록 이쪽에서 많이 들으라고 웃는 것이다.

Seeing this, Jumsun burst into laughter, making sure to laugh as loudly as possible so I would hear it.

나는 보다 못하여 덤벼들어서 우리 수탉을 붙들어 가지고 도로 집으로 들어왔다.

Unable to bear watching any longer, I rushed over, grabbed our rooster, and carried it back home.

고추장을 좀더 먹였더라면 좋았을 걸, 너무 급하게 쌈을 붙인 것이 퍽 후회가 난다.

I wished I'd fed it a little more red pepper paste. I deeply regretted making it fight before it was ready.

장독께로 돌아와서 다시 턱밑에 고추장을 들이댔다.

Back by the crock jars, I held the red pepper paste up to its beak once again.

흥분으로 말미암아 그런지 당최 먹질 않는다.

Perhaps because it was still worked up from the fight, it refused to eat any of it.

나는 하릴없이 닭을 반듯이 눕히고 그 입에다 궐련 물부리를 물리었다.

With no other choice, I laid the rooster flat on its back and put the mouthpiece of a cigarette between its beak.

그리고 고추장물을 타서 그 구멍으로 조금씩 들여 부었다.

Then I mixed the red pepper paste with water and slowly poured it into the opening.

닭은 좀 괴로운지 킥킥하고 재채기를 하는 모양이나 그러나 당장의 괴로움은 매일 같이 피를 흘리는 데 댈 게 아니라 생각하였다.

The rooster seemed uncomfortable and gave a few little sneezes, but I figured that this temporary discomfort was nothing compared with having to bleed every single day.

그러나 한 두어 종지 가량 고추장물 먹이고 나서는 나는 고만 풀이 죽었다.

But after I'd forced down about two small bowls of the pepper-paste mixture, my spirits suddenly sank.

싱싱하던 닭이 왜 그런지 고개를 살며시 뒤틀고는 손아귀에서 뻐드러지는 것이 아닌가.

For some reason, the rooster, which had been so lively just moments before, gently twisted its head to one side and went limp in my hands.

아버지가 볼까 봐서 얼른 홰에다 감추어 두었더니 오늘 아침에서야 겨우 정신이 든 모양 같다.

Afraid my father might see it, I hurriedly hid the bird in the coop. It seems that it only just came around this morning.

그랬던 걸 이렇게 오다 보니까 또 쌈을 붙여 놓으니 이 망할 계집애가 필연 우리 집에 아무도 없는 틈을 타서 제가 들어와 홰에서 꺼내 가지고 나간 것이 분명하다.

After what had happened before, finding the roosters fighting again now, I was certain that the wretched girl had taken advantage of the time when nobody was home, sneaked into our house, and taken our rooster out of the coop herself.

나는 다시 닭을 잡아다 가두고 염려는 스러우나 그렇다고 산으로 나무를 하러 가지 않을 수도 없는 형편이었다.

I caught our rooster again and shut it away. I was worried, of course, but I had no choice but to go up the mountain to gather firewood.

소나무 삭정이를 따며 가만히 생각해 보니 암만해도 고년의 목쟁이를 돌려놓고 싶다.

As I gathered dry pine branches, I thought things over, and the more I thought about it, the more I felt like wringing that girl's neck.

이번에 내려가면 망할 년 등줄기를 한번 되게 후려치겠다 하고 싱둥겅둥 나무를 지고는 부리나케 내려왔다.

I resolved that the next time I went down, I'd give the wretched girl a good thrashing across the back. Then I hastily loaded up my firewood and hurried down the mountain.

거지반 집에 다 내려와서 나는 호드기 소리를 듣고 발이 딱 멈추었다.

I was almost home when I heard the sound of a reed whistle, and my feet came to an abrupt stop.

산기슭에 널려 있는 굵은 바윗돌 틈에 노란 동백꽃이 소보록하니 깔리었다.

Among the great boulders scattered along the mountainside, yellow camellia blossoms lay thickly scattered across the ground.

그 틈에 끼어 앉아서 점순이가 청승맞게시리 호드기를 불고 있는 것이다.

Sitting nestled among the rocks was Jumsun, playing her reed whistle in a mournful, plaintive way.

그보다도 더 놀란 것은 고 앞에서 또 푸드득, 푸드득, 하고 들리는 닭의 횃소리다.

Even more startling was the sound of chickens flapping and squawking right in front of her.

필연코 요년이 나의 약을 올리느라고 또 닭을 집어내다가 내가 내려올 길목에다 쌈을 시켜 놓고 저는 그 앞에 앉아서 천연스레 호드기를 불고 있음에 틀림없으리라.

That wretched girl must have stolen our rooster out again just to provoke me, set the two birds fighting right along the path I would take down the mountain, and then sat in front of them playing her whistle as calmly as could be.

나는 약이 오를 대로 올라서 두 눈에서 불과 함께 눈물이 퍽 쏟아졌다.

I was so furious that my eyes blazed with rage, and tears suddenly burst forth.

나뭇지게도 벗어 놀 새 없이 그대로 내동댕이치고는 지게 막대기를 뻗치고 허둥허둥 달려들었다.

Without even taking the time to slip off my firewood carrier, I flung it to the ground and rushed forward, brandishing my carrying-pole.

가까이 와 보니 과연 나의 짐작대로 우리 수탉이 피를 흘리고 거의 빈사지경에 이르렀다.

When I got closer, I saw that, just as I'd suspected, our rooster was bleeding and nearly at death's door.

닭도 닭이려니와 그러함에도 불구하고 눈 하나 깜짝 없이 고대로 앉아서 호드기만 부는 그 꼴에 더욱 치가 떨린다.

The rooster was bad enough, but what made me tremble with even greater fury was the sight of Jumsun sitting there without batting an eye, simply continuing to play her whistle.

동네에서도 소문이 났거니와 나도 한때는 걱실걱실히 일 잘 하고 얼굴 예쁜 계집애인 줄 알았더니 시방 보니까 그 눈깔이 꼭 여우새끼 같다.

People in the village had always spoken well of her, and I'd once thought she was a pretty girl who worked hard and cheerfully. But looking at her now, her eyes seemed just like those of a young fox.

나는 대뜸 달려들어서 나도 모르는 사이에 큰 수탉을 단매로 때려 엎었다.

I rushed straight at the bigger rooster and, before I knew what I was doing, knocked it flat with a single blow.

닭은 푹 엎어진 채 다리 하나 꼼짝 못 하고 그대로 죽어 버렸다.

The rooster collapsed onto the ground, unable to move even a leg, and died right there.

그리고 나는 멍하니 섰다가 점순이가 매섭게 눈을 홉뜨고 닥치는 바람에 뒤로 벌렁 나자빠졌다.

I stood there in a daze, but when Jumsun came charging at me with her eyes blazing, I fell flat on my back.

"이놈아! 너 왜 남의 닭을 때려죽이니?"

"You bastard! Why did you beat someone else's rooster to death?"

"그럼 어때?"

"So what if I did?"

하고 일어나다가,

I said as I tried to get up, but then,

"뭐 이 자식아! 누 집 닭인데?"

"What do you mean, you brat? Whose rooster do you think it was?"

하고 복장을 떼미는 바람에 다시 벌렁 자빠졌다.

She shoved me hard in the chest, sending me sprawling onto my back again.

그리고 나서 가만히 생각을 하니 분하기도 하고 무안도스럽고, 또 한편 일을 저질렀으니, 인젠 땅이 떨어지고 집도 내쫓기고 해야 될는지 모른다.

Then, as I thought about what I'd done, I felt angry and ashamed. Worse still, I'd gone and caused a serious incident, and now we might lose our land and be thrown out of our house.

나는 비슬비슬 일어나며 소맷자락으로 눈을 가리고는, 얼김에 엉 하고 울음을 놓았다.

I staggered to my feet, covered my eyes with my sleeve, and, before I knew it, burst into tears.

그러나 점순이가 앞으로 다가와서,

But then Jumsun came closer and said,

"그럼 너 이담부텀 안 그럴 테냐?"

"Then you won't do it again from now on, will you?"

하고 물을 때에야 비로소 살길을 찾은 듯싶었다.

Only when she asked me that did I finally feel I'd found a way to save myself.

나는 눈물을 우선 씻고 뭘 안 그러는지 명색도 모르건만,

I first wiped away my tears, though I hadn't the faintest idea what I was promising not to do,

"그래!"

"Yes!"

하고 무턱대고 대답하였다.

I answered without thinking.

"요담부터 또 그래 봐라, 내 자꾸 못살게 굴 테니."

"Just you try doing that again, and I'll keep making your life miserable."

"그래 그래 이젠 안 그럴 테야!"

"All right, all right! I won't do it again!"

"닭 죽은 건 염려 마라, 내 안 이를 테니."

"Don't worry about the dead chicken. I won't tell anyone."

그리고 뭣에 떠다밀렸는지 나의 어깨를 짚은 채 그대로 퍽 쓰러진다.

Then, as though something had pushed her, she suddenly toppled over, still leaning on my shoulder.

그 바람에 나의 몸뚱이도 겹쳐서 쓰러지며, 한창 피어 퍼드러진 노란 동백꽃 속으로 폭 파묻혀 버렸다.

That sent me tumbling down on top of her, and we sank right into the mass of yellow camellias in full bloom.

알싸한, 그리고 향긋한 그 냄새에 나는 땅이 꺼지는 듯이 온 정신이 고만 아찔하였다.

The sharp yet sweet fragrance made my head spin until it felt as though the ground had dropped away beneath me.

"너 말 마라!"

"Don't you say a word!"

"그래!"

"Yes!"

조금 있더니 요 아래서,

A little while later, from somewhere down below,

"점순아! 점순아! 이년이 바느질을 하다 말구 어딜 갔어?"

"Jumsun! Jumsun! You little wretch, where have you run off to, leaving your sewing unfinished?"

하고 어딜 갔다 온 듯싶은 그 어머니가 역정이 대단히 났다.

Her mother, who seemed to have just come back from somewhere, was terribly angry as she called out.

점순이가 겁을 잔뜩 집어먹고 꽃밑을 살금살금 기어서 산알로 내려간 다음 나는 바위를 끼고 엉금엉금 기어서 산 위로 치빼지 않을 수 없었다.

After Jumsun, thoroughly frightened, crawled stealthily out from beneath the flowers and headed down toward the village, I had no choice but to crawl around the rocks and scramble back up the mountain.