Slow Version 9

사자와 은혜 갚은 쥐
The Lion and The Mouse Who Repaid Kindness

어느 날 사자가 낮잠을 쿨쿨 자고 있었어요.
One day, a lion was taking a nap and sleeping soundly.

쥐가 그 옆을 살금살금 지나가고 있었죠.
A mouse was stealthily passing by him.

‘사자가 깨어나면 안 되는데…’
‘I hope the lion won’t wake up…’

쥐는 겁을 잔뜩 먹은 채 조심조심 지나갔어요.
The mouse cautiously passed by while being really scared.

그런데 사자가 잠에서 깨고 말았어요.
But the lion ended up waking from his sleep.

“어흥. 누가 내 잠을 깨운 거야?”
“Roar. Who woke me from my sleep?”

쥐는 깜짝 놀라서 몸을 웅크리고 덜덜덜 떨었어요.
In shock, the mouse crouched her body and shivered.

“이 작은 쥐가 나를 깨운 거야? 잡아먹어 버리겠다.”
“This small mouse woke me up? I’m going to eat you.”

쥐는 사자에게 살려 달라고 빌기 시작했어요.
The mouse started begging the lion to let her live.

“살려 주세요. 저는 몸이 작고 맛도 없어요. 제발 한 번만 살려 주세요.”
“Please let me live. I have a small body and don’t taste good. Please let me just this once.”

사자는 쥐를 잡아먹기도 귀찮아져서 그냥 살려 주기로 했어요.
The lion thought it was a hassle to eat the mouse so he decided to just let her live.

“한 번만 살려 주지. 나는 다시 잠이나 자야겠다.”
“I’ll let you live just this once. I’m just going to go back to sleep.”

며칠이 지났어요.
A few days passed.

숲 속 길을 걸어가던 사자는 덫에 걸리고 말았어요.
The lion, while walking through the forest, got caught in a trap.

“어흥. 이게 뭐야? 사자 살려! 어흥."
“Roar. What is this? Somebody help this lion! Roar!”

사자는 겁이 나서 소리쳤어요.
The lion shouted in fear.

그런데 그때 갑자기 어디에선가 쥐가 달려 나왔어요.
But then all of a sudden, out of somewhere, the mouse ran out.

“제가 살려 드릴게요. 잠깐만 기다리세요.”
“I will help you. Please wait just a little.

쥐는 이빨로 밧줄을 갈기 시작했어요.
The mouse started grinding the rope with her teeth.

드디어 밧줄이 끊어지고 사자는 덫에서 빠져나올 수 있었어요.
The rope finally broke and the lion was able to get out of the trap.

“어흥. 쥐야, 정말 고맙다.”
“Roar. Mouse, thank you so much.”

쥐가 말했어요.
The mouse said,

“아니에요. 저는 은혜를 갚았을 뿐이에요.”
“No problem. I just repaid your kindness.”

사자와 쥐는 그 뒤부터 친한 친구가 되었답니다.
The lion and the mouse became close friends after that.
 

Grammar point

Verb stem + -고 말다

-고 말다 is used to express something you end up doing or when a certain action comes to an end or is completed after a series of events.

Ex)
잠들다 (to fall asleep) + -고 말다
= 잠들고 말다 (to fall asleep although I didn’t want to)

감기에 걸리다 (to catch a cold) + -고 말다
= 감기에 걸리고 말다 (to catch a cold, which is unfortunate)

약속을 하다 (to promise) + -고 말다
= 약속을 하고 말다 (to make a promise, without intending to at first)

말하다 (to tell) + -고 말다
= 말하고 말다 (to tell someone, without intending to at first)