적선 구걸 (Begging Alms)

적선합쇼!

[번역 : 일수거인 051231]

한 강도와 한 탁발수도승이 함께 길을 가고 있는데 느닷없이 호랑이가 나타나 달려들 폼을 잡았다. 강도가 얼른 활을 뽑아들었으나, 호랑이는 겁내지 않고 계속 다가오고 있었다.마지막 수단으로, 수도승이 그의 자선모금 장부책을 호랑이에게 던지니까 호랑이는 아연 공포에 질려 주춤 물러서더니 급히 달아나 버렸다.

"아빠," 새끼 호랑이가 물었다, "강도는 무서워하지 않으면서 수도승한테는 꼼짝 못 하시다니,어쩐 일이세요?"

"저, 그게 말이야," 호랑이가 대답했다, "강도가 나타났을 땐 난 맞붙어 싸울 태세가 돼 있었단다. 그렇지만 수도승이 내게 자선 기부를 요청하려는 데엔, 어떻게 퇴치할 방도가 있어야 말이지?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Begging Alms

A robber and an alms-begging monk were pursuing their way together when a tiger suddenly appeared from nowhere and pounced upon them. The robber immediately drew a bow. The tiger, however, was not afraid and kept closing in on them. As a last resort, the monk threw his alms book at the tiger, which immediately fell back with fright and beat a hasty retreat.

"Pa," asked the tiger cub of its father," how come you were not afraid of the robber and yet the monk gave you such a good scare?"

"Well," replied the tiger, " when the robber came up, I was prepared to wrestle with him. But when the monk wanted to beg alms from me, how was I going to bundle him off?"