General and Subordinate
by D.J. YOON
I
In the old days, a general with unrivaled strength
Put a louse on a rock
And hit it with his fist
Only the rock broke
And his subordinate who was watching quietly
Put a louse on his fingernail
And pressed it with his fingernail
And killed the louse
II
Long ago, a powerful general
Placed a louse on a rock
Then struck it hard with his fist
The rock shattered, but the louse lived
Meanwhile, his quiet subordinate
Put a louse on his fingernail
And calmly pressed it
The louse was dead
III
Long ago, a general with unmatched might
Placed a louse on a rock
And struck it with his fist
Only the rock was broken
His subordinate, quietly watching
Placed a louse on his fingernail
Pressed it with his nail
And killed the louse
IV
Long ago, a general famed for might
Placed a louse on a rock, gripped his fist tight
He slammed it down with thunderous crack
The rock was smashed, the louse came back
A quiet aide, who’d watched the show
Set a louse on his nail, calm and slow
With just a press — no shout, no fuss
He crushed the louse without a muss
장군과 부하
-윤동재
옛날 힘이 천하장사인 장군
바위에 이 한 마리 올려놓고
주먹으로 내리치니
바위만 깨지고
그걸 가만히 보고 있던 부하
손톱 위에 이 한 마리 올려놓고
손톱으로 눌러
이를 죽이고
Appreciation Review 感想
‘General and Subordinate’ is a delightfully clever and subtly profound poem for children that uses humor and simplicity to teach a valuable lesson about strength and wisdom.
Through the contrast between the general’s brute force and the subordinate’s quiet efficiency, the poem gently suggests that intelligence and precision can often achieve more than sheer power.
Its playful imagery — of a louse on a rock and a fingernail — captures the imagination while offering a meaningful message that’s easy for young readers to grasp.
With its brief, fable-like structure and understated wit, this poem is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
#바위 #손톱 #이
