Sample Translations
Kyeong-Ah Gang How to Cook Turtle Soup E ng l i s h
Book Information
How to Cook Turtle Soup (거북이를 맛있게 먹는 방법) Gesunamu Publishing House Publishing corp. / 2012 / 7 p. / ISBN 9788989654735 For further information, please visit: http://library.klti.or.kr/node/772 This sample translation was produced with support from LTI Korea. Please contact the LTI Korea Library for further information. library@klti.or.kr
How to Cook Turtle Soup Written and Illustrated by Gang Kyeong-Ah
Gesunamu Publishing House
Far away in a deep valley over three steep hills lived an old and hungry tiger. One fine day the tiger prowled out of his dark cave. He was so thin he wobbled with every step. “Boy, am I hungry. It is time to look for an easy meal!”
The tiger was so old it had only a few teeth left. He could barely run because of a bad leg. . “Oh, what I would do for a juicy chunk of meat. How I wish one of those stupid hares would jump right into my mouth.”
He noticed a little mouse that was going about its business. “What a helpless mouse. That’s just the meal for me.” The old tiger huffed and puffed as he chased the mouse. But the mouse soon disappeared from sight. “Where did that mouse go?” The tiger searched around for the mouse.
The mouse was standing before a giant tree laughing. “Hahaha! You must be the stupid tiger everyone is talking about.”
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Then it ducked into a hole in the tree never to be seen again.
“What? ME? A stupid tiger?” The tiger was awfully hurt. But he didn’t mope for long. ‘You wait and see. I’ll show everyone how clever I am.’ Then the tiger noticed how thirsty he was after chasing the mouse. He stumbled down to the river, forgetting how hungry he was for the moment.
The tiger was lapping the water when a turtle tottered past his paws. ‘What’s this?’ He watched the turtle take itty-bitty steps as it waddled along. The tiger had a great idea. ‘I know exactly what to do with that slowpoke turtle. Heehee.’ The tiger thought this was his chance to prove he was no fool and to catch a nice meal too.
“Hey, I’ve never seen you around here before. What’s your name? Where are you going?” The tiger asked in a sweet, friendly voice. “I am Turtle. I am looking for a new home. Why do you ask?” The turtle was very small, but spoke with great dignity. “Really? Would you like to move in with me?
I am very lonely in my big, big den.”
The turtle stuck its neck all the way out to get a closer look at the tiger. The tiger made the most harmless face he could make.
“Hmm……. Where do you live?”
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“On the other side of those hills.” The turtle looked in the direction the tiger was pointing. “Wow, that’s very far away.” “Heeheehee……. Don’t worry. I can carry you there in a jiffy.” “Carry me, you say?” The tiger was sure he had fooled the turtle. The thought filled him with glee.
The tiger jumped over the first hill with a single leap. “Tiger, are we there yet?” “Just two more to go, turtle.” The tiger glided through the air and leaped over another hill. “Tiger, are we there now?” “Just one more hill to go.” The tiger pranced over the last mountain without breaking a sweat.
By then the tiger could see his den in the distance. He began to hum a tune to himself. ‘What part of the turtle should I eat first? Maybe I should swallow it whole!’ The tiger’s stomach began to rumble. “You must be hungry, tiger. What do you like to eat?” “Me? I love a little meat… I mean, sweet potatoes. I like sweet potatoes.” Cold sweat ran down the tiger’s back. Right then, the turtle cried, “Watch out, tiger!”
The tiger tripped over a big boulder and fell on his face.
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“Ow, my knee!” The tiger pulled himself together in a hurry and looked for the turtle. “Turtle? Where are you?” “I’m over here, tiger.” The tiger found the turtle on its back, waving its little legs in the air. 4 The turtle was upset. “You threw me against that big rock!” “Oh……. I’m sorry. Let me help you up.” The tiger quickly helped the turtle back onto its feet. “I’m okay, tiger! My shell is much stronger than any old rock.”
The two made it to the tiger’s den. The tiger was starting to worry if he could really bite into the turtle with his bad teeth. “My dear turtle, how would a tiger go about eating something as hard as a rock?” “That’s simple. You have to boil it in water. Like a sweet potato.” “Boil it in water, you say?” The tiger shivered and shook his head. There was nothing more terrifying than water. “Is there another way?”
“Then how about cracking it open with a stone? Like clams and other shellfish.” The tiger gazed at the turtle’s back and shook his head again. “I don’t think so.” The tiger had never used a stone to do anything. He would not know what to do!
Now the tiger was worried that he may not be able to eat the turtle after all. “Do you have any other ideas?” By now the tiger was quite disappointed. “You can always steep it in water like beans. They become much softer after sitting a while in water!” 5 The tiger jumped to his feet. “So all I have to do is steep you in water? I am so hungry. Soon you will be in my stomach. I got you now!” The turtle was startled by the tiger’s reaction. “What?” “I’m going to steep you in water before I eat you. Heehee! I got you! I got you now!”
The tiger was very impressed with his own cleverness. . Now that the turtle knew the tiger’s true intentions, it began to shed big tears. It hunched itself inside its shell as it cried out, “Oh, what do I do? I was fooled!” The tiger let out a big laugh. “No use hiding, turtle. I am going to steep you and swallow you whole!”
The tiger raced to the river with the turtle clenched in its jaws.
When the tiger got to the riverside he dropped the turtle into the water. The turtle wept as it floated. “You wait here, tiger. When I come out, my shell will be nice and soft.”
Off it went, swimming in the water.
The tiger waited, and waited, and waited, and waited.
The tiger waited by the water until the break of dawn. After pacing back and forth, the tiger finally realized what had happened. ‘Poor turtle must have drowned.’ The tiger was unable to leave the riverside for a long, long time.
Finally, with a deep sigh, he trudged back to his den.
Recommendation | Kim Sang-uk (literaturary critic and professor at Chuncheon University of Education) Korean children’s books have made astonishing progress in
recent years. Now unique and
well-written books are being published almost every day. Gang Kyeong-Ah’s brainchild How to Cook Turtle Soup is no exception to this trend. The story and subject is rooted in Korea’s traditional folktales. Its combination of imaginative storytelling and jaunty lines, colors, and shapes are loyal to the principles of a good picture book – good humor. It is safe to say Gang’s book has elevated the standards of what a good children’s book ought to be.
Writer Introduction | Gang Kyeong-Ah Born in Gimje, Jeollabuk Province, Gang studied political science in college. When she became a mother of two, she became engrossed in the pastime of telling stories. . This inspired her to take up a job that involved just that. Gang worked in libraries and welfare
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centers telling stories to young children then began taking courses on children’s literature. After this, she began to write and draw the ideas she had in her head. Gang believes the old tiger in this book is a portrait of herself – someone who struggles to put up a smart front to hide their foolishness. She continues to study folklore to find new inspiration.
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How to Cook Turtle Soup c Written and Illustrated by Gang Kyeong-Ah, 2012 ○ Publication date October 1, 2012 | Written and Illustrated by Gang KyeongAh | Published by Gesunamu Publishing House | Chief Editor Ui Jeong-hyeon | Editor Lee Hyo-shim | Publisher Registration Number January 9, 2001, 10-2091 Address LG Twintel 2-1703, 508 Samseong-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-880 | Editor +82-2566-6288 Sales +82-2-566-6504, +82-70-4243-6504 | fax +82-2-566-6621 Blog
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official
website
www.gesunamu.co.kr | email gesunamu21@hanmail.net ISBN 978-89-89654-73-5 *All copyrights belong to Gesunamu Publishing House and the author of this book. This work may not be duplicated in any form nor stored or distributed by electronic means without permission from Gesunamu.