Sample Translations
Muka
I’m Out of Here E ng l i s h
Book Information
I’m Out of Here (집을 나갈거야) Association of Young Authors Publishing corp. / 4 p. 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
I’m Out of Here Written by Muka
Little Fox was playing in the house as usual. “Little Fox, did you finish your homework?” Mom asked. “No, I’ll do it tomorrow,” Little Fox responded half-heartedly. Dad was reading a newspaper, and he began to frown. A while later, Mom said, “Little Fox, give this pot to our next door neighbor.” “No, I’m busy playing right now.”
Now Dad began to yell. “Little Fox, listen to your mother and get going!” Little Fox was surprised and upset that his dad scolded him. Mom sighed lightly and handed Little Fox the pot.
On his way back from the neighbor’s house, Little Fox thought over what had happened. “Dad is mean. He yelled at me for no reason.” On the way home, Little Fox ran into his friends Rabbit and Bear at the playground.
“What are you guys doing?” “My mom yelled at me for getting bad grades,” Rabbit said with a sniffle. “I had a fight with my little brother, and I got all the blame,” Bear said angrily.
The three friends didn’t say anything else because they were feeling so depressed.
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Suddenly, Little Fox sprang to his feet. “Hey you guys, let’s run away from home!” “What?” Rabbit and Bear looked at him in surprise. Little Fox continued excitedly, “Let’s leave and go somewhere where no one will yell at us. We can do whatever we want.”
“That sounds like a great idea. I’ll take all my toys.” “Food, too! Let’s go right away.” But Little Fox looked hopelessly his enthusiastic friends. “We can’t just leave without a plan. If we are really going, we need some money. We can’t do much without it.” Little Fox’s friends looked at him with admiration. Little Fox boastfully explained the details of his plan. It was like planning a picnic, but more exciting.
Operation Good Boys and Girls. Little Fox helped out with the chores. Rabbit studied hard for world geography. Bear played soccer with his little brother. Their parents were proud of them. Had they known their secret plan, they would have felt otherwise, but for now they gave their children a higher allowance.
When the green mountains turned red and yellow, Little Fox and Dad went on a fishing trip.
They didn’t catch many fish.
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But the cool breeze and warm sunshine were pleasant. “Little Fox, I like how you are helping out around the house,” Dad said. Little Fox thought about this and asked, “Then why did you yell at me before? You hurt my feelings.” Dad was surprised to hear this. 3 He hesitated for a moment, and said, “I’m sorry Little Fox. Now that I think back, it wasn’t that big a deal, and I didn’t have to scold you. When I was a child, I got yelled at by my own father too.” “You did?”
“I was a real troublemaker then. It makes me feel strange to scold you like my father scolded me. I wonder if my father felt the same way.” Dad smiled and made another cast with his fishing pole. Little Fox thought hard on the way back home.
The set departure date approached. But nobody looked thrilled.
Little Fox, Rabbit, and Bear started off without saying a word. Each was lost in thought. After a while of walking, it began to snow. It was the first snow of the year. The three stood rooted in their tracks, and looked up at the sky.
“You guys, maybe it’s too cold to set off today?” Little Fox started. All three of them looked at each other.
“That’s right. It must be pretty slippery on the road,” Rabbit added. “Ah! I think I forgot something very important at home,” Bear chimed. They both spoke as if they felt bad about it, but they didn’t seem sorry at all. “Then how about we leave next year when it gets warmer?” Little Fox asked. “That’s a good point. Let’s leave next year after we save up more money.” 4 The children went back to their homes. They were relieved Except for one thing. They still needed an excuse for not running away next year.