The Alchemist

Santiago begins his search.

The boy's name was Santiago. Dusk was falling as the boy arrived with his herd at an  abandoned church. The roof had fallen in long ago, and an enormous sycamore had grown on the spot where the sacristy had once stood.

He decided to spend the night there. He saw to it that all the sheep entered through the ruined gate, and then laid some planks across it to prevent the flock from wandering away during the night. There were no wolves in the region, but once an animal had strayed during the night, and the boy had had to spend the entire next day searching for it.

He swept the floor with his jacket and lay down, using the book he had just finished reading as a pillow. He told himself that he would have to start reading thicker books: they lasted longer, and made more comfortable pillows.

It was still dark when he awoke, and, looking up, he could see the stars through the half-destroyed roof.

I wanted to sleep a little longer, he thought. He had had the same dream that night as a week ago, and once again he had awakened it ended.

He arose and, taking up his crook, began to awaken the sheep, most of his animals also began to stir. It was as if some mysterious energy bound his life to that of the sheep, with whom he had spent the past two years, leading them through the countryside in search of food and water. "They are so used to me that they know my schedule." he muttered. Thinking about that for a moment, he realized that it could be the other way around: that it was he who had become accustomed to their schedule.






Language Note


dusk
the state or period of partial darkness between day and night
땅거미, 황혼, 어스름

abandoned
forsaken or deserted
버림받은, 유기된

sacristy
a room in a church where sacred vessels and vestments are kept or meetings are held
성구실, 성구 보관소

plank
a long, flat piece of timber, thicker than a board
널빤지, 판재

stray
to wander; roam
길을 잃다. 배회하다

destroy
to reduce (an object) to use fragments, a useless form, or remains
~을 파멸하다, 파멸시키다

crook
an instrument or implement having a bent or curved part, as a shepherd's staff hooked at one end
굽은 것, 손잡이가 구부러진 지팡이

stir
to move around, esp, briskly; be active
~을 흔들다, 움직이다

mutter
to complain murmuringly; grumble
중얼거리다, 속삭이다

accustom
to familiarize by custom or use; habituate
~에 익숙하게 하다. 습관을 들이다



EBS Power English Aug, 2008 중에서