<aside> 📌 English Translation: Hoyoung Moon
</aside>
Early morning, a poor woman
clutching the body of her child who died of hunger
wails as she walks through the slum
Look, there’s a witch!
Villagers who’ve realized
the rich bought all the good bread
pound the castle gates with sticks and rakes
Look, there’s a riot!
After gathering and devouring
all the beans in the field
the hungry people break into the granaries of the rich
Look, there’s a wolf!
The meek who work and worry, toil and cry
The ones who cannot laugh as they like
They’ve begun running
Look, there’s a heretic!
The city’s gates are locked tight, outside it are the people
The city’s gates are locked tight, outside it are the people
All of my friends are poor
Think about this poverty for once
Soon, it’ll have to do with you too
This land must be shaken awake
All of my friends are poor
Think about this poverty for once
Soon, it’ll have to do with you too
This land must be shaken awake
We are not worthless
We are just the ones who bake your bread
Make your wine and drink the dregs
We cannot watch our children starve
There is A Witch
There is A Riot
There is A Heretic
There is A Wolf
This world is home to some important things
and I’m well aware that doesn’t mean my stories
I have questions, of course, and lots I want to know
But I won’t ask, I’ve been taught not to
I don’t want to look at myself or meet me halfway but
I do feel sorry for myself, for sure, I’m pathetic
When I look in the mirror I avoid looking at my face
I just watch my toes wiggle, that’s how I’ve been living
That’s right, I don’t have anything to say
Don’t want to listen to you or your advice
Please stop, no more, I don’t have anything else to say
That’s how it’s been, how I’ll continue to be
That’s right, I’m telling you I don’t want to
I remember almost everyone I’ve met
but there are lots of people I want to, had to forget
More and more places I can’t step foot in, I’m getting used to it
But why do you keep trying to strike up a conversation
Why do you keep, why keep telling me to talk
Please stop, no more, enough
That’s right, we’re still here
Thinking and thinking and thinking still
That’s right, you’d be curious about that sort of thing
What kind of stories get passed down in this world
I bet you’re wondering what to say
Wondering what kind of stories can be shared
That’s right, questions are where we begin
Who told you so and why did you listen
That’s right, that will become your story
All the morsels and places and yearnings you’ve lived through
Your stories will be heard again and again
They had to be, they’ll continue to be
That’s right, you’re telling me you don’t want to
That your stories are worthless and trifling
That you don’t have anyone at your side, it’s the story of your life
That’s right, you have to share those stories
To experience those stories being shared and heard
If you could meet yourself tomorrow
How would you start the conversation?
That’s right, we’re still here
Thinking and thinking and thinking some more
I’m not sure what use this has, what meaning
But people say they enjoyed it, they felt joy, they shed tears
“I’ve been listening to you” is how they say hello
Even if we haven’t met, don’t meet, or it’s our first time meeting
“I’ve been listening to you”
Have you been listening? When do you listen, for what reason?
And who do you become in those moments?
Are you listening? To this song that’s nothing but questions
[Do you want to listen again? When will you listen, for what reason?
And who will you become in those moments?]
The emperor of the sea is gravely ill and can’t find a cure
My friend Haemi recently got laparoscopic surgery
And the emperor is told rabbit liver is his only hope
Yuri’s dog Dahm fully recovered from cancer
At the emperor’s behest, the turtle sets out to catch a rabbit
And Handa who’s been all over the world snores beside me
My good Sir Rabbit, it’s an honor to meet you
How have you been, very well I assume
Sir Turtle, I am puzzled by your assumption
All my life I’ve been running or hiding, heart racing from fear
Deep into the ocean the rabbit travels with the turtle
And to the emperor awaiting its liver, it cleverly says
Noona*, I wanna have fun before I have to go to the military
Oh my, I would’ve brought my liver if you’d told me in advance
Some chase down the good life, some chase after love
I’m well aware, I’m listening, I remember and know by heart
Meaningful stories, I want to listen to and share
I’ve been listening to you, I’m listening, I’m all ears
[I’m not sure what use this has, what meaning
But people say they enjoyed it, they felt joy, they shed tears]
“I’ve been listening to you” is how they say hello
Have you been listening, listening closely, all ears
I’m all ears for you
- Noona: The way a younger brother or male friend addresses an older sister or female friend.
Again, we burst into tears as if someone had died
I ate some pang