Little Pond

Country: The Koreas
Language: Korean

Genre: Norae Undong

“Little Pond” is a South Korean political song (“Norae Undong” — literally, “song movement”) from 1972 by prominent activist/songwriter Kim Min-ki. Debuted while South Korean activists were struggling against the autocratic government of Park Chung-hee, the anti-civil war moral refers most directly to the Korean Civil War of the ’50s, but is applicable to wars of all kind. In the original, the two fish fight and one kills the other, but when the losing fish dies the water in the little pond becomes polluted and nothing can live there anymore.

A 2009 South Korean film set during the Korean War called “A Little Pond” re-popularized the song.

All Around This World is actively looking to connect with the publisher that manages the rights to “Little Pond.” If you can help, let us know.

Lyrics of All Around This World version:

There was one a little pond
Hidden on a mountainside
And two fish lived in it
You would think they’d share
All the water in their little pond
Gipeunsan ohsolgilyeop
jageu mahan yeonmoten
And two fish lived in it
You would think they’d share
All the water in their little pond
But the fish began to fight
And they fought until the end
One was gone forever and would not come back again
For the fish who won the fight
The pond grew dark and then
He was lonely and realized he didn’t really win
There was one a little pond
Hidden on a mountainside
And two fish lived in it
You would think they’d share
All the water in their little pond

Original lyrics:

Yeonmoten mountain trail next to the small
지금은 더러운 물만 고이고 아무것도 살지않지만 I live in a dirty water, but nothing is up
먼 옛날 이 연못엔 예쁜 붕어 두마리 Carp yeonmoten two pretty long ago
살고 있었다고 전해 지지요 깊은 산 작은 연못 Were said to live in a small pond always makes a mountain

어느 맑은 여름날 연못속에 붕어 두 마리 Two goldfish in a pond on a sunny summer day
서로 싸워 한 마리는 물위에 떠오르고 Fighting each other in a rising of the water
여린 살이 썩어 들어가 물도 따라 썩어 들어가 Water into the tender flesh rotting decaying into
연못속에선 아무것도 살 수 없게 되었죠 Can not buy anything in the pond became in

깊은 산 오솔길 옆 자그마한 연못엔 Yeonmoten mountain trail next to the small
지금은 더러운 물만 고이고 아무것도 살지 않죠 Nothing is up right now I do not live in a dirty water

푸르던 나뭇잎이 한잎 두잎 떨어져 Verdant leaves off hanip duip
연못위에 작은 배 띄우다가 물속 깊이 가라앉으면 On the depth of the pond water subsides, the small boat ttuiwoodaga
집 잃은 꽃사슴이 산 속을 헤매다가 House lost a deer wandered through the mountains
연못을 찾아와 물을 마시고 살며시 잠들게 되죠 Slowly came to the pond to drink water do sleep

해는 서산에 지고 저녁 산은 고요한데 ‘re Getting together for dinner Xishan mountain sun
산허리로 무당벌레 하나 휘익 지나간 후에 Gone, baby ladybugs into the hillside after a
검은 물만 고인 채 한없는 세월 속을 Black water, while the deceased through endless ages
말없이 몸짓으로 헤매다 수많은 계절을 맞죠 I wandered many a season of silence right in a gesture

깊은 산 오솔길 옆 자그마한 연못엔 Yeonmoten mountain trail next to the small
지금은 더러운 물만 고이고 아무것도 살지 않죠 Nothing is up right now I do not live in a dirty water

The lyrics of a small pond … ..

깊은산 오솔길옆 Gipeunsan ohsolgilyeop
자그마한 연못엔 jageu mahan yeonmoten
지금은 더러운 j igeumeun deor eoun
물만 고이고 mulman goigo
아무것도 살지않지만 amugeott to salj j anchiman
먼옛날 이연못엔 Meonyetnal yiyeonmoten
예쁜붕어 두마리 Beautiful two crucian carp
살고있었다고 Had lived
전해지지요 Allegedly did
깊은산 작은연못 Gipeunsan jakeunyeonmot
어느 맑은 여름날 One sunny summer day
연못속에 붕어두마리 Two goldfish in a pond
서로 싸워 한마리는 Fighting each other is a
물위에 떠오르고 Emerged on the water
그놈살이 썩어들어가 He went to live rotting
물도따라 썩어들어가 Water into the rot
연못속에선 아무것도 Nothing in the pond in
살수 없게 되었죠 Became unable to live
깊은산 오솔길옆 Gipeunsan ohsolgilyeop
자그마한 연못엔 Small yeonmoten
지금은 더러운 Now the dirty
물만 고이고 Sound of water
아무것도 살지않죠 Nothing I do not live
푸르던 나뭇잎이 Verdant leaves
한잎두잎 떨어져 Hanipduip off
연못에 작은배 띄우다가 Pond jakeunbae ttuiwoodaga
깊은물에 가라앉으면 If sank in deep water
집잃은 꽃사슴이 Jipileun two deer
산속을 헤매다가 Wandered into the mountains to
연못을 찾아와 Came to the pond
물을 마시고 Drinking water
살며시 잠들게되죠 Softly do sleep
해는 서산에 지고 The sun is in Xishan
저녁산은 고요한데 San evening a calm but
산허리로 무당벌레하나 Ladybugs into the hillside a
휘익 지나간후에 Whoo Behind
검은물만 고인채 Black water goinchae
한없는 세월속을 Through endless ages
말없이 몸짓으로 헤매다 I wandered silently in a gesture
수많은 계절을 맞죠 Many seasons, right
깊은산 오솔길옆 Gipeunsan ohsolgilyeop
자그마한 연못엔 Small yeonmoten
지금은 더러운 Now the dirty
물만 고이고 Sound of water
아무것도 살지않죠 Nothing I do not live

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