Pollyanna
폴리애나
Eleanor H. Porter (1868–1920)
The Story
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Miss Polly Harrington lived alone in a big house in a small town.She was not poor. She had plenty of money.But she was not a happy woman, and she did not smile very often.
One June morning, Miss Polly got a letter.The letter had bad news in it.Miss Polly had a sister who lived far away. Years ago, that sister left home to marry a poor man.
Now the letter said that the sister and her husband had both died.They had one child, a little girl named Pollyanna. She was eleven years old.The girl had no home and no family now. Only Miss Polly was left.
Miss Polly put down the letter and frowned.She did not want a child in her house. She liked her quiet life.But Pollyanna was her sister’s child, and there was no one else.
“It is my duty,” Miss Polly said to herself. “I will take her.”She called her servant, a young woman named Nancy.“My niece is coming to live here,” she said. “Get the little room in the attic ready for her.”
Nancy was surprised. The attic room was small, hot, and far from everyone. But she did not say anything.Miss Polly went back to her work. In a few weeks, the child would arrive.
Full translationTry the story first — open this only to check your understanding.
폴리 해링턴 아주머니는 작은 마을의 큰 집에서 혼자 살았어요. 가난하지 않았어요. 돈은 많았어요. 하지만 행복한 사람이 아니었고, 자주 웃지 않았어요.
6월의 어느 아침, 폴리 아주머니는 편지 한 통을 받았어요. 편지에는 나쁜 소식이 들어 있었어요. 폴리 아주머니에게는 멀리 사는 여동생이 있었어요. 오래전에 그 여동생은 가난한 남자와 결혼하려고 집을 떠났어요.
그런데 편지에는 그 여동생과 남편이 둘 다 세상을 떠났다고 쓰여 있었어요. 그들에게는 아이가 하나 있었어요. 폴리애나라는 어린 여자아이였고, 열한 살이었어요. 이제 그 아이에게는 집도 없고 가족도 없었어요. 폴리 아주머니만 남았어요.
폴리 아주머니는 편지를 내려놓고 얼굴을 찌푸렸어요. 집에 아이가 있는 것을 원하지 않았어요. 조용한 생활이 좋았거든요. 하지만 폴리애나는 여동생의 아이였고, 달리 아무도 없었어요.
"이건 내 의무야." 폴리 아주머니는 혼잣말을 했어요. "내가 그 아이를 맡겠어." 하녀를 불렀어요. 낸시라는 젊은 여자였어요. "내 조카가 여기 와서 살 거야." 말했어요. "다락방의 작은 방을 그 아이가 쓸 수 있게 준비해 둬."
낸시는 놀랐어요. 다락방은 작고, 덥고, 다른 사람들과 멀리 떨어져 있었거든요. 하지만 낸시는 아무 말도 하지 않았어요. 폴리 아주머니는 다시 일하러 갔어요. 몇 주 뒤면 그 아이가 도착할 거예요.
Original text
Now read the original
You just read an easy retelling. Here is the same passage exactly as the author wrote it — unabridged, split into short readings.
Chapter 1 · 1,365 words · 3 short readings
Read the originalComprehension Check
1. What bad news did the letter bring Miss Polly?
2. How did Miss Polly feel about taking Pollyanna in?
3. Which room did Miss Polly tell Nancy to get ready?
Vocabulary
verb
frown
얼굴을 찌푸리다, 인상을 쓰다
Miss Polly frowned when she read the bad news.
폴리 아주머니는 나쁜 소식을 읽고 얼굴을 찌푸렸어요.
Your Summary
In 1–2 sentences, say what news the letter brought Miss Polly and what she decided to do.
Source: Adapted from Chapter 1 ("Miss Polly") of Eleanor H. Porter's novel "Pollyanna" (first published 1913; long in the public domain, Project Gutenberg #1450). This simplified retelling and its Korean translation are original text written for SeoJae Story.
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