중국 삼국시대 제갈공명과도 친교를 맺었던 마량(馬良)은 형제가 다섯이었습니다. 마량의 다섯 형제는 모두 자(字)에 상(常)이란 글자가 있어 사람들은 그들 형제를 ‘마씨오상(馬氏五常)’이라 불렀는데 모두 재주가 뛰어났습니다. 그 중에서도 특히 맏이인 마량이 가장 뛰어났으므로 사람들은 “마씨오상은 모두 뛰어나지만 그 중에서도 흰 눈썹이 가장 훌륭하다(馬氏五常 白眉最良)”라고 하였습니다. 맏이인 마량의 눈썹에 흰[白] 눈썹[眉]이 섞여 있었기 때문입니다.
이때부터 ‘여럿 가운데서 가장 뛰어난 사람이나 가장 훌륭한 것’을 가리킬 때 ‘백미’라는 말을 사용하게 되었습니다. – 삼국지
Oh, Mary was a maiden
When the birds began to sing
She was sweeter than the
blooming rose
So early in the spring
Her thoughts were gay and happy
And the morning gay and fine
For her lover was a river boy
From the river in the pines
Now Charlie, he got married
To his Mary in the spring
When the trees were budding early
And the birds began to sing
But early in the autumn
When the fruit is in the wine
I’ll return to you, my darling
From the river in the pines
It was early in the morning
in Wisconsin dreary clime
Whin he ruled the fatal rocket
For that last and feudal time
They found his body lying
On the Rocky shore below
Where the silent water ripples
And the whispering cedars blow
Now every raft or lumber
That’s come , the chip away
There’s a lonely grave that’s
visited by drivers on their way
They plant the wild flowers upon
It in the morning fair and fine
It’s the grave of two young lovers
From the river in the pines