71.郊游還是放生？ A Picnic Or A Life?

71.A PICNIC OR A LIFE?

　　Chen Xingyuan of Fuzhou told this story.

　　Once there was a very unhappy group. Some of them had passed the imperial exams and become officials, but for some reason or other had been demoted. Others had never managed to pass the exams in the first place. They were all so depressed they decided to go for a little excursion to a famous temple to cheer themselves up.

　　When they were there, Chen Xingyuan happened to go out for a breath of fresh air. He saw a farmer whipping a water buffalo, but no matter how he whipped it, it wouldn’t move. When the water buffalo saw Xingyuan, it began to cry. Chen Xingyuan realized that it was crying because it was being driven to the slaughter, and naturally no animal wants to die. Chen forgot his own sorrows in his sympathy for that poor water buffalo. He asked the farmer, “How much do you want for your water buffalo?”

　　“The price of fifteen bolts of silk.”

　　Xingyuan went back inside. “We’ve got money in the kitty for our next excursion, but why don’t we put that money to a better use?”

　　“What have you got in mind?”

　　“Let’s buy a doomed water buffalo and let it live out its life in peace.”

　　“But we were going to use that money for a big picnic during the flower season, don’t you remember?”

　　“Yes, but a party lasts only a few hours and then it’s over. We could use the same money to save a life. Think about it. Which do you think is a bette way to spend the money?”

　　His friends thought about it. Xingyuan prodded them a bit. “Come on, cough up. Tell you what. You guys chip in for this water buffalo, and when the flowers are blooming, I’ll foot the entire bill for the picnic. How’s that sound?”

　　“For sure?”

　　“You have my word for it.”

　　His friends saw that his mind was made up, so they got the money together and gave it to the farmer for his water buffalo. Then they gave the water buffalo to the temple and asked them to let it live out its natural life span there.

　　When the flowers started to bloom, Chen Xingyuan was still just a poor student, but a promise is a promise, so he pawned his best clothes and hosted the picnic, just as he promised he would.

　　But he wasn’t a poor student much longer. The next year he placed very high on the imperial examinations and became an official.

　　Before long, he had won a very high place in the government, and enjoyed the honor, power, and fortune that go with the post. He was sure that he enjoyed such good luck because he had saved that poor water buffalo.

71.郊游還是放生？

　　這個故事是福州的陳興元說的。

　　從前有一群不快樂的人。他們中有一些人已經通過了科舉考試，成為朝廷官員，但是因為這樣那樣的原因被貶職了，另一些從來沒能一舉得中。他們都很沮喪，決定要去附近一個有名的寺廟游玩，讓自己高興些。

　　　當他們到了以後，陳興元走出去呼吸新鮮空氣。他看到一個農夫正在鞭打一頭水牛，但是不管他怎麼打，牛都不肯走。當水牛看到興元，就哭了起來。陳興元覺得它哭是因為它要被趕去屠殺，自然，沒有動物願意死。陳很同情那頭水牛，他忘記了自己的悲哀。他問農夫，「這頭牛你要賣多少錢？」

　　「相當于十五匹絲綢的價錢。」

　　興元走回里面去。「我們為了下次出游準備了錢，但是我們為什麼不更好地利用起來呢？」

　　「你有什麼主意？」

　　「讓我們買下一只命定要死的水牛，讓它在寧靜中度過余生。」

　　「但是我們已經計劃好要把那筆錢花在花季的一次郊游上，你忘了？」

　　「是。但是一次出游，只玩了幾個小時就結束了。我們能用同樣的錢救一條性命。想想吧。你們覺得怎樣花這筆錢比較好？」

　　他的朋友們都思索起來。興元催促他們，「快點啊，快說。你們先湊錢給這頭水牛，等花期來了，我再自己支付出游費用。怎麼樣？」

　　「真的？」

　　「一言為定。」

　　朋友們看到他決心已定，就都拿出錢來，向農夫買下水牛。然後他們把牛帶到寺廟里，請人把牛放養在周圍的自然環境中。

　　當百花開放的時候，陳興元還是個窮學生，但是他不食言，便把自己最好的衣服典當了，主辦了那次郊游活動，就像他承諾過的那樣。

　　但是他不再是窮學生了。第二年他在科舉考試中名列前茅，成了一個官員 。

　　不久，他成了高官。這個職位給他帶來了榮譽、權利、財富。他相信自己能有這麼好的運氣，全因為他救了那頭可憐的水牛。