36. LIFE IS PRECIOUS

　　Long ago, a man called Wang Dalin lived in Suzhou. All life was precious to him. He bought animals and released them from their cages.
　
　　Whenever kids in his village had caught fish or birds or even bugs, he paid them to let these animals go. He told them, "It's not good to kill. Don't you see how happy the birds are in the forest? When you catch them, just think how worried their parents are! Look how happy the fish are in the water. They swim back and forth. They are beautiful to watch. Why do you have to catch them and put them to death? You really shouldn't kill!"
　
　　These kids would go home and tell their parents what Wang had told them.Their parents would see the point, too.

　　Then Wang got sick. He had an incurable disease. The doctors told his family to dig his grave. Just as he was dying, he seemed to hear a god talking to him.He didn't dare to believe his ears!

　　The god told him, "Wang Dalin, it is time for you to die. But you have saved many lives, so you have saved your own life, too. You will not die now."

　　Wang opened his eyes. "I'm not dead yet!" he told his family. He got out of bed. His disease was gone!
　
　　Wang did not die then. He lived to be 97 years old. His children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great- grandchildren all lived together with him in one big, happy family.

　　Wang was so lucky because he had a kind heart and believed that all life is precious.

36. 珍贵的生命

　　很久以前，苏州有个叫王大林的人。所有的生命对他来说都非常珍贵。他买下许多动物，把它们从笼子里放出来。

　　如果他的村子里有小孩抓了鱼或者鸟，甚至是一只臭虫，他都会把这些买下来放走。他告诉孩子们，“杀生是不好的。你看林中鸟儿，是多么快乐。想想看，你 抓了它们，它们的父母该多么着急啊！看那水中的鱼，是多么欢快！它们在水里自由地游动，看起来多么美丽。你们为什么要把它们抓来杀掉了。你们千万不能杀生 啊！”

　　这些孩子回家后，把王大林的话告诉父母。他们的父母也同意他的话。

　　后来王大林病了，他得了不治之症。医生叫他的家人准备后事。他临死时，好像听到一个神在对他说话。他简直不敢相信自己的耳朵。

神对他说，“王大林，本来你的死期已至，但是你救了那么多生命，所以你同时也救了自己的命。你现在还不会死。”

　　王睁开眼睛。“我居然还没死！”他对他的家人说。他起了床，他的病也已经不治而愈。

　　王没有死，还活到了97岁。他和他的儿子、孙子、曾孙、玄孙在一个大家庭里过着幸福的生活。

　　王确实很幸运，因为他有一颗善良的心，而且相信所以的生命都一样珍贵。