Magical Dolphin: Olena

Author: Pascal Noah Becovich (France), Itamar Greenberg (Israel)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: A wild dolphin helps a deaf and mute person regain their hearing and speaking abilities. Following My Wildlife Friend, The Amazing Dolphin Olena once again showcases the wonderful harmony between humans and nature. Over a hundred exquisite images and vividly written texts come together to tell a touching story. Many have seen dolphin shows and are familiar with their intelligence, but most of these dolphins have been trained or have had some contact with humans. Unlike the dolphins in this book, a wild mother dolphin spent eight years living with and inseparably attached to a deaf and mute young man. This led the lonely boy to find solace and joy in life, gradually regaining his hearing and speaking abilities. Once a desolate and impoverished beach transformed into a renowned tourist destination, prosperous and thriving. Such a miraculous event has never been heard of before in history! After reading the entire book, we cannot help but develop a deep love for the wild animal protagonist, Olena, who fully embodies the wisdom, kindness, and friendliness of dolphins, yet occasionally reveals her wild nature. At the same time, we are deeply moved by the male protagonist, Abidla, a successful Bedouin youth who transcends time and breaks free from sorrow, along with his close companion and the noble image of his great nation. Imagine, if Abidla had not been naturally kind and compassionate toward the dolphins, treating Olena with countless acts of tenderness and affection, responding to her in kind, how could Olena have developed such a deep attachment to him and the almost inexplicable magic she held for him! Imagine, if Abidla's companions and the local Bedouins had not understood him and Olena with such kindness and reason, especially when faced with conflicts of interest, suppressing their selfish desires and decisively protecting Olena's right to freedom while giving Abidla the care he deserved, how could this miraculous story have come to fruition and continued to thrive to this day! Moreover, scientists like Maya, Ots, Julia, and others have repeatedly come to Mezaiina with great enthusiasm to spread knowledge and principles about the sea and wildlife conservation, playing an indispensable positive role in the formation and development of this entire miraculous story! In the relationship between humans and nature, or between humans and wildlife, exaggerating human influence or elevating human status is undoubtedly harmful and unrealistic. However, humans cannot abandon their responsibilities or act passively, nor can they abuse authority they do not possess to recklessly interfere with nature or wildlife. The story of Olena and Abidla not only sparks immense interest and curiosity but also prompts us to reflect on how to treat nature and wildlife with kindness. At the crossroads of action and inaction, it encourages us to become wiser. This book records a strange yet true story that occurred in a bay near the border of Egypt in 1994. The story has long been circulated and continues to unfold today—a wild, solitary female dolphin from the Red Sea, who found love and care from a young Bedouin boy, Abidla, who had lost his hearing and ability to speak due to an injury. During their joyful days of companionship and play, Abidla gradually began to hear the dolphins' calls and cries, and his mouth slowly started to form words. Initially, he mispronounced the name the locals called the dolphin, "Peace Father," simplifying "DOLPHIN" to "OLINE"—Olena, thus becoming the name of this magical dolphin. Stories of her eagerly waiting for Abidla, leading him to rescue her companions in the far sea, her temporary disappearance, her pregnancy in the outer sea, and her return with a precious calf, forming a "family of three" with Abidla, and other tales so miraculous they have never been heard of before, quickly spread around the world. Tourists flocked to the area, Abidla became a hero, and the desolate, impoverished fishing village transformed into a prosperous and renowned tourist destination. Under the warm and caring hearts of people, Olena, known as the "Special Angel" and the "Embodiment of Motherhood," has spent years freely swimming in the waves, constantly showing her beauty, agility, and wisdom to outsiders and locals alike. This documentary work, written by French journalist and documentary director Pascal Noah Becovich through on-site interviews, is both emotionally resonant and believable. Published in 1999, it caused a sensation and was licensed for translation and publication in countries like the UK, USA, Germany, and Japan. The documentary based on this book was also broadcast on television stations in several countries. The Chinese translation, published by the People and Nature editorial team of Yunnan Education Publishing House, was translated by the outstanding French literary translator Guan Xiaoming, with vivid and expressive writing. Over a hundred photographs were directly purchased from underwater photographer Itamar Greenberg of Israel. The carefully added chapter titles by the editors further enhance the translation's reach, making it more impactful than the original French version.