Magical Dolphin - Orlina

Author: Pascal Noah Becovich (France), Itamar Greenberg (Israel), translated by Guan Xiaoming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: A wild dolphin restores hearing and speech to a deaf and mute person. Following My Wildlife Friend, The Amazing Dolphin Olena once again showcases the wonderful harmony between humans and nature. Over a hundred exquisite illustrations and beautifully written, factual text together tell a moving 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 person, allowing this lonely young man to find a sense of belonging and joy in life, gradually regaining his hearing and ability to speak. Once desolate and impoverished beach turned 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—Abidala, a successful Bedouin youth who transcends time and breaks free from sorrow, and his close companions and the noble image of the great nation. Imagine, if Abidala, with his pure and kind nature, had not been so good to the dolphins, had not shown Olena countless acts of tenderness and affection, and had not resonated with her in spirit, how could Olena have developed such a deep attachment to him and produced those almost inexplicable magical effects on him! Imagine, if Abidala’s companions and the local Bedouins had not understood him and Olena with such kindness and reasonableness, especially when faced with conflicts of interest, had not restrained their desires and decisively protected Olena’s freedom, and had not given Abidala the care he deserved, how could this miraculous story have come to fruition and continued to thrive until today! Moreover, scientists like Maya, Oz, Julia, and others have repeatedly come to Mezaiina with great enthusiasm to spread knowledge and principles about dolphins and wildlife conservation, which has also played an indispensable positive role in the formation and development of this wonderful story! In the relationship between humans and nature, or between humans and wildlife, exaggerating human roles 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 Abidala not only piques our immense interest and curiosity but also prompts us to think about 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 took place in a bay near the border of Egypt in 1994. The story has long been circulated and continues to unfold—wild solitary female dolphin from the Red Sea, who received the unconditional love of a young Bedouin boy, Abidala, who had lost his hearing and speech due to an injury in his childhood. During their joyful days of companionship and play, Abidala gradually began to hear the dolphins’ calls and whistles, and his mouth slowly started to form words. At first, he mispronounced the name locals called the dolphin, “Peace Father,” simplifying “DOLPHIN” to “OLINE”——Olena, and thus Olena became the name of this miraculous dolphin. Stories of her eagerly waiting for Abidala, 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 happy family of three with Abidala, all of which were unprecedented and have never been heard of before. These tales spread like wildfire and reached the world. Tourists flocked to the area, Abidala 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 been free to roam the waves for many years, 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 beautifully written and compelling. Published in 1999, it caused a sensation and was licensed for translation in 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 Press, is 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, and the carefully added chapter titles by the editor further enhance the translation’s impact, making it more widely disseminated than the original French version.