The Amazing Dolphin Olina (Collection of Human and Nature)

Author: Pascal Noah Bekevich (France), Itamar Greenberg (Israel), translated by Guan Xiaoming
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-10-01
Features: 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. The wild female dolphin recorded in this book, however, spent eight years living with a deaf and mute man, forming an inseparable bond. This led the lonely young man to find a sense of belonging 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, the story is truly extraordinary, unheard of in history! Reading the entire book, we cannot help but develop a deep love for the wild animal protagonist, Olina, who fully embodies the wisdom, kindness, and friendliness of dolphins, yet occasionally reveals her untamed nature. At the same time, we are deeply moved by the male protagonist, Abidala, a successful Bedouin youth who transcends time and overcomes his suffering, along with his close companion and the noble image of the great nation. Imagine, if Abidala had not been naturally kind and compassionate toward the dolphins, treating Olina with countless attentions and deep affection, responding to her in kind, how could Olina have developed such a profound attachment and the almost inexplicable magic she held for him! Imagine, if Abidala’s companions and the local Bedouins had not understood him and Olina with such kindness and reason, especially suppressing their own desires in the face of conflicts and decisively protecting Olina’s freedom while giving Abidala the care he deserved, how could this miraculous story have come to be and endured to this day! Moreover, scientists like Maya, Ots, Julia, and others have repeatedly come to Mezaiina with enthusiasm, spreading knowledge about dolphins and wildlife conservation, which has also played an indispensable positive role in the formation and development of this miraculous story! In the relationship between humans and nature or wild animals, exaggerating human influence or elevating human status is undoubtedly harmful and unrealistic. However, humans cannot abandon their responsibilities or act in vain, nor can they abuse authority they do not possess to recklessly interfere with nature or wildlife. The story of Olina and Abidala not only piques our immense interest and curiosity but also prompts us to reflect on how to treat nature and wild animals with kindness. At the crossroads of action and inaction, we should become wiser. This book records a strange yet real story that occurred in a bay near the border of Egypt in 1994. The story has long spread across the world and continues to unfold today—a wild, solitary female dolphin from the Red Sea, deeply loved by Abidala, a young Bedouin boy who lost his hearing and ability to speak due to an injury in his childhood. During their joyful days of companionship and play, Abidala gradually began to hear the dolphins’ calls and even slowly started speaking. Initially, he mispronounced the name locals called the dolphin, "Peace Father," simplifying "DOLPHIN" to "OLINE"—Olina, making her the name of this miraculous dolphin. Stories of her eagerly waiting for Abidala, leading him to rescue her kind in the far sea, her temporary disappearance, her pregnancy in the outer sea, and her return with a precious son, forming a happy "family of three" with Abidala, all tales of the kind never heard before, quickly spread around 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 compassionate care of people with hearts as vast as the sea, Olina, known as the "Special Angel" and the "Embodiment of Motherhood," has long roamed freely among 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 Bekevich through on-site interviews, is rich in emotion and credibility. 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 Yunnan Education Press and edited by the "Human and Nature" editorial team, was translated by the outstanding French literary translator Guan Xiaoming, with vivid and expressive writing. Over a hundred photographs directly purchased from Israeli underwater photographer Itamar Greenberg were included, and the carefully added chapter titles by the editor further enhanced the translation’s ability to spread, making it more impactful than the original French version.