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.郊游还是放生？

　　这个故事是福州的陈兴元说的。

　　从前有一群不快乐的人。他们中有一些人已经通过了科举考试，成为朝廷官员，但是因为这样那样的原因被贬职了，另一些从来没能一举得中。他们都很沮丧，决定要去附近一个有名的寺庙游玩，让自己高兴些。

　　　当他们到了以后，陈兴元走出去呼吸新鲜空气。他看到一个农夫正在鞭打一头水牛，但是不管他怎么打，牛都不肯走。当水牛看到兴元，就哭了起来。陈兴元觉得它哭是因为它要被赶去屠杀，自然，没有动物愿意死。陈很同情那头水牛，他忘记了自己的悲哀。他问农夫，“这头牛你要卖多少钱？”

　　“相当于十五匹丝绸的价钱。”

　　兴元走回里面去。“我们为了下次出游准备了钱，但是我们为什么不更好地利用起来呢？”

　　“你有什么主意？”

　　“让我们买下一只命定要死的水牛，让它在宁静中度过余生。”

　　“但是我们已经计划好要把那笔钱花在花季的一次郊游上，你忘了？”

　　“是。但是一次出游，只玩了几个小时就结束了。我们能用同样的钱救一条性命。想想吧。你们觉得怎样花这笔钱比较好？”

　　他的朋友们都思索起来。兴元催促他们，“快点啊，快说。你们先凑钱给这头水牛，等花期来了，我再自己支付出游费用。怎么样？”

　　“真的？”

　　“一言为定。”

　　朋友们看到他决心已定，就都拿出钱来，向农夫买下水牛。然后他们把牛带到寺庙里，请人把牛放养在周围的自然环境中。

　　当百花开放的时候，陈兴元还是个穷学生，但是他不食言，便把自己最好的衣服典当了，主办了那次郊游活动，就像他承诺过的那样。

　　但是他不再是穷学生了。第二年他在科举考试中名列前茅，成了一个官员 。

　　不久，他成了高官。这个职位给他带来了荣誉、权利、财富。他相信自己能有这么好的运气，全因为他救了那头可怜的水牛。