乐天派故事1009：曼德拉和南非
前晚乐天的派跑来带我睡，问山人能不能给他讲讲曼德拉和南非。山人沉吟道：南非和曼德拉我都不太清楚，但你有什么问题，可以尽管问，我知道的都告诉你。
乐天派问：那你说为什么曼德拉这么有名？山人答道：因为曼德拉争取南非独立，为此战斗了一辈子，值得所有人的尊敬。
乐天派问：为什么要争取独立？山人道：独立，就是自己一个人站着。如果不能独立，要么别人把你捏成长条，当成打狗棒，想怎么甩怎么甩，要么你跪在别人面前，别人想怎么踹你就怎么踹你！
乐天派点点头，若有所思地问：我听说曼德拉一辈子都在坐牢，照你这么说，南非独立，那是曼德拉坐牢坐出来的了？
山人哈哈大笑道：怎么说呢，南非独立，根本上说是南非老百姓反抗英国统治的力量和要求独立的力量已经远远超出了英国人所能控制的范围，所以英国不得不让南非独立。但是，有一千个、一万个人要求独立，如果没有一个领头的，那也不容易做成大事。力气没往一块使呀！
曼德拉坐牢，不可能直接导致南非独立，如果那样的话监狱早都爆了十次了；但是，去坐牢，这是一种态度，一种决心，向全世界表明南非黑人——南非绝大部分都是黑人——决不屈服，就算坐一辈子牢，也不乖乖听英国人的话，也要独立！坐牢的曼德拉，就像大海航行上雾天的灯塔，南非老百姓看到了曼德拉的榜样，就不会失去方向，他们的勇气和决心就会更大、更强，最后斗争成功，也就是必然的结果了。
Suffering African Children
最后山人语重心长地告诉乐天派，就算是再响的战鼓，也怕一根针刺破它；不管多么困难的事情，只要你长期坚持，选准自己最擅长的一点，就肯定能够突破！好，咱们现在选准最舒服的姿势，突破睡觉的困难吧！乐天派就笑着把腿跷到山人身上来，跟我一起呼呼去了。
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非洲在很多人的心目中就是一穷二白三落后，事实上却远非如此。南非、埃塞俄比亚都是人类最早的栖息地，后者还曾经出现在圣经中，是很了不起的地方。来看看南非的几幅图片（转载自Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia）：
Ostrich farming in South Africa became popular more than 100 years ago when plumes made of ostrich feathers were fashionable. Today's ostriches are raised for more than their feathers. Ostrich meat is prized for being low in fat and cholesterol, and ostrich skin makes a strong yet supple leather.
Mountains plunge straight into the sea along both the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean coasts of South Africa's Cape Peninsula. Smitswinkel Bay is one of several small, isolated bays around the perimeter of False Bay, which is on the sparsely populated east side of the peninsula south of Cape Town. During October and November, several types of whales and their calves migrate to False Bay.
Stretching 350 kilometers (218 miles) southward from the Limpopo River in northeast South Africa, Kruger National Park is crossed by six rivers. The rivers provide nourishment for the hundreds of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians that live within the park's borders. Dense vegetation alternates with open grazing areas across this mostly flat expanse. Thousands of kilometers of paved and unpaved roads crisscross the park, enabling visitors to travel on reliable thoroughfares. Although animals are free to roam deep into the interior of the park, they have become accustomed to automobiles and can often be seen grazing or searching for water in what has remained a natural habitat despite the 600,000 visitors who frequent the park each year.
Kimberley is the center of South Africa's diamond-mining region and considered the "diamond capital of the world." The "Star of South Africa," one of the world's most famous diamonds, was unearthed here in 1869. When diamonds were discovered in Colesburg Hill near Kimberley, more than 30,000 people descended upon the hill with picks and shovels in hand. Within a few months, they leveled the hill and began working their way downward. Today only the "Big Hole" remains.
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