The Town Where It Was Forbidden to Die

In a small town in Italy, the people had a real problem. The old cemetery on the hill was completely full. There was no room left for anyone new. The town was small, the land was steep, and a new cemetery was not ready yet. The mayor had to do something, so he made a very strange decision.

Într-un orășel din Italia, oamenii aveau o problemă reală. Vechiul cimitir de pe deal era complet plin. Nu mai era loc pentru nimeni nou. Orașul era mic, terenul era abrupt, iar un cimitir nou nu era încă gata. Primarul trebuia să facă ceva, așa că a luat o decizie foarte ciudată.

The mayor signed an official order. The order told the people of the town that, from that day on, it was forbidden to die. Of course, no one can really follow such a rule. The mayor knew that too. It was his way of showing how serious the problem had become, and his way of asking the town for patience.

Primarul a semnat un ordin oficial. Ordinul le spunea oamenilor din oraș că, din acea zi, era interzis să moară. Bineînțeles, nimeni nu poate respecta cu adevărat o astfel de regulă. Primarul știa și el asta. Era felul lui de a arăta cât de serioasă devenise problema și felul lui de a cere orașului răbdare.

When the people read the notice in the square, they laughed. They knew their mayor could not stop death, but they understood his message. The funny story did not stay in the town. Newspapers picked it up, and soon people all around the world were smiling at the little Italian town where, for a while, it was against the rules to die.

Când oamenii au citit anunțul în piață, au râs. Știau că primarul lor nu putea opri moartea, dar au înțeles mesajul. Povestea amuzantă nu a rămas doar în oraș. Ziarele au preluat-o, iar în curând oameni din toată lumea zâmbeau gândindu-se la micul oraș italian unde, pentru o vreme, era împotriva regulilor să mori.