4. 瓮中的鳗鱼
eels in the urn
中国明朝万历年间（1573－1620年），1620年也是清教徒抵达美国麻萨诸塞州的那一年。当时，中国有个美丽的城市叫杭州，城里住着一个姓余的富贾。马可波罗曾称杭州为kinsai（编者按：意为“天堂之城”），并且称赞它是世界上最壮观、最美丽的城市，宛如人间天堂。
the wanli period of the ming dynasty in china lasted from 1573 to 1620, the same year the pilgrims reached massachusetts in america. at that time, in the beautiful chinese city of hangchou, the city marco polo called kinsai and praised as the grandest, most beautiful city on earth, as splendid as paradise, lived a very rich man named yu.
余先生乐于行善，从不杀生。
mr. yu enjoyed doing good deeds. he never killed anything.
在这个故事发生时，余先生的一户邻居被抢劫一空。余先生慷慨解囊，助其重立门户。邻人之妻深感其德。
