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.

이탈리아의 작은 마을에 큰 문제가 생겼어요. 언덕 위 오래된 공동묘지가 완전히 가득 찼어요. 새로운 사람이 들어갈 자리가 없었어요. 마을은 작고, 땅은 가팔랐어요. 새 공동묘지는 아직 준비가 안 됐어요. 시장님은 뭔가 해야 했어요. 그래서 아주 이상한 결정을 내렸어요.

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.

시장님은 공식 명령서에 서명했어요. 그 명령서는 마을 사람들에게 말했어요. 오늘부터 죽는 것은 금지라고요. 물론 이런 규칙을 진짜로 지킬 수는 없어요. 시장님도 그걸 알고 있었어요. 이건 문제가 얼마나 심각한지 보여주는 방법이었어요. 그리고 마을에 인내심을 부탁하는 방법이었어요.

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.

사람들은 광장에서 공고문을 읽고 웃었어요. 시장님이 죽음을 막을 수 없다는 걸 알았지만, 그 의미는 이해했어요. 이 재미있는 이야기는 마을에만 머물지 않았어요. 신문에 실렸고, 곧 전 세계 사람들이 웃었어요. 잠시 동안 죽는 것이 규칙에 어긋났던, 그 작은 이탈리아 마을 이야기였어요.