like those outsiders all the time。”
Seeing that the women had unloaded the carts and dug paths to the deep snow by clearing out troughs the wolves had made when dragging the gazelle carcasses through the snow； and that they’d also built up a snowbank； Bilgee looked skyward and chanted something。 Chen Zhen guessed that he was asking Tengger for permission to go out in the snow and bring up the dead gazelles。
The old man closed his eyes briefly； then opened them again and said； “There are plenty of frozen gazelles at the bottom of the snow； so don’t get greedy。 When you’re out there； first free the surviving animals； all of them； before ing back to dig out the frozen ones。 Tengger didn’t want those animals to die； so we must save them。” He lowered his head and said to Chen Zhen and Yang Ke； “When Genghis Khan finished an encirclement hunt； he let a small number of animals go。
The Mongols have fought like that for centuries； and the reason we can have these hunts year after year is that； like the wolves； we don’t kill off all the prey。”
Bilgee assigned gazelle collection sectors to each family； then let them go off and work on their own。 Everyone followed hunting custom by leaving the nearest and most plentiful holes for the students and for Bilgee； who led Chen and Yang over to his cart； where they unloaded two large rolls of felt； each about two yards wide and four yards long。 They appeared to have been sprayed with water beforehand； for they were frozen stiff。 Chen and Yang each dragged one along the cleared path； while Bilgee carried a long birch club； tipped with a metal hook。 Batu and Gasmai also carried large rolls of felt to the deep snow； little Bayar walked behind his parents with a hook over his shoulder。
After they reached the edge of the deep snow； Bilgee had Chen and Yang spread one of the rolls of felt over the crusty snow； then asked Yang； the heavier of the two； to see if it could sustain his weight。 It was like a gigantic skateboard。 Yang stepped onto the felt； drawing crunch—ing sounds from the snow under it； but no signs of danger。 He jumped up and down。 The felt sank beneath his feet slightly but not perilously。 The old man quickly made him stop。 “Don’t do that when we’re out on the deep snow。 If you break through the felt； you’ll bee a frozen gazelle yourself； and that’s no joke。 Now then； Chen Zhen is lighter than you； so I’ll go dig out a couple of gazelles with him。 After that； you two can go out on your own。”
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狼图腾（英文版）3（8）
Yang jumped off and helped the old man onto the felt。 Chen fol—lowed。 The felt easily withstood the weight of the two men and looked as if it would hold up under the added weight of a couple of gazelles。 Once they were steady； they dragged up the second roll of felt and laid it out in front of the one they were standing on。 They squared the two pieces and then stepped onto the second piece。 After laying down the hooked pole； they repeated the process； moving the first piece out in front of the second。 This they did over and over； as if piloting a pair of felt boats； gliding toward a living gazelle。
At last； Chen Zhen was aboard one of those marvelous creations； which grassland inhabitants had devised to transport themselves across the snow and avoid calamitous blizzards。 Countless Mongol herdsmen had ridden these boats over the millennia； escaping the snowy abyss and rescuing vast numbers of sheep and dogs。 It had also allowed them to drag out victims of hunts by wolves and humans and to claim spoils of war abandoned on snow lakes。 Rather than keeping this Mongol secret from an outsider； Bilgee was teaching the Beijing student how to use it。 Chen Zhen thus had the good fortune to be the first Han Chi—nese to actually navigate one of those ancient； primitive boats。
From time to time； as the felt boat picked up speed； the crusty snow beneath them cracked and crunched； and Chen felt as if he were riding on a magic carpet； gliding across the snowy whiteness below； trembling with fear； excited by a sense of danger； floating like an immortal； and immensely grateful to the wolves and human inhabitants of the grass—land for introducing him to an almost mythical sort of primitive life。 Eight felt boats； sixteen flying carpets； converged on the snow lake as if chasing one another； raising clouds of powdery snow and sprays of ice。 Dogs barked； people shouted； Tengger smiled。 Suddenly a heavy cloud passed overhead； sending the temperature plummeting。 Snow that had begun to melt was immediately transformed into brittle ice； which hardened the crusty surface and tripled the degree of safety in retriev—ing gazelles； with no need to change tactics。 The men took off their sunglasses； opened their eyes wide； and looked up into the sky。 “Teng—ger！” they shouted joyfully。 “Tengger！” Now the boats picked up speed； their pilots emboldened； and at that moment Chen actually sensed the existence of the Mongols’ eternal Tengger； which once more caressed his soul。
Then； without warning； shouts of joy from Yang Ke and Bayar erupted behind them。 Chen turned to look。 “We got one！” Yang and Bayar shouted together。 “We got one！” Chen trained his telescope on them and saw that somehow； under Bayar’s direction； Yang had dug a large gazelle out of the snow。 They were dragging it by its leg back to the cart； while others were running up with shovels over their shoulders。
The felt boat had traveled far from the safety of the shore and was getting closer to one of the gazelles； a pregnant female with a look of fear and hopelessness in her eyes； an almost prayerful look。 Surrounded by holes in the snow； she was standing on a crusty spot no bigger than a small table； which could give way at any moment。 “Slide the hook over slowly；” the old man said。 “Don’t frighten her。 We’re dealing with two lives here。 Life on the grassland is hard for us all； and it’s sometimes important to spare lives。”
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狼图腾（英文版）3（9）
Chen nodded； lay down on his belly； and lightly moved the felt in front past the holes until it was up next to the female gazelle’s feet。 The crust was holding。 Maybe the animal had been rescued before； or maybe she recognized a slim chance of survival for the fetus she was carrying； but she leaped onto the felt and immediately fell to her knees； quaking all over。 She seemed paralyzed with exhaustion； nearly frozen； and frightened out of her wits。
Chen breathed a sigh of relief as the two men stepped lightly onto the front sheet of felt and carefully dragged the rear sheet around the holes in the snow； pushing it to the west； where the snow was harder。 After repeating the maneuver a dozen or so times； they reached a gentle slope where holes in the snow were replaced by gazelle droppings and tracks。 “All right；” the old man said； “let her go。 If she falls in now； it will be because Tengger wanted her to。”
Chen approached the gazelle slowly and looked into her eyes。 He didn’t see a gazelle； he saw a docile deer about to bee a mother。 She possessed motherly beauty in her big； tender eyes。 He rubbed the top of her head； she opened her eyes wide； now seeming to beg for mercy。 Chen stroked the helpless； feeble creature kneeling at his feet； and felt his heart shudder。 Why did he not strive to protect these warm； beauti—ful； peace…loving herbivores instead of gradually moving closer to the wolves； whose nature was to kill？ Having grown up hearing tales that demonize wolves； he said without thinking； “These gazelles are such pitiful creatures。 Wolves are evil； killing the innocent； oblivious to the value of a life。 They deserve to be caught and skinned。”
Old Man Bilgee’s expression changed abruptly； and Chen nervously swallowed the rest of what he was about to say。 He knew he’d offended the old man’s deities and the grassland inhabitants’ revered totem。 But the words were out of his mouth； and there was nothing he could do about that now。
Glaring at Chen； the old man said angrily； “Does that mean that the grass doesn’t constitute a life？ That the grassland isn’t a life？ Out here； the grass and the grassland are the life； the big life。 All else is littl