Like guerrilla fighters； nomads strive for simplicity。 During the win—ter； sheep pens are semicircles formed by wagons and mobile fencing； with large felt rugs that serve as a windbreak but cannot keep out the wolves。 The wide southern openings are guarded by packs of dogs and women on watch shifts。 From time to time； wolves break into the pens and fight the dogs。 Bodies often thud into yurt walls； waking the peo—ple sleeping on the other side； twice that had happened to Chen Zhen； and all that had kept a wolf from landing in bed beside him was that wall。 Frequently nomads are separated from wolves by no more than a couple of felt rugs。
At night； when the wolves came out to hunt； Chen would sleep lightly。 He had told Gasmai to call him if a wolf ever broke into the pen when she was on guard duty； assuring her that he would help drive the animal away； fight it head…on if necessary。 Bilgee would stroke his goatee； smile； and say he’d never seen a Chinese so fixated on wolves。 He seemed pleased with the unusual degree of interest displayed by the student from Beijing。
Late one snowy night during his first winter； Chen； flashlight in hand； witnessed at close quarters a battle between a wolf； a dog； and a woman。
“Chenchen！ Chenchen！”
Chen was awakened by Gasmai’s frantic cries and the wild bark—ing of dogs。 After pulling on his felt boots and buttoning up his Mon—gol robe； his deel； he ran out of the yurt on shaky legs； flashlight and herding club in hand。 The beam of light sliced through the snow to reveal Gasmai holding on to the tail of a wolf； trying to pull it away from the densely packed sheep。 The wolf tried desperately to turn its fangs on her。 Meanwhile； the stupid； fat sheep； petrified by the wolf and nearly frozen by the wind； huddled together and kept backing up against the windbreak； packed so tightly the snowflakes between their bodies turned to steam。 The front half of the wolf was immobilized； it could only paw at the ground and snap at the sheep in front of it； all the while engaged in a tug…of…war with Gasmai。 Chen staggered over to help but didn’t know what to do。 Gasmai’s two dogs were hemmed in by the huddled sheep。 Unable to get to the big wolf； they were reduced to wild； impotent barking。 At the same time； Bilgee’s five or six hunting dogs； together with their neighbors’ dogs； were fighting other wolves east of the pen。 The barks； the howls； and the agonizing cries of dogs shook heaven and earth。 Chen wanted to help Gasmai； but his legs were so rubbery he could barely move。 His desire to touch a living wolf had vanished； replaced by paralyzing fear。
Gasmai cried out anxiously； “Stay where you are！ Don’t e near us！ The wolf will bite you。 Get the sheep to move！ Let the dogs in！”
Gasmai was tugging so hard on the wolf ’s tail she was nearly falling backward； her forehead bathed in sweat。 Her grip on the tail caused the wolf so much pain that it had to suck cold air through its bloody mouth。 Desperate to turn and claw its tormentor and seeing it was futile to press forward； the wolf abruptly backed up； spun around； and came at Gasmai； fangs bared。 With a loud ripping noise； the lower half of her fur deel was torn off。 A panther…like glare flashed in her Mon—gol eyes； and she refused to let go of the tail。 She jumped backward； straightening the animal out once more； and began dragging it over to the dogs。
狼图腾（英文版） 1（7）
Thrown into a panic； Chen raised his flashlight and shone it on Gas—mai and the wolf to help her see better and avoid getting bitten； then he brought his herding club down on the head of the sheep next to him。 That threw the flock into chaos。 Frightened of the wolf in the dark； they fought to huddle against the light shining in their midst； Chen had failed to get them moving。 Even worse； he saw that Gasmai was los—ing the tug…of…war with the wolf； which was dragging her forward。
“Mother！ Mother！” The fearful screams of a child tore through the air。
Gasmai’s nine…year…old son； Bayar； burst out of the yurt。 The moment he saw what was happening； there was a change in his screams。 He ran straight to his mother and； as if mounting a pommel horse； flew over the sheep and landed next to her； where he grabbed hold of the wolf’s tail。
“Grab its leg！” she shouted。
Bayar let go of the tail and grabbed one of the hind legs； pulling it backward and slowing the animal’s forward progress until the two of them managed to stop it altogether。 Mother and son staunchly held their ground； making sure the large wolf in their grasp was unable to drive any sheep out through the felt…topped windbreak。
By then Bilgee had reached the flock； pushing the sheep out of the way as he called to his dog： “Bar！ Bar！” In Mongol bar means “tiger”； Bilgee’s was the biggest； most ferocious wolfhound in the camp。 It was not as long from nose to tail as one of the large wolves； but it was taller and broader in the chest； thanks to its partial Tibetan lineage。 At the first call of its name； it withdrew from the battle outside and rushed to its master’s side； where it stopped； its mouth reeking of wolf blood。 Bilgee took the flashlight from Chen Zhen and turned its light onto the wolf； which was still imbedded in the flock of sheep。 Bar bounded over the backs of the sheep； stepping on heads along the way； rolling and scrambling as it charged the wolf。
“Drive the sheep toward the wolf；” Bilgee shouted。 “We’ll pen it in so it can’t get away！” He took Chen Zhen’s hand； and the two of them herded the sheep toward the wolf and Gasmai。
Finally； Bar； his breath fouled； blood spurting from his nose； was standing beside Gasmai； but the wolf was still wedged in tightly among the sheep。 Mongolian hunting dogs are trained not to bite wolves on the back or other spots on the torso； so as to preserve the pelt。 Bar was going crazy trying to find a spot to sink his teeth into。 Seeing Bar there beside her； Gasmai turned sideways； lifted one leg； and grabbed the wolf ’s tail with both hands； laying it across her own leg。 Then with a shout； she cracked the tail over her knee。 With an agonizing howl； the wolf loosened its claws in the dirt； allowing mother and son to jerk it free of the sheep。 The big animal； its body convulsing with pain； turned to look at its wounded tail； which gave Bar an opening to go for its throat。 Letting the wolf claw at will； Bar pressed down with his front legs on the animal’s head and chest； and as he bit down； two streams of blood spurted from the wolf ’s carotid arteries。 It struggled madly for a minute or two before going limp； its long； bloody tongue slipping out through its teeth。 Gasmai wiped the wolf ’s blood from her face and panted。 To Chen Zhen； her face； red from the bitter cold； looked as if rouge made of wolf ’s blood had been smeared over it。 She struck him as the picture of prehistoric woman—brave； strong； and beautiful。
狼图腾（英文版） 1（8）
The rank smell of blood rose into the air from the dead wolf； and the growls from dogs off to the east ceased abruptly as the other wolves fled； vanishing in the dark of night。 Moments later； from the marsh—land in the northwest came the mournful bays of wolves venting their grief over the loss of one of their own。
“I’m worse than useless；” Chen said with a sigh； deeply ashamed。 “Gutless as the sheep。 A dog is worth more than me； not to mention a woman。 Even a nine…year…old boy showed me up。”
With a smile； Gasmai shook her head。 “No；” she said。 “If you hadn’t e out to help； the wolves would have gotten our sheep。”
Bilgee smiled too。 “This is the first time I’ve seen a Chinese student help get sheep moving and light the area up with his flashlight。”
Chen Zhen bent over and felt the still…warm body of the dead wolf。 He hated himself for not having the courage to help Gasmai pull on the animal’s tail while it was alive； and for passing up a once…in… a…lifetime opportunity for a Chinese student to know what it’s like to fight a wolf with his bare hands。 The wolf was as intimidating dead as it had been alive。 Chen rubbed Bar’s big head； then found the courage to squat down and； with his thumb and fi rst finger； measure t