to autumn。 Preserving it is particularly hard on people who tend horses。 The wolves also preserve the mountain； and once every five or six years they go on a killing spree of gazelles； their sacrifice to the Mountain God and Tengger。 The mountain doesn’t only save people and their animals； it also saves the wolves； who are cleverer than both。 In the past the wolves arrived ahead of the people and their animals； and during the day they hid among the rocks on the mountaintop or behind the mountain； where the snow had turned to ice。 They came down at night to dig up cows and sheep that had frozen to death。 Wolves won’t bother people and their animals as long as they have food to eat。”
Patchy clouds floated above。 The old man gazed up into the icy blue of Tengger； a look of devotion on his face。
The snows had e early this year and had stuck； covering the bot—tom half of the grass before it turned yellow； now the grasses were like greens trapped by ice。 The subtle fragrance of tasty grass emerged from the hollow stalks and the cracks in the snow。 The smell of grass drew starving gazelles across the border from the blizzard…ravaged neighbor to the north； to them the spot was a wintry oasis—they ate until their rounded bellies looked like drums； making running all but impossible。
Only the alpha male and Bilgee knew that the gazelles had made a tragic mistake。
It was not a particularly large herd。 During his first year on the grassland； Chen had often seen herds of ten thousand or more。 A cadre at brigade headquarters had said that during the three difficult years in the 1960s； soldiers from northern military regions had e in vehicles and mowed down vast numbers of gazelles with machine guns to sup—ply food to their troops； as a result； they drove the surviving gazelles out of the area。 But in recent years； given the tense military situation in the border regions； large… scale hunts had ceased； and the Olonbulag had witnessed the return of gazelles in spectacular numbers。 Chen fre—quently encountered large herds when he tended his flock； a vast sea of yellow close to the ground； passing by his sheep； relaxed and carefree； but causing his animals to huddle together in fear； watching bug…eyed with a mixture of alarm and envy as their wild cousins raced past； free as the wind。
Mongolian gazelles ignore unarmed humans。 On one occasion； Chen Zhen had ridden down the middle of a dense herd with the idea of roping one to get a taste of gazelle meat。 He failed。 The fastest four—legged animal on the grassland； the gazelle can outrun hunting dogs； even wolves。 Chen whipped his horse and charged the herd； but they kept passing on both sides； no more than ten or twelve yards away； then flowed back together ahead of him and continued on their way。 He could only watch in awe。
狼图腾（英文版） 2（3）
The gazelles they were observing now may have prised no more than a medium… sized herd； but Chen was sure it was too big for a pack of wolves numbering in the dozens。 People had told him there is no ani—mal more determined than a wolf； and he was eager to see not only how great the wolves’ appetite and determination might be but also what kind of hunters they were。
For the wolves； this was too great an opportunity to miss。 Their movements were slight and slow。 When the male gazelles looked up； the wolves flattened out and did not move； even the steam in their breath was light and gentle。
The herd continued its desperate grazing； and the human observers settled in to see what was going to happen。
“Gazelles are a scourge on the grassland；” the old man whispered。 “They run like the wind and eat all the time。 Just look how much good forage they’ve already gone through。 The brigade has done everything it can to keep this pastureland in good shape； but the gazelles will have destroyed nearly half of it in days。 A few more herds like this； and the grass will be gone。 The snows have been heavy this year； and a blizzard is always a possibility。 Without this pastureland in reserve； we’d prob—ably not survive—neither us nor our animals。 Luckily； there’s the wolf pack。 Within days this herd will be driven off； those that aren’t killed； that is。”
Surprised by this ment； Chen looked at the old man and said； “No wonder you don’t hunt wolves。”
“Oh； I hunt them；” the old man replied。 “But not often。 If we killed them off； the grassland would perish； and then how would we survive？ This is something you Chinese cannot understand。”
“It’s starting to make sense to me；” Chen said。 He was getting excited； without quite knowing why。 The vague image of a wolf totem formed in his head。 Before leaving Beijing two years earlier； he’d read and col—lected books on the inhabitants of the grassland； and had learned that they revere a wolf totem； but only now did he have an inkling of why they treated the wolf； a beastly ancestor； an animal despised by the Chi—nese and by all people who tilled the land； as their totem。
The old man looked at Chen； his broad smile turned his eyes to nar—row slits。 “You Beijing students threw up your yurt more than a year ago；” he said； “but you don’t have enough felt padding around it。 We’ll take a few extra gazelles back with us this time and trade them at the purchasing center for some felt。 That way the four of you will be a bit warmer this winter。”
“That’s wonderful；” Chen said。 “We’ve only got two layers of felt now； and even our ink bottles freeze inside the yurt。”
The old man smiled again。 “Well； take a good look； because this pack of wolves is going to hand you a nice gift。”
On the Olonbulag at the time； a full… grown frozen gazelle； meat and hide； sold for twenty yuan； equivalent to a herder’s wages for two weeks。 Considered choice material； its hide was used to make pilots’ jackets。 But China’s pilots could not get them； since the gazelle hides produced in Inner Mongolia were for export only； a modity of exchange with the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries for steel； automo—biles； and munitions。 The choice meat cuts were canned and exported。 The remaining meat and the bones were targeted for domestic con—sumption but only occasionally appeared in butcher shops in the Mon—golian banner territories； where ration coupons were required。
狼图腾（英文版） 2（4）
In the winter of that year； great quantities of gazelles had streamed across the border； creating excitement among leaders of the various Mongolian banners。 Purchasing stations made space in their storerooms for the carcasses。 Officials； hunters； and herdsmen were like fishermen who had been told the fish were schooling。 Nearly all the hunters and herders had saddled up the fastest horses and were heading out with hunting dogs and rifles to kill as many gazelles as possible。 That did not include Chen Zhen； who had his hands full with his sheep and； of course； had no rifle and no ammunition。 Besides； a shepherd was given only four horses； while the horse herders had seven or eight； and as many as a dozen for their exclusive use。 So the students could only look on enviously as the hunters went out。
A couple of nights before； Chen had visited the yurt of the hunter Lamjav。 The gazelles had only been in the region for a few days； yet he had already bagged eleven； once bringing down two with a single shot。 For a few days of hunting he had earned nearly as much as a horse herder made in three months。 Proudly he told Chen that he’d already taken in enough to supply himself with liquor and cigarettes for a year。 After a few more days out on the grassland； he planned to buy a Red Lantern transistor radio； leaving the new one at home and taking the old one to the herders’ mobile yurt。 That night； for the first time in his life； Chen had a true taste of the wild grassland。 There is no fat on gazelles； and the leanness of their meat； which tastes like venison； can be attributed to their perennial battle with wolves。
Once the gazelles had migrated onto the Olonbulag； the Beijing students were demoted to second…class citizens。 In their two years on the grassland； they had learned to tend cows and sheep by themselves； but they were inpetent hunters； a