content to be his friend’s muscle。 All in all； Yang hooked three gazelles and got so addicted to what he was doing that he didn’t want to head back to shore。 With a wicked smile； he said； “Let’s drag some more out and take them back all at once。 More efficient that way。” Without a second thought； he laid the frozen carcasses flat on top of the hardened snow。
Back on the shore； Bilgee had finished a pipeful of tobacco and was telling people to clear a wide space； where women from each family piled up broken boards； wooden axles； and the like as kindling。 Then old felt was spread around and piled high with insulated bottles of milk tea and liquor； wooden utensils； and salt cellars。 Sanjai and one of the boys slaughtered a pair of half…dead gazelles； both with broken legs。 People on the Olonbulag only eat meat from freshly slaughtered ani—mals； so these would serve as the hunters’ noonday meal。 The dogs； who had stuffed themselves with kills left behind by the wolves； gazed on the two skinned； gutted； steaming gazelles with indifference。 Bilgee and the women and children speared chunks of fresh； still… twitching meat onto metal and wooden skewers； added salt； and held them over the blazing bonfire。 Then they sat back to eat the meat and drink tea； its seductive fragrance； along with that of the liquor and the meat； spread across the lake and drew the hunters back to eat and rest。
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狼图腾（英文版） 4（4）
By midday； all the rafts had made two or three trips to shore to unload their quarry； and each family’s cart was piled high with six or seven frozen gazelles。 It was time for the men to turn the work over to the well…fed women and children； who climbed aboard the felt rafts and went out onto the snow lake to bring up more animals。
Freshly roasted gazelle is a delicacy of the Mongolian grassland； especially after a hunt； when the meat is roasted and eaten on the spot。 Historically； it was a favorite of the khans and royalty； and an essential ponent of gatherings of ordinary hunters。 As newly acknowledged hunters； Chen Zhen and Yang Ke were invited to participate in the feast。 The thrill of the hunt； along with sheer exhaustion； had given Chen such an appetite that he felt he appreciated the event more than any Mongol khan ever could； it was an outdoor feast for humans fol—lowing an outdoor feast by a pack of wild wolves。 Chen and Yang； who at that moment felt as free and powerful as any Mongol； impulsively grabbed flasks from the hands of fellow hunters who were drinking and eating and singing with fervor and passion； and gulped down great mouthfuls of liquor。
With a burst of laughter； Bilgee said； “I’d be afraid to go see your parents in Beijing a year from now； since by then I’ll have turned you into Mongol savages。”
“We Han could use a heavy dose of Mongol spirit；” Yang Ke said； the smell of liquor strong on his breath。
At the top of his lungs； Chen Zhen shouted “Papa” three times； raised the flask in his hand above his head； and toasted the “Venerable Tribal Leader。” The old man took three drinks from his fl ask and responded； “Minihu； minihu； minisaihu” （My child； my child； my good child）。
Batu； giddily drunk； slapped Chen on the back and said； “You 。 。 。 you are only half a Mongol； wh 。 。 。 when you； you marry a Mongol girl 。 。 。 a woman； father a 。 。 。 a Mongol brat； then you’ll be a true Mongol。 You； you’re on the weak side； no good； not good； not good enough。 Mongol women under 。 。 。 under the bedcovers； make you work； worse than wolf 。 。 。 wolves。 Mongol men； most of us； are scared of them； like sheep。”
“At night；” Sanjai piped in； “men are sheep； women are wolves。 Espe—cially Gasmai。”
The hunters all roared with laughter。
Lamjav was in such high spirits that he flipped Yang Ke heavily onto a snowdrift。 “When 。 。 。 when you can do that to me；” he stammered； “that’s when you 。 。 。 the day you’re a Mongol。” Yang grabbed hold of Lamjav and tried to wrestle him to the ground； only to be flipped head over heels three more times。 Lamjav laughed。 “You 。 。 。 you Han Chinese are grass…eaters； like sheep。 We Mongols are meat…eaters； like wolves。”
As he brushed the snow from his clothes； Yang said； “Just you wait。 Next year I’m going to buy a full… grown ox and eat every bite of it myself。 I plan to keep growing till I’m a head taller than you； and then you’ll be like a sheep。”
狼图腾（英文版） 4（5）
“Yes！” the other hunters shouted approvingly。 “Good eback！”
Grassland Mongols are known more for their capacity for liquor than for their appetite for meat。 After a few rounds； all seven or eight flasks were empty。 Seeing that there was no more liquor； Yang boldly proclaimed to Lamjav； “You can outwrestle me； but let’s see who can outdrink who。”
“Playing the fox； are you？” Lamjav retorted。 “Well； out here； wolves are cleverer than foxes。 Wait here。 I’ve got more liquor。” He ran over to where his horse was standing and took a bottle of clear liquor out of his felt saddlebag； that and two cups。 Waving the bottle in front of Yang； he said； “I was saving this for 。 。 。 for guests； but now I’m going to use it to punish you。”
“Punish！” the hunters shouted。 “Punish him！ Give him what he deserves！”
With an embarrassed smile； Yang Ke said； “It looks like this fox is no match for a wolf。 I’ll take my punishment。”
“Listen 。 。 。 listen closely；” Lamjav said。 “To follow our custom； you 。 。 。 you must drink as many cups as I say。 I misspoke myself once and was outdrunk by a journalist who knew both Mongol and Han customs。 This time I’m going to make sure you taste defeat。” He poured a cup and； in halfway decent Chinese； intoned； “Meadowlarks fl y in pairs； two cups from a single wing。”
Yang Ke blanched。 “Four wings times two cups； ah！ That’s eight cups！ How about one cup from each wing？”
“If you don’t play by the rules；” Lamjav replied； “I’ll make it three； I mean 。 。 。 three cups from a single wing。”
The crowd of hunters； Chen Zhen included； shouted in unison； “Drink！ You must drink！”
Seeing no way out； Yang belted down eight cups； one after the other。 The old man laughed。 “Trying to trick a friend out here gets you into trouble every time；” he said。
Chen and Yang took skewers of cooked meat from the old man and； with bloody grease dripping down their chins； ate with gusto。
“Papa；” Chen said； “this is the first time I’ve eaten wolf food； and it’s the best thing I’ve eaten in my life； the best meat I’ve ever tasted。 Now I know why so many emperors and their sons were avid hunters。 Taizong of the Tang； China’s greatest emperor； loved to hunt。 His son； his heir； used to e to the grassland with his Turkish bodyguards to ride and hunt。 He even set up a grassland…style tent in the palace courtyard； where； like you； he slaughtered sheep and ate； slicing the meat off the bones with his own knife。 For him； life on the grassland was better than being emperor。 All he wanted was to hunt with his Turkish bodyguards under his own Turkish wolf flag； to live like a Turk on the grassland。
Eventually； he lost his claim to the throne and his father picked his brother as heir。 Life out here can even win over an emperor。”
The old man listened wide…eyed。 “You never told me that；” he said。 “It’s a good story。 It would be wonderful if all you Han could appreci—ate the grassland like that prince did； but it would have been better if he hadn’t lost the throne。 The Qing emperors often came out here to hunt and to find Mongol girls to marry。 And they didn’t allow their Han subjects to open the grassland to raising crops。 Back then； there was no fighting between the Mongols and the Chinese； we were at peace。”
狼图腾（英文版） 4（6）
Bilgee loved listening to Chen’s historical tales； and repaid the debt with tales of Mongolia。 “Anyone who doesn’t eat wolves’ food is not a true grassland Mongol。 There would probably be no Mongols without it。 In days past； when Mongols were driven to the brink of destruction； they survived by eating wolves’ food。 One of Genghis Khan’s ancestors； who was driven deep into the mountains； was on the verge of starva—tion； like a mon savage。 He was reduced to following the path of wolves； whenever they had a kill； he would wait until they’d eaten their fill and moved on； then he’d eat what they left。 He lived like that； alone in the mountains； for years； until his brother found him and took him home。 Wolves are the Mongols’ benefactors； sometimes their saviors。 Without them there would have been no Genghis Khan； and no Mon—gols。 Wolf food is delicious。 See what the wolves have given us for our New Year’s celebration 。 。 。 though it doesn’t e that easily most of the time。 That’s something you’ll learn someday。”
The two gazelles were picked clean and the bonfire began to sputter。 Bilgee had the people smother the fire with snow。
The cloud cover thickened； and blowing snow began to reach them from the mountaintops； creating a gauzy veil。 The brawniest hunt—ers boarded their snow rafts again and headed out to the snow lake。 It was essential to fill the carts before the blowing snow filled in the depressions。 Each gazelle hooked and brought up meant six or seven bricks of Sichuan tea or a dozen or so cartons of Haihe cigarettes from Tianjin； or fifteen or sixteen bottles of Mongolian clear liquor。 Under Bilgee’s mand； all the rafts were maneuvered by the hunters from the deepest section of the lake to shallower spots； where it was easier to hook the frozen gazelles。 The old man also divided the people into teams； the most adept users of the poles concentrating on hooking ani—mals； and those better at manipulating the rafts focusing on transport—ing the animals back。 As the rafts neared the shore； ropes were put to use； with several men standing at the edge of the lake flinging them like mooring lines to the carcass…laden rafts； where hunters tied one end to the raft and flung the other end back so that the men there could pull them back to shore。 The process was repeated over and over。
By the time all human shadows on the snow lake had been swal—lowed up by mountain shadows； the carts were piled high； but there were a few men who wanted to hunt into the night by lamplight； piling the surplus gazelles on the lakeshore； with armed guards； to be picked up the following morning。 Bilgee stopped them。 “Tengger has given us a good day；” he chastised them。 “Tengger is fair。 Since wolves have eaten our sheep and horses； these are the reparations。 Now Tengger has started the winds blowing； telling us to leave the remaining gazelles for the wolves。 Which of you is willing to disobey Tengger？ Which of you is willing to stay behind in this snowdrift？ If the wolves came out with a blizzard tonight； I wonder who among you would still be around tomorrow morning。”
狼图腾（英文版） 4（7）
His ments were met with silence。 He gave the mand to head back。 The exhausted but happy people pushed the heavy； overloaded carts to help the drivers navigate the hills and ridges； then mounted their horses or climbed aboard the carts and headed back to camp。
Chen Zhen felt the sweat on his body chilling。