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 the dead wolf； from its nose to the tip of its tail。 It was longer than he was tall。 He sucked in a breath of frigid air。
Old Man Bilgee checked out the flock of sheep with the flashlight。
The thick tails of three or four of them had been bitten off and eaten by the wolf； leaving a bloody mess that had already frozen。 “Trading a few sheep tails for a wolf this big counts as a good deal；” Bilgee said as he and Chen dragged the carcass into the yurt to keep greedy neighboring dogs from venting their anger and ruining the hide。
The wolf ’s paws were much bigger than a dog’s； measuring one against his palm； Chen saw that they were about the same size。 No wonder wolves run so effortlessly through snow and across rocky hills。
“Tomorrow；” Bilgee said； “I’ll teach you how to skin a wolf。”
Gasmai carried a big pot of meat outside to reward Bar and the other dogs。 As Chen Zhen followed her out； he rubbed Bar’s big head and stroked his back； which was the size of a small table。 The dog wagged his tail gratefully。 “Were you scared back there？” Chen asked。
“Sure；” Gasmai said with a little laugh。 “Of course I was。 I was scared the wolf would drive the sheep out of the pen。 I’d lose all my work points。 I’m the head of a production team； and you can imagine what a humiliation it would be if I lost my sheep。” She bent down to pat the big dog’s head and said； “Sain Bar” （Good Bar）； over and over。 Bar dropped the bone he was chewing and raised his head to nudge his mistress’s hand； then stuck his nose up her sleeve； happily wagging his tail and sending out little eddies of air。 “Chenchen； I’ll give you a puppy after New Year’s；” Gasmai said。 “There are all sorts of ways to raise a dog。 Do a good job； and it’ll grow up to be like Bar。”
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狼图腾（英文版） 1（9）
He thanked her repeatedly。
Back in the yurt； Chen admitted that he’d been scared to death。 Old Man Bilgee laughed。 “I could tell when I grabbed your hand。 You were shaking like a leaf。 Do you think you could hold a knife in a fight like that？ If you plan to stay on the grassland； you’ll have to learn to be tougher than the wolves。 One day I’ll take you out to hunt them。 Back when Genghis Khan formed his army； he always picked the best wolf hunters。”
Chen nodded。 “I believe that；” he said。 “I really do。 If Gasmai rode into battle； she’d be more fearful than the female general Hua Mulan。”
“You Chinese don’t have many Hua Mulans； but there are lots of Mongol women like Gasmai。 At least one in every family。” The old man laughed again like an alpha wolf。
After that incident； Chen Zhen wanted to get as near to the wolves as possible so that he could study them。 He sensed that only by gaining an understanding of the wolves would he be able to prehend the Mongolian grassland and the people who lived there。 He even enter—tained the idea of stealing a cub from its den and raising it one day。
Although Bilgee was the most renowned hunter on the Olonbu—lag； he seldom went out hunting； and when he did； it was for foxes； not wolves。 People had gotten so caught up in the Cultural Revolution over the past couple of years that the traditional life of the grassland— a mixture of tending sheep and hunting wild animals—had been turned upside down； like a flock of sheep scattered in a blizzard。 Then； in the winter of that year； herds of Mongolian gazelle migrated across the bor—der into the Olonbulag； and the old man decided it was time to fulfill his promise to Chen to take him to see the wolves at close range so as to boost the young man’s courage and increase his knowledge。
Chen Zhen felt the old man nudge him with his elbow and saw him point to the snow…covered slope。 Chen trained his telescope on the spot。 The gazelles were still grazing nervously。 He watched as one of the wolves left the pack and ran off to the mountain west of them。 Chen’s heart sank。 “I guess they aren’t going to attack；” he whispered。 “Appar—ently； we’ve let ourselves freeze for nothing。”
“The pack won’t pass up an opportunity like this；” Bilgee said。 “The leader must have felt there are too many gazelles； so he sent a runner to bring more troops。 An opportunity like this es maybe once every five or six years； and it seems they’ve got quite an appetite。 They’re get—ting ready for a major battle。 You’ll see that this was worth the wait。 As I said； patience is the key to a good hunt。”
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狼图腾（英文版） 2（1）
Six or seven new wolves quietly joined the encirclement； its three sides formed and ready。 Chen Zhen covered his mouth with the horseshoe…shaped sleeve of his heavy fur deel and said softly； “Are they going to close the circle now？”
“Not quite yet；” Bilgee replied softly。 “The alpha male is waiting for the right moment。 Wolves are more meticulous about their encirclement formations than we are。 See if you can figure out what he’s waiting for。” Each time the old man’s bushy white eyebrows twitched； shards of frost fell to the ground。 A frost…covered fox…fur cap with flaps that fell to his shoulders covered his forehead and much of his face； but not his light brown eyes； which gave off a heavy sheen； like pieces of amber。
They had been hiding in their snow cave for some time already； and now they turned their attention to the gazelles grazing on the slope。 The herd numbered as many as a thousand； of which several large males； with long black horns； kept watch as they sniffed the air。 The others were grazing the land under the snow。
The area was a winter reserve pastureland for the Second Production Brigade； a defense line against natural disasters。 Measuring roughly twenty square miles； it was a large mountain pastureland where； pro—tected from the wind and relatively free of snow； fine grass grew tall and thick。
“Watch carefully； and you’ll understand；” the old man whispered。
“This is an ideal spot； open to the northwestern winds that keep the snow from piling up。 When I was eight years old； the Olonbulag was hit by the largest snowstorm in centuries； a true white scourge。 The snow covered our yurts。 Fortunately； under the leadership of some old—timers； most of the people and animals managed to get out。 When the snow was still only up to our knees； our several thousand horses were brought out to trample a path in the snow。 Then several dozen oxen tamped it down more； opening up a trough through which our sheep and carts could travel。 It took three days and nights to reach this pas—tureland in safety。 Here the snow was only a foot or two deep； allowing the tips of the long grass to push through。 Cows and sheep and horses； all half dead from the cold and hunger； made a dash for it as soon as it came into view。 As for the people； they threw themselves down onto the snow and wept； then banged their heads on the ground in thanks to Tengger； until their faces were covered with snow。 The sheep and the horses knew how to move the snow out of the way to get to the grass； while the more passive cows simply followed along behind them to for—age。 It was enough to sustain the greater half of the animals until the snow melted in the spring。 People who hadn’t moved their animals in time lost them。 They themselves made it to safety； but their animals were buried in the blizzard。 If not for this stretch of pastureland； every inhabitant of the Olonbulag； human and animal； would have died。 We stopped being afraid of white scourges after that； we knew that if one came along； we could move to this pastureland and take refuge here。”
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狼图腾（英文版） 2（2）
The old man sighed。 “This spot is a gift to the Olonbulag people and animals from Tengger； our sustenance。 In the past； herdsmen made an annual trek to the top of that mountain to worship Tengger and the Mountain God。 But with the current political situation； no one has dared go up for a couple of years。 But we still worship in our hearts。 This is our sacred mountain。 Even if there’s a drought and no grass to forage； the mountain is off…limits to herdsmen from spring 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 th