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。 He could not stop shivering。 Everywhere—on the lake and off； on the ridges and the paths through the snow—the humans had left their imprint： bonfire ashes； cigarette butts； and liquor bottles； plus tire ruts all the way back to camp。 Chen kneed his horse to ride up to Bilgee。 “Papa； this time the wolves lost。 Will they seek revenge？ You’re always saying they have long memories。 They remember their food and their fights—how about their enemies？”
“We dug out a lot of gazelles； but left more than half the number for the wolves。 Next spring the wolves will feast on frozen gazelle and won’t stick around to trouble us。 Besides； they did us a favor； so we should leave them something。 Don’t worry； the wolf leader knows what to do。”
A blizzard swept the area that night； and the students’ yurt sweltered。 Chen Zhen put away his copy of The Secret History of the Mongols and said to Yang Ke； “The man Bilgee mentioned； the one who picked over the food left by the wolves was Budoncher； Genghis Khan’s great— great… grandfather’s great… great… grandfather。 Genghis Khan’s family was part of the Borjigin tribe； whose historical founder was Budoncher。 Subsequent generations would witness monumental changes。”
“That must mean that if there’d been no wolves； those great war counselors and leaders； there’d have been no Genghis Khan； no golden tribe； and of course no wise and brave Mongol fighting horsemen；” Yang said。 “Wolves have certainly played a prominent role in the his—tory of the Mongol people。”
“Why stop there？ They’ve played a prominent role in the lives of the Chinese； in the lives of all the world’s people。 The arrival of Genghis Khan and his Mongol horsemen on the scene led to a rewriting of the history of China； from the Jin and Southern Song on。 So too the his—tories of Central Asia； Persia； Russia； and India。 Gunpowder； invented in China； was introduced to the West by Mongol hordes as they cut their murderous swath through Europe and Asia； bringing down the castle of feudalism in the West and sweeping away all obstacles to the emerging system of capitalism。 Gunpowder then made its way back to the East； where it blew open the door to China and； ultimately； ended the reign of the Mongol horsemen and turned the whole world upside down。 But the historical impact of wolves has been written off by histo—rians。 If Tengger had recorded events； wolves on the Mongolian grass—lands would have had their place in the annals of history。”
Gao Jianzhong； the cowherd； could not contain his excitement over the arrival of the largesse。 “What are you two doing； dredging up the ancient past？ Our first priority ought to be to dig all the gazelles out of the snowbank and get rich。”
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狼图腾（英文版） 4（8）
Chen Zhen said； “Heaven keeps its eye out for the wolves； and we should be grateful for this cartload of gazelles。 The blizzard will blow for three days at least； adding a couple of feet or more to the snowbank and filling in the depressions。 Looking for gazelles in that would be like searching for a needle in a haystack。”
Gao walked out of the yurt and looked up at the sky。 “It’s really going to blow for three days；” he said when he was back inside。 “I should have been there today。 Damned if I wouldn’t have planted poles in the largest depressions。” He sighed。 “I guess I’ll have to wait till spring。 But then I’ll go out； fi ll up a cart； and personally take it to the purchasing station at the Bayan Gobi mune。 If you two say nothing； no one else need know。”
The livestock made it through the latter half of winter without inci—dent。 The Olon wolf pack followed the gazelles far away； where it dispersed。 The great blizzard did not e。 Over the lonely winter； when Chen Zhen was neither tending the sheep nor on night watch； he made his rounds of the grassland； search—ing out tales of wolves； spending most of his time on the legend of the “flying wolves。” Known throughout the Olonbulag； it had recent ori—gins and； as it turned out； was set in the area of Chen’s production bri—gade。 He was determined to get to the bottom of the legend and satisfy his curiosity as to how wolves were able to “fly” on the Olonbulag。
Soon after their arrival； the students had been told by herdsmen that Tengger had sent the wolves down to Earth； which meant they could fly。 Over the centuries； when a herdsman died； his body was taken into the wilds and laid out in open view for the wolves to dispose of。 The “sky burial” was pleted once the wolves had eaten every morsel of human remains。 It was called a sky burial owing to the belief that the wolves could fly to Tengger； taking the human soul back with them； just like the magic eagles of Tibet。 But when the students labeled this as superstition； one of the “four olds” attacked during the Cultural Revolution； the herdsmen insisted that wolves could fly。 As recently as the third year of the Cultural Revolution； they said； a pack of wolves flew into Second Brigade Cherendorji’s stone enclosure； where they ate a dozen sheep and killed more than two hundred。 After satisfying their appetite； they flew away。 The stone wall was six or seven feet high； too high for a person to climb over； so how did the wolves get in there if they didn’t fl y？
Director Uljii had taken all the leaders over to see； including even the head of the police station； Harbar。 After taking pictures and measure—ments； they agreed that the wall was too high for the wolves to jump over； and noted that there were no breaches through which they could have gotten in。 Several days of investigation turned up no explanation for how the wolves had gotten in and out。 But the herdsmen knew。
狼图腾（英文版） 4（9）
The tale had stuck in Chen’s mind for a long time； now； as his fas—cination with wolves grew； it resurfaced。 So he saddled up and rode out to see the wall with his own eyes。 After examining it carefully； he was no closer to an explanation than anyone else； so he went to talk to the old… timer Cherendorji。
“I still don’t know which of my idiot sons offended Tengger；” the old man said； “but my family is cursed even today。”
The old man’s son； who had attended middle school； said； “The affair can be blamed on stupid pasture regulations。 There were no such walls on the Olonbulag before； but headquarters decided to build stone enclosures in the birthing meadow； both to protect the sheep and to cut back on expenses by reducing the work points given out for night watches。 The wolves can’t climb the walls； they said； so there’ll be no need for night watchmen； and everyone can sleep easy at night。 So we closed the gate and stayed inside our yurt。 That night I heard the dogs bark and I knew something was wrong； as if a pack of wolves was in the vicinity。 But since headquarters had said there was no need to go on watch； we didn’t even go out to check。 Unfortunately； when we opened the gate in the morning； we were struck dumb by the sight of all those dead and dying sheep。 There was blood all over the ground； as thick as two fingers in places； and more on the stone wall。 The marks of four fangs stood out on the necks of the dead animals； whose blood had even flowed outside the wall。 There were also several piles of wolf dung 。 。 。 Later on； headquarters changed the regulations； requir—ing people who lived near one of the enclosures to remence night watches； for which work points would be given。 More and more stone and rammed…earth enclosures have been built on the birthing meadows in recent years and； since there are night watchmen again； there have been no more stories of wolves flying into an enclosure and eating our sheep。”
But that wasn’t enough for Chen Zhen； who went around asking other herders。 All of them— men and women； young and old—told him that wolves could fly。 They also said that when a wolf dies； its soul flies up to Tengger。
Eventually； Police Chief Harbar was released from confinement in the banner interrogation unit and sent back to assume his position again。 Taking a pack of Beijing cigarettes with him； Chen went to call on the chief to get an explanation as to how the wolves had “fl own” in and out of the enclosure。
Chief Harbar； a graduate of the Inner Mongolian Police Academy and fluent in Chinese； said； “The case is closed。 Unfortunately； the sci—entific explanation has no standing on the grassland； and most of the herders don’t believe it。 All but a few educated and experienced hunters； who accepted the results of the investigation； were convinced that the wolves could fly。 If we respect the beliefs and customs of the local popu—lation” he laughed—“then the wolves flew into the enclosure。 There’s a bit of truth to that； since wolves do sail through the air a long ways。
狼图腾（英文版） 4（10）
“The herders were in a state of anxiety that day；” he went on； “believ—ing that Tengger was angry enough to send down a scourge。 They left their herds up on the mountain and rushed back to see what was hap—pening。 Women and old men went down on their knees to Tengger。 Children were so fr