第12部分(第5/7 頁)

　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。

狼圖騰（英文版）　4（10）

“The　herders　were　in　a　state　of　anxiety