第10部分(第1/7 頁)

rop—lands　to　pastureland；　and　the　doubts　returned。　He’d　always　considered　these　actions　to　be　backward；　regressive；　and　barbaric。　But　he　was　forced　to　reconsider　his　position　after　being　scolded　by　the　old　man；　who　had　employed　the　yardstick　of　big　and　little　life。　Both　Easterners　and　West—erners　all　refer　to　the　land　as　the　mother　of　humanity。　How　then　can　anyone　who　does　injury　to　Mother　Earth　be　considered　civilized？

Timidly；　he　asked；　“Then　why　is　it　so　important　for　you　to　free　this　gazelle？”

“Gazelles　attract　wolves；”　the　old　man　said。　“Wolves　hunt　the　gazelles；　and　that　makes　for　fewer　losses　of　cows；　sheep；　and　horses。　The　gazelles　also　provide　extra　ine　for　the　herdsmen。　In　fact；　many　Mongols　rely　on　what　they　earn　from　hunting　gazelles　to　build　their　yurts；　get　married；　and　have　children。　Half　of　a　Mongol　is　hunter。　If　we　could　not　hunt；　our　lives　would　be　like　meat　with　no　salt；　tasteless。　We　Mongols　go　crazy　if　we　can’t　hunt；　partly　because　that　safeguards　the　big　life　of　the　grassland。　We　hunt　animals　that　eat　our　grass　many　times　more　than　we　hunt　animals　that　eat　meat。”　He　sighed。　“There　are　so　many　things　you　Chinese　don’t　understand。　You　read　books；　but　what　you　find　in　them　is　false　reasoning。　Chinese　write　their　books　to　advocate　Chinese　causes。　The　Mongols　suffer　because　they　can’t　write　books。　If　you　could　turn　into　a　Mongol　and　write　books　for　us；　that　would　be　wonderful。”

Chen　nodded　as　he　thought　back　to　all　the　fairy　tales　he’d　read　as　a　child。　The　“gray　wolves”　were　stupid　creatures；　greedy　and　cruel；　while　foxes　were　clever　and　likable。　Not　until　ing　to　the　grassland　did　he　realize　that　in　nature　there　is　no　wild　animal　that　has　evolved　more　highly　or　more　perfectly　than　the　gray　wolf。　Books；　and　especially　fairy　tales