第7部分(第1/7 頁)

unted　Jurchen　warriors　of　the　great　Jin　dynasty　into　a　snowdrift；　and　the　following　spring　he　sent　men　back　to　collect　the　spoils　of　war。　There　were　mountains　of　swords　and　spears　and　bows　and　arrows；　plus　helmets　and　armor；　and　saddles　and　lan—terns。　Where　else　could　he　have　learned　that　but　from　wolves？　If　you　add　up　all　the　major　battles　involving　Mongols；　more　than　half　were　fought　with　skills　learned　from　the　wolves。”

The　two　men　walked　back　to　the　ravine　behind　them；　and　when　the　dark　horse　saw　its　master；　it　jerked　its　head　up　and　down　excitedly。　Every　time　Chen　saw　this　horse；　which　had　once　saved　his　life；　he　pat—ted　it　on　the　head　to　once　more　show　his　gratitude。　The　horse　accepted　his　thanks　by　nudging　him　on　the　shoulder。　This　time；　however；　Chen　felt　a　powerful　impulse　to　somehow　pat　a　wolf　on　the　head。

They　removed　the　cowhide　fetters　from　the　horses’　hooves；　mounted　up；　and　rode　off　at　an　easy　canter　toward　home。

The　old　man　looked　up　at　the　sky；　“Tengger　is　protecting　us；”　he　said。　“The　weather　will　hold　tomorrow。　If　a　blizzard　came　tonight；　we　wouldn’t　wind　up　with　a　single　gazelle。”

狼圖騰（英文版）3（1）

Fine　weather　greeted　them　the　following　morning。　Kitchen　smoke　rose　from　the　yurts　like　slim　white　birches；　the　tips　of　their　high—est　branches　boring　into　the　heavens；　into　Tengger。　The　cows　and　sheep　were　ruminating　leisurely；　the　sun　had　driven　off　the　cold　night　air；　and　frost　on　the　animals’　hides　was　just　then　turning　to　dew；　to　eventually　rise　from　their　bodies　as　mist。

Chen　Zhen　asked　his　neighbor　Gombu　to　tend　his　sheep　that　day。　As　a　onetime　herd　owner；　Gombu　was　kept　under　surveillance；　and　his　right　to　tend　sheep　had　been　taken　from　him；　but　the　four　Beijing　stu—dents　asked　him　to　watch　their　animals　whe