狼图腾(英文版)-第14部分

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id。　“It’ll　bring　the　highest　price。”
　　“There　are　more　down　there；”　he　said；　taking　a　deep　breath。　“You　try　to　snag　one。　It’s　like　hooking　a　bucket　at　the　bottom　of　a　well。　When　you’ve　found　the　right　spot；　pull　with　all　your　might。　Don’t　hook　it　where　you’ll　spoil　the　pelt　and　lower　the　price。”　Chen　agreed　eagerly；　took　the　pole；　thrust　it　into　the　depression；　and　began　to　probe。　He　could　feel　two　or　more　gazelles　down　there　but　kept　moving　the　pole　around　to　outline　the　shape　of　one　of　them。　When　he　felt　the　throat；　he　jerked　the　pole　upward　until　it　felt　well　snagged。　At　long　last；　Chen　had　caught　a　“big　fish”　in　a　snow　lake　on　the　Mongolian　grassland。　It　too　weighed　in　at　fifty　or　sixty　kilos；　a　quarry　that　could　outrun　even　the　fastest　horse。　Filled　with　excitement；　he　shouted　to　Yang　Ke；　who　was　still　on　the　lakeshore；　“Look；　I　caught　one；　a　great　big　one！　It　was　quite　a　fight！”
　　“e　back　here；　would　you？”　Yang　Ke　replied；　fit　to　be　tied。　“e　back　and　let　me　have　a　shot　at　it！　And　let　Papa　get　some　rest。”
　　

狼图腾（英文版）　4（2）
Excited　shouts　rose　on　the　lake　and　on　the　slope　as　large　gazelles　with　plenty　of　meat　and　unbroken　hides　were　brought　to　the　surface　and；　one　after　the　other；　snow　rafts　sped　to　the　shore。　Some　of　the　fast—est　workers　were　already　out　on　their　second　voyage。　The　raft　manned　by　Batu；　Gasmai；　and　Lamjav　was　the　most　efficient。　They　snagged　the　largest　gazelles　unerringly　and　with　amazing　speed。　When　they　pulled　up　medium　or　small…sized　animals；　or　full…grown　ones　with　distended　or　purple　abdomens；　those　that　would　not　bring　in　good　prices；　they　tossed　them　back　down　into　the　empty　depression。　A　rich　harvest；　nor—mally　only　seen　in　the　springtime；　when　baby　lambs　are　born；　spread　across　the　barren；　snowy　plateau。　Even　predators　sometimes　turn　into　prey；　Chen　thought　with　grim　satisfaction。
　　Chen　and　the　old　man　sailed　their　raft；　now　weighted　down　with　two　large　gazelles；　back　to　shore；　where　Yang　Ke　and　Bayar　helped　Bil—gee　step　off。　Chen　pushed　the　two　gazelles　off　the　raft；　and　the　four　men　dragged　them　over　to　their　carts。　There　Chen　discovered　that　the　two　carts　were　already　piled　high　with　large　gazelles；　and　asked　why　that　was。　Yang　Ke　said；　“Bayar　and　I　bagged　one　of　them。　The　rest　are　gifts　from　some　of　the　other　families。　An　Olonbulag　custom；　they　said。”　He　laughed。　“Hanging　around　Papa　has　brought　dividends。”
　　Bilgee　joined　in　the　laughter。　“You’re　citizens　of　the　grassland　too；”　he　said。　“So　learn　our　customs　and　stick　to　them。”　The　old　man；　clearly　tired；　sat　cross…legged　alongside　the　cart　to　smoke　his　pipe。　“You　two　go　out；”　he　said；　“but　be　careful。　If　you　happen　to　fall　in；　spread　your　legs　and　stick　out　your　arms　immediately；　and　hold　your　breath。　That　way　you　won’t　be　in　too　deep。　Whoever’s　on　the　raft；　stick　in　the　pole；　but　be　careful　not　to　hook　the　person　in　the　face。　That　will　ruin　your　mar—riage　prospects。”　He　choked　on　his　laughter。　Then　he　told　Bayar　to　find　some　kindling　for　a　cook　fi　re。
　　Bursting　with　excitement；　Chen　and　Yang　walked　over　to　the　felt　raft；　and　as　they　neared　the　deep　snow　by　the　shore；　Chen　spotted　a　hole　that　looked　like　a　tunnel　to　the　depths　of　the　snow　lake。　Yang　Ke　said　with　a　laugh；　“I　didn’t　want　to　say　anything　a　moment　ago；　because　Papa　was　there　beside　us；　but　this　hole　in　the　snow；　Bayar　and　I　dug　it；　it’s　where　we　found　that　big　gazelle。　I　tell　you；　that　Bayar　may　be　small；　but　he’s　got　guts。　When　he　saw　you　out　there；　he　opened　his　fur　coat　and；　because　he　weighs　so　little；　crawled　out　on　the　snow　without　fall—ing　in。　He　found　a　depression　before　he’d　gone　more　than　five　or　six　yards；　so　he　crawled　back　and　we　dug　a　tunnel　in　the　snow。　We　didn’t　have　to　dig　far　to　reach　the　gazelle；　so　he　went　down　and　tied　a　rope　around　one　of　its　legs。　When　he　came　back；　I　pulled　the　animal　out　of　the　snow。　He　was　fearless；　but　the　whole　time　he　was　down　there　I　was　worried　the　snow　might　cave　in　and　bury　him。”
　　“That　doesn’t　surprise　me；”　Chen　said。　“Anyone　who　isn’t　afraid　to　grab　hold　of　a　wolf　with　his　bare　hands　isn’t　going　to　be　scared　by　a　hole　in　the　snow。　Now　you　know　what　a　Mongol　kid　is　capable　of　doing。　Just　think　what　he’ll　be　like　when　he　grows　up！”
　　　电子书　分享网站

狼图腾（英文版）　4（3）
“When　I　told　him　not　to　go　down　into　the　snow；”　Yang　said；　“he　said　that　when　he　was　seven；　he　crawled　into　a　wolf　’s　den　and　stole　a　litter　of　cubs；　so　a　snow　cave　is　nothing！　You’ve　talked　about　wanting　a　wolf　cub；　haven’t　you？　Well；　take　Bayar　along　and　get　one。”
　　“Not　me；”　Chen　replied。　“These　Mongols；　all　I　can　do　is　stand　back　and　admire　them。”
　　As　the　two　students　rode　their　Mongolian　snow　raft；　Yang’s　face　was　joyfully　wrinkled。　“I　can’t　believe　how　great　it　is　to　hunt　on　the　grass—land。　Shepherding　is　so　boring。　As　soon　as　wolves　entered　the　picture；　our　lives　got　a　lot　more　interesting　and　a　lot　more　exciting。”
　　“This　is　a　vast；　sparsely　populated　territory；”　Chen　said。　“Sometimes　there　isn’t　a　yurt　within　miles。　Without　the　wolves　and　the　hunt；　life　out　here　would　be　stultifying。　I’ve　gotten　hooked　on　reading　lately　and　it　appears　that　these　people　have　revered　the　wolf　totem　for　thousands　of　years。”
　　Having　eaten　braised　venison　with　their　tea　that　morning；　they　had　an　abundance　of　energy；　so；　with　clouds　of　white　steam　bursting　from　their　mouths；　their　arms　and　legs　churning　like　dragon…boat　racers；　they　skimmed　the　snowy　surface；　the　two　halves　of　their　felt　raft　rapidly　changing　positions。　Eventually；　Yang　also　managed　to　hook　a　gazelle　and　was　so　excited　he　nearly　tipped　the　raft　over；　causing　Chen　to　break　out　in　a　cold　sweat　as　he　rushed　to　calm　his　friend　down。　With　a　smack　of　his　hand　against　the　frozen　animal；　Yang　shouted；　“I　thought　I　was　dreaming　when　I　saw　people　hook　these　things　and　bring　them　up；　but　now　I　know　I　wasn’t。　This　is　terrific！　And　all　thanks　to　you；　wolves。　Wolves！　Wolves！”
　　Yang　refused　to　turn　the　hooking　pole　over　to　Chen；　who　was　too　concerned　with　their　safety　to　wrangle　over　it；　and　content　to　be　his　friend’s　muscle。　All　in　all；　Yang　hooked　three　gazelles　and　got　so　addicted　to　what　he　was　doing　that　he　didn’t　want　to　head　back　to　shore。　With　a　wicked　smile；　he　said；　“Let’s　drag　some　more　out　and　take　them　back　all　at　once。　More　efficient　that　way。”　Without　a　second　thought；　he　laid　the　frozen　carcasses　flat　on　top　of　the　hardened　snow。
　　Back　on　the　shore；　Bilgee　had　finished　a　pipeful　of　tobacco　and　was　telling　people　to　clear　a　wide　space；　where　women　from　each　family　piled　up　broken　boards；　wooden　axles；　and　the　like　as　kindling。　Then　old　felt　was　spread　around　and　piled　high　with　insulated　bottles　of　milk　tea　and　liquor；　wooden　utensils；　and　salt　cellars。　Sanjai　and　one　of　the　boys　slaughtered　a　pair　of　half…dead　gazelles；　both　with　broken　legs。　People　on　the　Olonbulag　only　eat　meat　from　freshly　slaughtered　ani—mals；　so　these　would　serve　as　the　hunters’　noonday　meal。　The　dogs；　who　had　stuffed　themselves　with　kills　left　behind　by　the　wolves；　gazed　on　the　two　skinned；　gutted；　steaming　gazelles　with　indifference。　Bilgee　and　the　women　and　children　speared　chunks　of　fresh；　still…　twitching　meat　onto　metal　and　wooden　skewers；　added　salt；　and　held　them　over　the　blazing　bonfire。　Then　they　sat　back　to　eat　the　meat　and　drink　tea；　its　seductive　fragrance；　along　with　that　of　the　liquor　and　the　meat；　spread　across　the　lake　and　drew　the　hunters　back　to　eat　and　rest。
　　　txt小说上传分享

狼图腾（英文版）　4（4）
By　midday；　all　the　rafts　had　made　two　or　three　trips　to　shore　to　unload　their　quarry；　and　each　family’s　cart　was　piled　high　with　six　or　seven　frozen　gazelles。　It　was　time　for　the　men　to　turn　the　work　over　to　the　　well…fed　women　and　children；　who　climbed　aboard　the　felt　rafts　and　went　out　onto　the　snow　lake　to　bring　up　more　animals。
　　Freshly　roasted　gazelle　is　a　delicacy　of　the　Mongolian　grassland；　especially　after　a　hunt；　when　the　meat　is　roasted　and　eaten　on　the　spot。　Historically；　it　was　a　favorite　of　the　khans　and　royalty；　and　an　essential　ponent　of　gatherings　of　ordinary　hunters。　As　newly　acknowledged　hunters；　Chen　Zhen　and　Yang　Ke　were　invited　to　participate　in　the　feast。