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f flag； to live like a Turk on the grassland。
Eventually； he lost his claim to the throne and his father picked his brother as heir。 Life out here can even win over an emperor。”
The old man listened wide…eyed。 “You never told me that；” he said。 “It’s a good story。 It would be wonderful if all you Han could appreci—ate the grassland like that prince did； but it would have been better if he hadn’t lost the throne。 The Qing emperors often came out here to hunt and to find Mongol girls to marry。 And they didn’t allow their Han subjects to open the grassland to raising crops。 Back then； there was no fighting between the Mongols and the Chinese； we were at peace。”
狼图腾（英文版） 4（6）
Bilgee loved listening to Chen’s historical tales； and repaid the debt with tales of Mongolia。 “Anyone who doesn’t eat wolves’ food is not a true grassland Mongol。 There would probably be no Mongols without it。 In days past； when Mongols were driven to the brink of destruction； they survived by eating wolves’ food。 One of Genghis Khan’s ancestors； who was driven deep into the mountains； was on the verge of starva—tion； like a mon savage。 He was reduced to following the path of wolves； whenever they had a kill； he would wait until they’d eaten their fill and moved on； then he’d eat what they left。 He lived like that； alone in the mountains； for years； until his brother found him and took him home。 Wolves are the Mongols’ benefactors； sometimes their saviors。 Without them there would have been no Genghis Khan； and no Mon—gols。 Wolf food is delicious。 See what the wolves have given us for our New Year’s celebration 。 。 。 though it doesn’t e that easily most of the time。 That’s something you’ll learn someday。”
The two gazelles were picked clean and the bonfire began to sputter。 Bilgee had the people smother the fire with snow。
The cloud cover thickened； and blowing snow began to reach them from the mountaintops； creating a gauzy veil。 The brawniest hunt—ers boarded their snow rafts again and headed out to the snow lake。 It was essential to fill the carts before the blowing snow filled in the depressions。 Each gazelle hooked and brought up meant six or seven bricks of Sichuan tea or a dozen or so cartons of Haihe cigarettes from Tianjin； or fifteen or sixteen bottles of Mongolian clear liquor。 Under Bilgee’s mand； all the rafts were maneuvered by the hunters from the deepest section of the lake to shallower spots； where it was easier to hook the frozen gazelles。 The old man also divided the people into teams； the most adept users of the poles concentrating on hooking ani—mals； and those better at manipulating the rafts focusing on transport—ing the animals back。 As the rafts neared the shore； ropes were put to use； with several men standing at the edge of the lake flinging them like mooring lines to the carcass…laden rafts； where hunters tied one end to the raft and flung the other end back so that the men there could pull them back to shore。 The process was repeated over and over。
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