he Mongolian gazelles。
狼图腾（英文版）3（6）
The scene made Chen tremble with dread。 Wolves had dragged all the gazelles they could out of the snow； creating long troughs crisscross—ing the edges of the deep snow as they hauled their victims away。 The far ends of the troughs were the abattoirs and picnic areas。 Only the innards and the choicest flesh were eaten； the rest was left as waste。
The wolves had obviously heard the approach of the people and dogs； and had left in a hurry； for the snow pellets were still shifting on the surface； and spots where the wolves had defecated had not pletely frozen over。
Mongolian wolves are brilliant fighters on a snowy field； fully cog—nizant of the limits of battle。 They will ignore gazelles out in the deeper snow； those lying on top and those sunken beneath the surface。 There wasn’t a single track from a probe outside the safe zone。 The animals dragged out of the snow could have fed several large wolf packs； the ignored frozen carcasses were the wolf pack’s guaranteed fresh food； for they would keep till the spring thaw； when the wolves would return for more tasty meals。 This enormous snowdrift and snow lake was a wolf pack’s natural cold storage。 Old Bilgee said； “There’s ice and snow storage for wolves all over Olonbulag。 This is just the biggest one。 The wolves often store their kills in places like this to keep from starving the following year。 The meat of these frozen gazelles is life… saving food for wolves that grow lean in the spring and have a lot more stored…up fat than the live； and very thin； gazelles。” The old man pointed to one of the holes and said with a laugh； “Wolves out here really know how to live。 We’re no match。 As winter sets in each year； herdsmen slaughter their cows and sheep before they start losing their autumn fat and then they store the meat； which will take them through the winter。 They learned that from wolves。”
When Bar and the other dogs spotted live gazelles； their hunting instincts kicked in and they ran toward them。 But when they reached the spot where the wolves’ paw prints ended； they stopped。 Denied the kill； they stretched out their necks and barked madly in the direction of the gazelles。 Some of the targets were so frightened that they broke for the snow lake。 But before they’d gotten far； the crust gave way and they sank into the quicksand…like snow； struggling briefly before disappear—ing from sight。 The snow above them shifted like sand in an hourglass； until it formed a funnel。 One of the animals broke through the crust； thrusting out its front legs and supporting the front half of its body while the rear half sank into the snow。 Half a life was saved—for the moment。
The team dug a path to allow the carts down off the ridge； and when the lead cart reached a point where it could go no farther； a line of carts stretched out behind it。 The men got out and shoveled away the snow around them so that they could unload the carts。
The men walked up to Bilgee。 “All of you； see how the snow off to the west has frozen solid？” he said。 “There aren’t many holes there； but there are a lot of gazelle droppings and tracks； and that means that many got away。”
狼图腾（英文版）3（7）
The sheepherder Sanjai said with a laugh； “I can see that wolves mis—calculate sometimes too。 If the alpha male had sent four or five wolves over here to close off this route； those gazelles wouldn’t have gotten away so easily。”
“If you were the alpha male；” Bilgee snorted； “you’d starve to death。 If you kill off all the gazelles at one time； what will you eat the follow—ing year？ Wolves aren’t greedy like humans。 They know how to figure things out； big things！”
“There are too many gazelles this year；” Sanjai said。 “You could kill a thousand more and still have plenty left。 I want to get my hands on enough money to build a new yurt and get married。”
The old man glared at him。 “When your sons and grandsons get married and the gazelles are gone； then what？ You young people are getting more like those outsiders all the time。”
Seeing that the women had unloaded the carts and dug paths to the deep snow by clearing out troughs the wolves had made when dragging the gazelle carcasses through the snow； and that they’d also built up a snowbank； Bilgee looked skyward and chanted something。 Chen Zhen guessed that he was asking Tengger for permission to go out in the snow and bring up the dead gazelles。
The old man closed his eyes briefly； then opened them again and said； “There are plenty of frozen gazelles at the bottom of the snow； so don’t get greedy。 When you’re out there； first free the surviving animals； all of them； before ing back to dig out the frozen ones。 Tengger didn’t want those animals to die； so we must save them。” He lowered his head and said to Chen Zhen and Yang Ke； “When Genghis Khan finished an encirclement hunt； he let a small number of animals go。
The Mongols have fought like that for centuries； and the reason we can have these hunts year after year is that； like the wolves； we don’t kill off all the prey。”
Bilgee assigned gazelle collection sectors to each family； then let them go off and work on their own。 Everyone followed hunting custom by leaving the nearest and most plentiful holes for the students and for Bilgee； who led Chen and Yang over to his cart； where they unloaded two large rolls of felt； each about two yards wide and four yards long。 They appeared to have been sprayed with water beforehand； for they were frozen stiff。 Chen and Yang each dragged one along the cleared path； while Bilgee carried a long birch club； tipped with a metal hook。 Batu and Gasmai also carried large rolls of felt to the deep snow； little Bayar walked behind his parents with a hook over his shoulder。
After they reached the edge of the deep snow； Bilgee had Chen and Yang spread one of the rolls of felt over the crusty snow； then asked Yang； the heavier of the two； to see if it could sustain his weight。 It was like a gigantic skateboard。 Yang stepped onto the felt； drawing crunch—ing sounds from the snow under it； but no signs of danger。 He jumped up and down。 The felt sank beneath his feet slightly but not perilously。 The old man quickly made him stop。 “Don’t do that when we’re out on the deep snow。 If you break through the felt； you’ll bee a frozen gazelle yourself； and that’s no joke。 Now then； Chen Zhen is lighter than you； so I’ll go dig out a couple of gazelles with him。 After that； you two can go out on your own。”
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狼图腾（英文版）3（8）
Yang jumped off and helped the old man onto the felt。 Chen fol—lowed。 The felt easily withstood the weight of the two men and looked as if it would hold up under the added weight of a couple of gazelles。 Once they were steady； they dragged up the second roll of felt and laid it out in front of the one they were standing on。 They squared the two pieces and then stepped onto the second piece。 After laying down the hooked pole； they repeated the process； moving the first piece out in front of the second。 This they did over and over； as if piloting a pair of felt boats； gliding toward a living ga