第13部分(第2/6 页)

That　brought　a　sense　of　calm　to　the　pasture。　Cherendorji　was　not　punished；　but　Director　Uljii　made　a　self—criticism；　acknowledging　that　he’d　underestimated　the　wolves；　that　he’d　taken　them　too　lightly。”

Chen　Zhen’s　hair　stood　on　end。　Although　he　accepted　the　chief’s　conclusion；　from　that　day　on　fantastic　images　of　flying　wolves　frequently　visited　his　dreams；　and　he　often　woke　up　drenched　in　cold　sweat。　No　longer　did　he　treat　grassland　legends　simply　as　entertainment。

Several　days　passed；　and　Chen　decided　to　get　a　close　look　at　the　bri…gade’s　two　open…　air　sky…burial　sites。　One　was　on　the　northern　slope　of　Mount　Chagantolgai；　the　other　on　the　northeastern　slope　of　Black　Rock　Mountain。　At　first　glance　the　two　burial　sites　looked　pretty　much　like　other　hillside　grazing　land。　But　up　close；　there　were　distinct　differ—ences。　Both　were　far　from　the　ancient　nomadic　trails；　in　a　bleak　loca—tion　north　of　the　grasslands’　sacred　mountains；　close　to　wolf　territory　and　to　Tengger；　thereby　shortening　the　distance　that　souls　had　to　travel　to　reach　heaven。　In　addition；　the　ground　was　rocky　and　uneven；　bumpy　enough　for　the　carts。

For　centuries　on　the　Olonbulag；　when　a　herder　died；　people　stripped　him　naked　and　tied　his　body　up　in　a　roll　of　felt；　although　some—times　they　left　the　corpse　clothed　so　they　could　forego　the　felt。　Then　they　loaded　the　corpse　onto　a　cart　on　which　a　long　board　had　been　laid　across　the　shafts　and　made　secure。　In　the　predawn　hours；　two　senior　male　members　of　the　family；　each　holding　one　end　of　the　board；　drove　the　cart　to　the sky…burial　site；　where　they　whipped　their　horses　into　a　gallop。　Inevitably；　the　deceased　bounced　out　of　the　cart；　and　that　was　the　spot　where　the　soul　would　return　to　Tengger。　The　two　relatives　dis—mounted　and；　if　the　cor