Tibetan Mastiff Notes

Chapter 12 Fighting the Wolves (2)
The sheep were finally driven back, and the wind gradually died down a lot.The storm on the prairie is like this. When it comes, it will blow violently. Once the storm passes, the prairie will immediately return to the calmness of the past. The grass is still as green and the water is still as clear.

I spit out a mouthful of turf and sand, and my ears were blown by the wind as if I were temporarily deaf. After digging hard with my fingers for a long time, I slowly regained my hearing.I looked up at the sky, and the scenery of the prairie after the storm was exceptionally beautiful, like a beautiful oil painting, with blue sky, green grass, white sheep, and a black mastiff running and roaring on the prairie.I was thinking: beautiful prairie, if you can be as peaceful and serene as you are at this moment every day, that would be great, and the life of herdsmen will not be so difficult.

Only when the uncle saw that we came back safely, he ran out gratefully, grabbed my hand, and kept thanking me, I felt ashamed.I touched Dahei's head. If it wasn't for Dahei's help, I might not be able to find Yang Jin. It was Dahei who led me forward. When I was blown down by the wind, Dahei also bit me My clothes, otherwise, I might be blown by the wind and I don't know where to roll.

Nima knew that I had found her grandmother and their flock of sheep. She ran over happily and insisted on letting me hug her. Then she put her arms around my neck and kissed my face.The excitement and shame in my heart merged together at that time, and my eyes were moist.

Dahei half-closed his eyes, walked away silently, walked to his own sheepfold, and looked at the sheep in the sheepfold.When the sheep saw Dahei approaching, they all rushed out and squeezed around Dahei's side to make out.I know that they are using another way to welcome the return of the hero Dahei, but we humans always believe that everything is what Dahei should do.Dahei never takes credit in front of us, nor does she like to take credit for herself. She still guards this pure land so peacefully.

[-]. Dahei is pregnant
Yang Jin said gratefully: "Abba, I have brought back all the sheep, and there is not a single one missing. Please invite Duoji's family to dinner tonight. I picked some mushrooms and just made soup." Bring the mushrooms.Then the uncle nodded again and again, and said: "Okay! Okay! Xiao Bing, Duoji, you all come here, and bring Dahei too. She has a baby, and she has to make up for it. Anyway, we also eat the meat in the storage cellar." If you can’t finish it, give Dahei more to eat, don’t let Dahei go out to hunt by himself, it’s not good for the cub.”

"Dahei is pregnant? Really?" I looked at Uncle Dorji in surprise.

Uncle Dorji was so happy that he smiled from ear to ear and said, "During your stay in Shigatse, the relationship between Dahei and Maomao was very good..." Only then did I know that it was Maomao's credit.

When I turned my head to look at Mao Mao, Mao Mao was lazily sleeping on her stomach.I don't know why the attitude of the male mastiff becomes so indifferent once the female mastiff is pregnant. Are mastiffs like lions?

I ran outside the tent to look at Dahei. Dahei seemed to have gained some weight, but he was still so majestic. He didn’t have the feeling of being a mother at all. He was still so conscientious, simple and honest, but he just looked at me from a distance. glance.I walked over, put my arms around Dahei's neck, and whispered to her, I said: "Dahei, congratulations, you are about to become a mother, and finally have your own child. It is best to have more children, when the time comes , I want to take one away, are you willing?"

Dahei cupped my hand with his mouth and said nothing.I knew she was reluctant, and I thought of the little wolf cub that Dahei rescued back then. I don’t know how the little wolf cub is doing now, it must be very strong, right?I don't know if the little wolf will kiss Dahei's hair as affectionately as before when he saw Dahei now.

When I was making out with Dahei, Gesang ran over, holding the shotgun, aiming at the sky, with a serious look on his face.These days, I haven't had the opportunity to teach Gesang how to practice the gun.But Gesang himself was not lazy at all. He heard from Uncle Duoji that he had to practice guns early in the morning every day.He can also do more than 100 push-ups in one breath now. Although compared with me, it is still far behind, but it is indeed not easy for a developing child.

"Brother, my marksmanship has improved!" Gesang said happily, simulating the sound of gunshots in his mouth.I deliberately teased him and said, "You didn't even load the bullet, so how do you know you hit it? When holding the gun, you have to be strong in your wrist, not shake it, use tenacity and inner strength, understand?" Gesang nodded and said : "Understood, inner strength!" Then he asked me with a smile, "Take me to hunt after a while, okay?" Said: "Dahei is pregnant with a cub, give her some nutrition. It's okay to eat only mutton, and the pup will be unhealthy. Besides, after giving birth, Dahei's appetite will double to three times what he usually eats." times, if the nutrition cannot keep up, the puppy will not grow well."

I don't know these things yet. I always thought that mastiffs only need to eat one meal of meat a day to be full.Hearing what Gesang said now, I was a little worried about Dahei. It turns out that mastiff pregnancy is such a troublesome and painful thing.

I ran to ask Uncle Duoji: "How should we take care of Dahei during her pregnancy?"

Dorje told me: "I don't know much about this, but I have heard people say that before and during the pregnancy, the food intake of mastiffs is actually not too large. At the end of the pregnancy, the food intake will increase by about 50.00%. At the peak of breastfeeding, it will reach three times the normal amount. If the nutrition cannot keep up, the mastiff may also give birth prematurely or miscarry, and the fetus is less than 54 days or more than [-] days, generally speaking, the chance of survival is not great.”

Hearing what he said, I felt a little anxious, and asked again: "How many months does it take for Dahei to give birth?" Gesang ran over and interjected, "About two months, but it's actually not bad for a mastiff. It’s four months, and the mastiff’s time is counted both day and night.” I nodded, and said to Uncle Duoji: “In a few days, I’ll take Gesang out to hunt, first to practice marksmanship, and second to do some hunting. Wild game nourishes Dahei's body."

Uncle Dorje laughed.Every time I ask him something, he always smiles honestly, very kind and simple.He patted Gesang's head and said, "Xiao Bing, don't listen to Gesang's nonsense. He just wants to go out to practice guns, so he uses the pretense of hunting. In fact, to replenish Dahei's body, he should supplement some vitamins." , or feed her some flour, salt, vegetables, eggs, etc., and some bones and meat. If you feed some kelp, Dahei's milk will be more sufficient."

I still don’t know how to feed a mastiff well, and I still need to pay attention to these things. I hurriedly asked: “What vitamins should I feed?” Uncle Duoji told me that he didn’t know too well, maybe it was vitamin A and vitamin D, and according to the The usual reaction of the female mastiff is to add some trace elements or calcium to her in a timely manner.

In fact, Uncle Duoji doesn't know much about these things. When he raised Dahei, he was born with it, because later someone wanted to buy his mastiff, and they talked about raising mastiffs with each other. Uncle Duoji was careful, so he just remembered Live these things.But if you ask him specifically, what is a vitamin, he may not even know what it means.

Hearing what Uncle Duoji said, I was worried. Where can I buy vitamin pills in this vast prairie?Only go to Shigatse, where the hospital has.As soon as I thought of this, I immediately said, "I'm going to Shigatse again." Uncle Duoji knew what I meant, so he laughed and said, "You don't have to be so anxious, let's talk about it later."

I insisted on going, contacted the car that day, and set off early the next morning.I didn't expect that when I arrived in Shigatse, I would meet Uncle Tashimu's family. Uncle Tashimu was a little evasive when he saw me from a distance, and then he had to say hello to me.I saw that he looked a little out of spirits, so I asked him, "Is your son's marriage done yet?"

As soon as Uncle Zhaximu heard me ask about his son's marriage, his face immediately turned livid, and he was a little bit cursing, so he called Zongzhe a bitch and found a prodigal woman.Now that stinking boy is a low-spirited man, he lost several 10 yuan, and went back to Beijing with that bitch, leaving two old sticks (dialect, old man) to suffer in Shigatse.

I was very surprised, Uncle Tashimu has always been proud of his son, what happened today?I guessed that there must be something inside, and after careful questioning, Uncle Tashimu told me hesitantly.

It turned out that after receiving the money for selling the mastiff, Ning Li and Zong Zhe discussed that instead of buying a house in Shigatse, it would be better to buy a house in a big city outside, such as Beijing, Shanghai, or Shenzhen.The best way to get married is to travel abroad to get married, plus many plans and expenses, the money seems to be far from enough.Ning Li was spoiled and spoiled since she was a child, and she absolutely did not want to live a hard life, so she is more sensitive and shrewd when it comes to money.She proposed to use the money from selling mastiffs to speculate in stocks and get married after earning a lot of money. Maybe she would buy a house abroad at that time, and promised to take Uncle Tashimu and his wife to experience the foreign life abroad.

Uncle Zhaximu couldn't hold back his wife, and Zong Zhe had always been dependent on Ning Li.I made a small amount of money at the beginning of stock trading, but once I made an investment mistake, several 10 yuan was wiped out.

I asked Uncle Zhaximu: "Where do you live now?" Uncle Zhaximu told me: "My wife and I live in a rented house. Now my wife has set up a small stall on the street, selling some small things, anyway, the daily meal money It is enough."

Looking at Uncle Tashimu's face full of vicissitudes, my heart that was still angry with him calmed down.Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect?Like Uncle Dorji, I am not a heartless person, although sometimes I seem so cold and heartless.

I asked Uncle Zhaximu, "Why don't you move back? People on the prairie still welcome you back." Uncle Zhaximu sighed and said nothing.But I can see that his life is not going well. He is embarrassed to go back. At the beginning, he boasted in front of everyone that he would go to Shigatse to live a good life, but now he goes back in despair.I said: "Dahei is pregnant. I came to Shigatse to buy some things and go back to make up for Dahei. If you don't mind, uncle, come back to the prairie with me tomorrow. Besides, your family in the village The house is still there, and when the time comes to raise some cattle and sheep, life will slowly become prosperous again."

Hearing that Dahei was pregnant with a cub, Uncle Tashimu's eyes suddenly lit up. He hesitated for a few seconds, and then said excitedly: "Okay, okay, I'll go back and clean up. Well, how about you come to my house at night Come and live, the place is a bit small, but it can still be crowded, so we can go on the road together tomorrow morning."

I nodded, went to the hospital to buy medicine, and bought four bottles of vitamin A and vitamin D.When I came out, I ran into the doctor who treated me last time.He grabbed me and asked me when I would be discharged from the hospital, and asked if my waist was healed, and if I had any pain recently?I didn't know how to answer when someone came to call the doctor, so I ran out of the hospital in a hurry.

I went to the street to buy some kelp, eggs and black bean flour, packed two large bags, and went to Uncle Zhaximu’s house for dinner at night. After Uncle Zhaximu and his wife prayed devoutly, the meal was served.The food is cooked in one pot, very common ingredients, cooked steaming hot, far from the pride of eating meat in large bowls and drinking in big bowls on the prairie.I know that the uncle and the old couple are living in poverty now, not only the tens of 10 yuan from selling mastiffs have been spent, but even his family's wealth may have been lost.I was half full after eating, and then I said I was full, and put down the bowl and chopsticks.

The next day, I paid to hire a car. The expenses during this period, plus the money spent on seeing a doctor and having an operation last time, half of my pension has been removed, but I think it’s worth it. No matter how much money I save, what’s the point? use?Some things cannot be bought.Uncle Zhaximu’s family didn’t have much luggage, and some of them might have been sold to tourists for money. It was just a small two-pack stuffed behind the car seat.

Before setting off, I went to the army first, and visited the lieutenant colonel again.The lieutenant colonel said that he was preparing for an exercise recently and he was a bit busy, so he only talked to me for a few minutes in a hurry.He asked me if I would consider staying in Shigatse for a while, and then go in after winter, when the snow will almost melt and the grasslands will turn green again, so it will be more fun.Of course I will not stay in Shigatse, Dahei is still waiting for me to go back!

The car continued to drive forward, out of the city, and gradually into the prairie. I asked Uncle Zhaximu: "Will it snow in the prairie in winter?"

"Down, of course, it's too big!" Uncle Tashimu's wife interjected, with an exaggerated expression.

I don't really believe it, I know it's going to snow, but I don't believe it's going to be so big.Uncle Zhaximu knew that I didn’t believe it, and he didn’t rush to make me believe it. He just said: “I remember that in 1997, there was a heavy snowfall in Nagqu, Ngari, and Shigatse. , The 60-square-kilometer prairie was completely white at once, the snow on the flat ground was one meter deep, and the snow on the mountainous areas a little bit further away was two meters, and the temperature dropped to minus 30 degrees..."

I opened my mouth wide and couldn't close it in surprise. Two eggs could be stuffed in my mouth.Only now do I understand why the lieutenant colonel has been holding me back and persuading me to go in after the winter. It turned out that he was afraid that I would not be able to bear the cold.There is still a place to keep warm in the city, but it is hard to say on the prairie.

Uncle Zhaximu didn’t notice the change in my expression, but said with a dull expression about the “white storm” in 1997: “The snow fell too early that year, we were not ready for the winter, and the snow fell No. The cattle and sheep have nothing to eat, and many of them are frozen to death or starved to death. When the hunger is unbearable, the big animals will eat the small animals. If they are hungry again, some herd animals will eat the tents. Even the wild rabbits can’t stand it. Many people died.” Aunt Zhaximu interjected, “The mountain was blocked by heavy snow, and the snow was so deep that people couldn’t get out. The heads of yaks and sheep were exposed on the snow. We don’t have any here. The phone, people outside can't get in, we can't get out, just waiting for the snowstorm to pass, life is hard!"

I asked: "Is there no news? Is there no one to help?" "Yes." Uncle Zaximu sighed deeply and said, "It is saved, but our place is too remote, and helicopters can see it from above." When we didn’t arrive, we saw a vast expanse of whiteness below. The airdropped food and clothes were far away, and we couldn’t walk there. No more, everyone can only eat frozen raw beef and mutton..."

I was so surprised that I couldn't speak, and my heart was oppressed by a thick layer of gloom. There were no roads, no telephones, and no signal reception. The herdsmen in remote areas could only rely on God's reward to eat.One day when God is upset, there will be a hailstorm, a storm, or a big snowstorm, and they can only suffer and endure the hardships. Those who survive are lucky, and those who cannot survive are unlucky... I I didn't speak, my expression was heavy, my heart was like a stone, and I couldn't breathe.Everyone stopped talking, and even the driver was sighing.

On the way, we passed the pile of mani piles. In the past, Uncle Dorji once knelt down here and prayed for me.I stopped the car and got down. Like Uncle Dorji at that time, I knelt down and prayed in front of the mani pile, praying that the snow this year would be thinner and later, so that the herdsmen’s cattle, sheep and livestock would not freeze to death again. Then he picked up a stone on the ground and piled it on top.

I suddenly had a vague understanding of the word faith.What those herdsmen worship may appear to be nothing more than a Buddha statue or other things on the surface, but in their hearts, what they worship is actually a kind of belief, a belief born for a certain idea, and it is this belief that gave them The incomparable spiritual strength supported them to overcome one difficulty after another.

Faith is the potential power in everyone's heart. What is the difference between a person without faith and a walking dead?Everyone will have their own beliefs and ideals.Even an animal must have its own thoughts, even if it is just a piece of meat or a bone, but that is their belief.Where is my faith?
I finally understood why I was so lonely and disappointed after retiring, because I lost the belief to continue to support my life.When I was in the army, the army was my belief, and once I left the army, my belief changed, but I didn't change it in time.Even Dahei has his own belief, which is to protect his master and his property.and I?But wandering aimlessly on the prairie like this every day, I abandoned my beliefs, but thought I was living a chic life, it's time for me to reflect on it!

When I was thinking about these things painfully, Uncle Zaximu and his wife had already worshiped the mani pile.The nearby stones were almost piled up by passers-by, so Aunt Tashimu tore off a strand of her own hair and added it to the Mani pile.

When I returned to the prairie again, I saw that Uncle Zhaximu’s family had moved back again. Several families were a little surprised, but they were still very welcome. They helped Zhaximu’s family set up a tent, and some even brought daily necessities.

I went back to Uncle Duoji's house to see Dahei, who was resting on the carpet with half-closed eyes.As soon as he heard me coming back, he immediately opened his eyes wide, glanced at me twice, and saw that I came back safe and sound, then closed his eyes and dozed off again.I know that Dahei is not actually asleep, she always keeps her eyes half closed like this, and when she hears any movement, she will immediately open her eyes with bright eyes, she is still so majestic.

I gave the things I bought back to Uncle Duoji.Uncle Duoji said: "Xiao Bing, I picked a few ewes in the pen, and they all have cubs, and they will be able to go down after winter. You can send them to Tashimu's house in a while."

(End of this chapter)