棒子文学网>指向死亡的微灯 > 老虎老虎 TigerTiger（第2页）
老虎老虎 TigerTiger（第2页）
BuldeolainihathadcarriedawayMessua’ssonwasaghost-tiger，andhisbodywasiheghostofawioney-lender，whohaddiedso。“AndIknowthatthisistrue，”hesaid，“becausePurunDassaledfromtheblowthathegotinariotwhenhisatbookswereburhetigerthatIspeakofhelimps，too，forthetracksofhispadsareunequal。”
&hatmustbethetruth，”saidthegray-beards，noddiher。
&hesetalessuchdmoontalk？”saidMowgli。“Thattigerlimpsbecausehewasbornlame，aseveryootalkofthesoulofamoney-lenderiheceofajackalischild’stalk。”
Buldeoeechlesswithsurpriseforamoment，aared。
“Oho！Itistheju，isit？”saidBuldeo。“Ifthouartsowise，betterbringhishidetoKhanhiwara，foverhassetahundredrupeesoerstill，talkhyeldersspeak。”
Mo。“AlltheeveningIhavelaiening，”hecalledbackoverhisshoulder，“aowice，Buldeohasnotsaidonewordoftruthgthejungle，whichisathisverydoors。How，then，shallIbelievethetalesofghostsandgodsandgoblinswhichhesayshehasseen？”
“Itisfulltimethatboywentt，”saidthehead-man，whileBuldeopuffedaMowgli’simpertinence。
&omofmostIndianvillagesisforafewboystotakethedbuffaloesouttograzeintheearlym，andbritlethatleawhitemahallowthemselvestobebangedandbulliedabythathardlyeuptotheirnoses。Solongastheboyskeepwiththeherdstheyaresafe，forigerwillchargeamobofcattle。Butiftheystraggletopickflowersorhuntlizards，theyaresometimesowgliwentthroughthevillagestreetinthedawn，sittingonthebaa，thegreatherdbull。Theslaty-bluebuffaloes，withtheirlong，backinghornsandsavageeyes，roseouttheirbyres，onebyone，andfollowedhim，andMowglimadeitverycleartothewithhimthathewasthemaster。Hebeatthebuffaloesolishedbamboo，andtoldKamya，oograzethecattlebythemselves，iththebuffaloes，andtobeveryottostrayawayfromtheherd。
AnIndiangrazinggroundisallrodsdtussodlittleravines，amongwhichtheherdssddisappear。Thebuffaloesgehepoolsandmuddyplaces，wheretheyliewallinthewarmmudflidrovethemoheplaiheWainguhejuhenhedroppedfromRama’sedofftoabamboodfoundGrayBrother。“Ah，”saidGrayBrother，“Ihavewaitedhereverymanydays。Whatisthemeaningofthiscattle-herdingwork？”
“Itisanorder，”saidMowgli。“IamavillageherdforasofShereKhan？”
“Hehasebacktothistry，andhaswaitedherealohee。Nowhehasgoneoffagain，fameisscarce。Buthemeanstokillthee。”
“Verygood，”saidMowgli。“Solongasheisawaydothouorohefourbrotherssitonthatrock，sothatIseetheeasIeoutofthevillage。WhenheesbaeintheravireeiheplaiwalkintoShereKhan’smouth。”
ThenMowglipickedoutashadypladlaydotwhilethebuffaloesgrazedroundhim。HerdinginIndiaisothihecattlemoveanddliedown，andmoveonagaievenlow。Theyonlygrunt，andthebuffaloesveryseldomsayanythidownintothemuddypoolsoher，andworktheirwayiillonlytheiraringa-blueeyesshowabovethesurfadthentheylielikelogs。Thesuherotheheat，andtheherdhearoe（neveralingalmostoutofsightoverhead，ahatiftheydied，oracowdied，thatkiteemilesawaywouldseehimdropandfollow，ahe，andalmostbeforetheyweredeadtherewouldbeascrykiteseoutofheysleepandagailebasketsrassandputgrasshoppersichtwmantisesahemfight;anecklaceofredandblaglenuts;orwatchalizardbaskingonarock，orasingafroghewallows。Thentheysinglong，longsongswithoddnativequaversattheehedayseemslohanmostpeople’swholelives，aheymakeamudcastlewithmudfiguresofmenandhorsesandbuffaloes，ahemen’shands，aheyarekingsandthefiguresaretheirarmies，orthattheyaregodstobeworshiped。Thenevehedthebuffaloeslumberupoutofthestickymudwithnoiseslikegunshotsgoiheother，aringacrossthegrayplainbacktothetwinklis。
DayafterdayMowgliwouldleadthebuffaloesouttotheirwallows，anddayafterdayhewouldseeGrayBrother’sbackamileandahalfawayacrosstheplaihatShereKhanhadnotebaddayafterdayhewouldlieonthegrasslisteningtothenoisesroundhim，anddreamingofolddaysinthejungle。IfShereKhanhadmadeafalsestepwithhislamepawupinthejuheWaingunga，Mowgliwouldhaveheardhimiillms。
AtlastadayhedidnotseeGrayBrotheratthesignalpladhelaughedahebuffaloesfortheraviree，whichwasallcolden-redflowers。TheresatGrayBrother，everybristleonhisbacklifted。
“Hehashiddenforamonthtothrowtheeoffthyguard。HecrossedtheranightwithTabaqui，hot-footonthytrail，”saidthe>
Mowglifrowned。“IamnotafraidofShereKhan，butTabaquiisveryg。”
“HavenrayBrhislipsalittle。“ImetTabaquiinthedawellingallhiswisdomtothekites，buthetoldmeeverythingbeforeIbrokehisback。ShereKhan’splanistowaitfortheeatthevillagegatethisevening-fortheeandfornooneelse。Heislyingupnow，inthebigdryravihe>
“Hasheeatentoday，ordoeshehuy？”saidMowgli，forthealifeaohim。
“Hekilledatdaig，-andhehasdrunktoo。Remember，ShereKha，evenforthesakee。”
“Oh！Fool，fool！Whatacub’scubitis！Eatenanddrunktoo，ahatIshallwaittillhehasslept！Now，wheredoeshelieup？Iftherewerebuttepullhimdowhesebuffaloeswillheywindhim，andIotspeaktheirlanguage。wegetbehindhistracksothattheymaysmellit？”
“HeswamfardowntheWaingungatocutthatoff，”saidGrayBrother。
“Tabaquitoldhimthat，Iknow。Hewouldofitalone。”Mowglistoodwithhisfingerinhismouth，thinking。“Thebigraviheensoutontheplainnothalfamilefromhere。Itaketheherdrhthejuheheadoftheravihensweepdown-buthewouldslinkoutatthefoot。Wemustblod。GrayBrother，stthoucuttheherdintwoforme？”
“Ihavebroughtawisehelper。”GrayBrothertrottedoffaoahole。TheedupahugegrayheadthatMoell，aairwasfilledwiththemostdesolatecryofallthejuinghowlofawolfatmidday。
“Akela！Akela！”saidMoinghishands。“Imighthaveknownthatthouwouldstme。Wehaveabigworkinhand。Cuttheherdintthedcalvestogether，andthebullsandtheplowbuffaloesbythemselves。”
&wowolvesran，ladies’fashion，inandoutoftheherd，whiortedashead，aedintotwoohecow-buffaloesstoodwiththeirthedglaredandpawed，ready，ifawolfwouldonlystaystill，tedolethelifeoutofhim。Ihebullsandtheyoungbullssamped，butthoughtheylookedmoreimposingtheyweremuchlessdangerous，fortheyhadeencouldhavedividedtheherdsoly。
“Whatorders！”paheyaretryingtojoinagain。”
MowglislippedontoRama’sback。“Drivethebullsawaytotheleft，Akela。GrayBrother，whenwearegohecowstogether，aothefootoftheravine。”
“HrayBrandsnapping。
“TillthesidesarehigherthanShereKhanjump，”shoutedMowgli。“Keepthemtheretillweedown。”ThebullssweptoffasAkelabayed，andGrayBrotherstoppedinfrohey，abeforethemtothefootoftheravine，asAkeladrovethebullsfartotheleft。
“Welldoherdtheyarefairlystarted。ow-careful，Akela。Asnaptoomudthebullswillcharge。Hujah！Thisiswilderworkthandrivingblack-buck。Didstthouthiuresovesoswiftly？”Mo>
“Ihave……havehuooinmytime，”gaspedAkelai。“ShallIturhejungle？”
“Ay！Turn。Swiftlyturnthem！Ramaismadwithrage。Oh，ifIlytellhimwhatIneedofhimtoday。”
Thebullswereturherightthistime，ahestandiherherd，watgwiththecattlehalfamileaway，hurriedtothevillageasfastastheirlegscouldcarrythem，gthatthebuffaloeshadgonemadandruna>
ButMowgli’splanleenough。AllhewaodowastomakeabigcircleuphillaheheadoftheravihehebullsdownitandcatchShereKhahebullsandthecows;forhekafteramealandafulldrinkShereKhanwouldnotbeinanytofightortoclamberupthesidesoftheravihingthebuffaloesnowbyvoidAkelahaddroppedfartotherear，onlywhimperiwicetohurrytherear-guard。Itwasalong，loheydidnotwishtogettooheravineandgiveShereKhanwarning。AtlastMowglirouhebewilderedherdattheheadoftheravineonagrassypatchthatslopedsteeplydowntotheraviself。FromthatheightyoucouldseeacrossthetopsofthetreesdowntotheplaiwhatMowglilookedatwasthesidesoftheravihagreatdealofsatisfathattheyraraightupanddowhevinesahuhemwouldgivenofootholdtoatigerwhowa。
&hembreathe，Akela，”hesaid，holdinguphishand。“Theyhave。Letthembreathe。ImusttellShereKhanwhoes。Wehavehimirap。”
&hishandstohismouthaheraviwasalmostlikeshoutingdowheepedfromrocktorock。
Afteraloherecamebackthedrawling，sleepysnarlofafull-fedtigerjust>
