Little Halfbreed fell silent and dejectedly poked the burning twigs with a short wooden stick. Beyond the circle of light, sheep snorted in high pitched tones, like those uttered by women. An ox occasionally thrust its head into the illuminated area. Its erect horns and piercing eyes were rather frightening.

　　The cassavas gave out a very nice smell. Little Halfbreed again asked, "Have you really seen the Grey Wolf?"

　　With a cruel and contemptuous expression on his face, the dark man fixed his eyes on Little Halfbreed. His chin was ashen and pointed, as sharp as an iron axe.

　　I asked my grandfather if he had ever seen the Grey Wolf. The bonfire cast a golden glow on his face. In the distance, both to the south and the north, columns of flame reached to the sky. Even from where we were, we could smell molten steel.

　　"Let's make a fire, too!" I tell my grandson. His parents were blown away by a twister more than a month ago and no one knows where they might have landed. But I believe that they will come back. The blind fortune-teller, Wang, also says that they will come back. My grandson asks me with a pitiful voice, "Is there really such a thing as the Grey Wolf, Grandpa?"

　　...... Because they had frightened the Grey Wolf, it flew away, brushing the tips of the bushes with its long tails like a comet. The tree gave off an intoxicating scent which the young horse detected. She remarked fatuously, "Little Brother, how sweet the fragrance is." The boy was also overcome by the scent. He hugged the neck of the red horse. In a way, it was hugging his own mother; yet in another sense it wasn't. During those days, the young horse gradually came to know the meanings of love--At the very moment when she had lowered her tail for the boy to clutch, timid love had swelled in her like a mushroom. She said," Elder brother, when we reach the other side, let's be husband and wife." The boy kissed her ears, eyes and heavy mane. Sweet saliva dripped from his mouth. Her eyes filling with tears, the young horse whispered, "Elder brother, I have been waiting for you a long time. I have one request. That is, never use the word 'ma (horse)" 2 after we become husband and wife." The boy quickly consented. The young horse continued, "Elder brother, please close your eyes!" The boy closed his eyes and heard a loud, clear neigh from the horse. When he opened his eyes, he found standing before him a sweet, charming maiden. She had long, reddish-gold hair, heavy as a horse's mane, blue eyes as limpid as a precious stone in the water, and tender lips tempting whoever set eyes on them to kiss them. The boy almost asked if she was the horse, but remembered his promise just in time. "Elder brother, my name is Grass Fragrance," said the maiden. That night the boy and Grass Fragrance became husband and wife under the tree of fragrant musk. We need not tell what else happened that night. The next day, the husband and the wife continued on their journey through the marsh, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. After many difficulties and hardships, they at last arrived at this place ......

2. In the Chinese language, "horse 瀧" and "mother 第" are homophones, both being pronounced as "ma". It is author's intention to make a pun on the two homophones.