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Fiction

Vengeance

By Norov Dalkhaa
Translated from Mongolian by Sainbayar Gundsambuu & KG Hutchins
In "Vengeance," Norov Dalkhaa weaves a Mongolian Buddhist folk legend that dogs have the reincarnated souls of humans into an urban parable of sex, jealousy, and violence.
Listen to Norov Dalkhaa read "Vengeance" in the original Mongolian
 
 

The black dog’s large brown eyes drew Chuluun’s attention. They didn’t seem to be dog’s eyes at all. The dog stared at Demchig, not even moving when Chuluun waved his hands and feet at it. Uzmee looked as fragile as fine china as she sat next to Demchig. Each time he touched her hair, or touched her beautiful white hands, or touched the food and drink on the table, the black dog’s hackles rose and its lip and whiskers quivered. But it never let out a growl. Occasionally the dog’s gaze would drift up behind Demchig, to a picture affixed to the center of a tapestry adorned with a ceremonial blue silk scarf.

Although the dog’s whiskers and eyebrows, even its eyes, expressed a decisive fierceness, a slight smile about the lips made it seem harmless. When the dog looked up at the portrait of the deceased, its pupils dilated and the fierceness in its eyes softened. After a moment, the dog started, and its pupil quickly contracted to the size of a needle’s eye. It resumed glaring at Demchig with a piercing gaze full of fire.

These were not the eyes of a dog. These were human eyes. Dogs don’t have eyes like these. Chuluun knew well that even when dogs beg for food or affection, or when they protect their owners and become aggressive, they never have eyes that look like this. As Chuluun glanced over at the dog, a chill went down his spine. Not knowing what else to do, he put a little bit of brown sugar in front of the dog, who sniffed it deeply. But again it pierced Demchig with its horrible glare. Chuluun pulled the dog close to himself.

“Look at that dog’s eyes,” Chuluun whispered as he shook his fist at the dog.

“Let’s go,” Chuluun whispered.

“If my daughter and son-in-law separate, there’s no way I can keep living comfortably in this house. All I’ll have is this poor dog to keep me company. I’ve waited desperately for you to come with me and now there is nothing to fear. Surely you will come with me?” Uzmee said softly.

“Of course I’ll come,” Demchig said, laughing heartily. He rubbed her eyelash with his thumb. Demchig was truly convincing  when he went on to say, “I wasn’t just waiting around for your husband to die like a buzzard waiting for a field mouse.”

“You are afraid for no reason. You weren’t afraid while he was alive—” Uzmee started, but Demchig interrupted her.

“Never mind that, darling. Now whenever I come over, you never let me leave,” he said as he caressed her. Struck by a bittersweet memory, the woman bowed her head slightly in shame.

“You wish,” she whispered softly.

“We have to do something about this dog. Is there a muzzle?” Demchig said.

“What are you going to do?” the woman exclaimed.

“The dog needs to get used to me. Otherwise . . . well, just look at those eyes.”

“I know . . . how frightening.”

“OK, quickly . . . Find me that muzzle!”

“But I . . .” the woman hesitated meekly.

“It’s OK my dear, just be patient for a couple of days. Together you, me, and this puppy will be a family; soon the dog will even be bringing us our slippers. It will never even utter a growl.” Demchig grabbed the dog. The woman fetched the muzzle and showed him how to put it on the dog and shed a single tear. Demchig and Chuluun left the woman.

Demchig went straight home from there, but he didn’t bring in the dog. He put some things in a duffel bag and threw it in the back seat next to the dog.

“We’re going hunting. Hunting at night can be nice,” Demchig chortled.

He is talking about making some money by giving people rides along the way. And he prefers his partner to be a dog, rather than a person, Chuluun thought. But Demchig went straight to the edge of town instead of going through downtown, where all the potential passengers would be. Chuluun wondered about that. The dog with the staring gaze sat in the back seat. Every so often he would catch a glimpse of its flaming eyes reflected in the rearview mirror. A shiver went down his spine.

They left the city and drove off the road for a while, stopping at the edge of the forest. Chuluun wondered why they stopped there, but didn’t ask. He didn’t like to ask questions. He had an unusually cold, bad gut feeling. But he didn’t move, didn’t say anything. He just sat in the passenger seat.

Demchig took the dog and the bag out of the car and brought them into the headlights. He tied a wire leash to the dog’s neck and pulled. The dog resisted and Demchig kicked it, causing it to jump. He pulled the dog through the snow and tied it to a spruce tree. All of this unfolded in the bright gleam of the headlights. The dog refused to make a sound until Demchig’s kicks broke its ribs. Tied up there, the dog looked beautiful. It stood tall like a lion with a chest full of fur and a short tail, ears standing up half a foot. Though it was favoring its injured side, it stood firmly, its eyes blazing like fire. The leash came loose, but the dog stood still, though not for the hope of love or mercy. Demchig took a rifle out of the bag, assembled it, and loaded it. Then he propped it on the open door and aimed.

Those two fierce eyes . . . I’ll shoot them out, he thought.

Right as he thought that, he heard a low growl. Chuluun watched that brave animal standing, ready to die. Demchig fired, and the dog’s legs spread out below it out in four directions. The blue light in the dog’s angry, blazing eyes guttered out. Demchig jumped up with a knife in hand. He ran up to the dog, laughing to himself, and cut the wire leash. He cut off the dog’s tail and muttered, “be reborn as a human.” With the bloody knife and his bare hand, he dug up snow and threw the dog in the hole, poured gas over the carcass, and lit it on fire. Afterward he sat and shivered in the car. He furtively opened a bottle of vodka and began to drink. The glass clinked against his teeth. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he let out a long sigh.

“Poor Uzmee, I took vengeance on your husband!” Demchig screamed. They turned off the headlights and stayed in the car for a while without making a sound. The brave dog’s blood soaked the snow, his corpse smoldering.

Finally Chuluun asked, “What will you tell Uzmee?”

“I won’t be seeing her,”  he answered.


From
© Norov Dalkhaa. By arrangement with the author. Translation © 2018 by Sainbayar Gundsambuu and KG Hutchins. All rights reserved.

English Mongolian (Original)

The black dog’s large brown eyes drew Chuluun’s attention. They didn’t seem to be dog’s eyes at all. The dog stared at Demchig, not even moving when Chuluun waved his hands and feet at it. Uzmee looked as fragile as fine china as she sat next to Demchig. Each time he touched her hair, or touched her beautiful white hands, or touched the food and drink on the table, the black dog’s hackles rose and its lip and whiskers quivered. But it never let out a growl. Occasionally the dog’s gaze would drift up behind Demchig, to a picture affixed to the center of a tapestry adorned with a ceremonial blue silk scarf.

Although the dog’s whiskers and eyebrows, even its eyes, expressed a decisive fierceness, a slight smile about the lips made it seem harmless. When the dog looked up at the portrait of the deceased, its pupils dilated and the fierceness in its eyes softened. After a moment, the dog started, and its pupil quickly contracted to the size of a needle’s eye. It resumed glaring at Demchig with a piercing gaze full of fire.

These were not the eyes of a dog. These were human eyes. Dogs don’t have eyes like these. Chuluun knew well that even when dogs beg for food or affection, or when they protect their owners and become aggressive, they never have eyes that look like this. As Chuluun glanced over at the dog, a chill went down his spine. Not knowing what else to do, he put a little bit of brown sugar in front of the dog, who sniffed it deeply. But again it pierced Demchig with its horrible glare. Chuluun pulled the dog close to himself.

“Look at that dog’s eyes,” Chuluun whispered as he shook his fist at the dog.

“Let’s go,” Chuluun whispered.

“If my daughter and son-in-law separate, there’s no way I can keep living comfortably in this house. All I’ll have is this poor dog to keep me company. I’ve waited desperately for you to come with me and now there is nothing to fear. Surely you will come with me?” Uzmee said softly.

“Of course I’ll come,” Demchig said, laughing heartily. He rubbed her eyelash with his thumb. Demchig was truly convincing  when he went on to say, “I wasn’t just waiting around for your husband to die like a buzzard waiting for a field mouse.”

“You are afraid for no reason. You weren’t afraid while he was alive—” Uzmee started, but Demchig interrupted her.

“Never mind that, darling. Now whenever I come over, you never let me leave,” he said as he caressed her. Struck by a bittersweet memory, the woman bowed her head slightly in shame.

“You wish,” she whispered softly.

“We have to do something about this dog. Is there a muzzle?” Demchig said.

“What are you going to do?” the woman exclaimed.

“The dog needs to get used to me. Otherwise . . . well, just look at those eyes.”

“I know . . . how frightening.”

“OK, quickly . . . Find me that muzzle!”

“But I . . .” the woman hesitated meekly.

“It’s OK my dear, just be patient for a couple of days. Together you, me, and this puppy will be a family; soon the dog will even be bringing us our slippers. It will never even utter a growl.” Demchig grabbed the dog. The woman fetched the muzzle and showed him how to put it on the dog and shed a single tear. Demchig and Chuluun left the woman.

Demchig went straight home from there, but he didn’t bring in the dog. He put some things in a duffel bag and threw it in the back seat next to the dog.

“We’re going hunting. Hunting at night can be nice,” Demchig chortled.

He is talking about making some money by giving people rides along the way. And he prefers his partner to be a dog, rather than a person, Chuluun thought. But Demchig went straight to the edge of town instead of going through downtown, where all the potential passengers would be. Chuluun wondered about that. The dog with the staring gaze sat in the back seat. Every so often he would catch a glimpse of its flaming eyes reflected in the rearview mirror. A shiver went down his spine.

They left the city and drove off the road for a while, stopping at the edge of the forest. Chuluun wondered why they stopped there, but didn’t ask. He didn’t like to ask questions. He had an unusually cold, bad gut feeling. But he didn’t move, didn’t say anything. He just sat in the passenger seat.

Demchig took the dog and the bag out of the car and brought them into the headlights. He tied a wire leash to the dog’s neck and pulled. The dog resisted and Demchig kicked it, causing it to jump. He pulled the dog through the snow and tied it to a spruce tree. All of this unfolded in the bright gleam of the headlights. The dog refused to make a sound until Demchig’s kicks broke its ribs. Tied up there, the dog looked beautiful. It stood tall like a lion with a chest full of fur and a short tail, ears standing up half a foot. Though it was favoring its injured side, it stood firmly, its eyes blazing like fire. The leash came loose, but the dog stood still, though not for the hope of love or mercy. Demchig took a rifle out of the bag, assembled it, and loaded it. Then he propped it on the open door and aimed.

Those two fierce eyes . . . I’ll shoot them out, he thought.

Right as he thought that, he heard a low growl. Chuluun watched that brave animal standing, ready to die. Demchig fired, and the dog’s legs spread out below it out in four directions. The blue light in the dog’s angry, blazing eyes guttered out. Demchig jumped up with a knife in hand. He ran up to the dog, laughing to himself, and cut the wire leash. He cut off the dog’s tail and muttered, “be reborn as a human.” With the bloody knife and his bare hand, he dug up snow and threw the dog in the hole, poured gas over the carcass, and lit it on fire. Afterward he sat and shivered in the car. He furtively opened a bottle of vodka and began to drink. The glass clinked against his teeth. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he let out a long sigh.

“Poor Uzmee, I took vengeance on your husband!” Demchig screamed. They turned off the headlights and stayed in the car for a while without making a sound. The brave dog’s blood soaked the snow, his corpse smoldering.

Finally Chuluun asked, “What will you tell Uzmee?”

“I won’t be seeing her,”  he answered.


From
© Norov Dalkhaa. By arrangement with the author. Translation © 2018 by Sainbayar Gundsambuu and KG Hutchins. All rights reserved.

Хонзон

Явган ширээн доор хэвтээд халз өмнөөс ширтэн байгаа хар нохойн, том хүрэн нүдийг Чулуун сая л анзаарлаа. Yл цавчрах тэр нүд, нохойн нүд огт биш байлаа. Тэр нохой Чулууныг гар, хөлөө хөдөлгөх төдийд хяламхийвч Дэмчигийг ширтээстэй, ер үл хөдлөх аж. Дэмчиг, буйданд зэрэгцэн суусан гангар шаазан шиг хэврэг цагаан бүсгүйн санчигны үсийг илбэн аргадах юмуу, булцгар цагаан гарыг барих, эсвэл ширээнээ өрсөн мэдээ сархдад хүрэх тоолонд хар нохойн сэрвээний зогдор босож, уруул жавьж нь татваганан, сахал нь чичигнэнэ. Гэвч архирч дуугарсангүй. Нохой хааяа дээш үл мэдэг харц өргөхийг үзвэл Дэмчигийн чанх ард, хивс голлуулан зүүж, урт цэнхэр хадаг дамнуулан тохсон, гуутай зургийг харах бололтой.

Yс сахал, хөмсөг, нүд нь хүртэл ширүүн догшин, эрс шийдэмгий төрхийг илтгэвч, жавьжиндаа тодруулсан үл мэдэг инээвхийллээр эерүүлэхийг хичээсэн мэт үзэгдэх, талийгаачийн энэ хөргийг харах бүрдээ нохойн нүдний аймшигт харц хачин зөөлрен тунарч, хүүхэн хараа нь томрон бүүдийвч, агшны дараа цочих мэт сэртэсхийн, хүүхэн хараа нь зүүний сүвэгч төдий болтол нарийсан, галаар цоргих мэт болж, Дэмчиг дээр гөлрөн тогтох ажгуу.

Энэ бол нохойн нүд биш, хүний нүд байлаа. Нохой ийм нүдтэй байдаггүй юм. Хоол горьдон эрхлэвч, гэрээ харамлан дошгировч, хүн шиг харцтай байдаггүйг Чулуун сайн мэднэ. Зэрвэсхэн харц нь тусах төдийд Чулууны нуруу хүйт оргин байлаа. Арга ядахдаа Чулуун бор бурамны хэлтэрхий өгч, аргадаж үзэхэд сайтар шиншилснээ аваад өмнөө тавьчихав. Чингээд мөнөөх аймшигт үзэн ядах харцаараа Дэмчигийг цоргих нь тэр. Чулуун Дэмчигийг өөр рүүгээ татаад
– Чи энэ нохойн нүдийг хараач! гэж шивэгнэхэд цаадах нь нэг сүрхий харснаа гар занган ярвасхийв. Гэвч Чулуун “явъя аа!” гэж шивэгнэж амжив.
– Охин хүргэн хоёр маань ирж хань болдоггүй бол ч энэ ханхай байшинд тогтож суухын арга алга байна шүү. Энэ муу нохой л оровч гаравч дэргэд байдаг юм. Чамайг ороод ирэх байх гэж цөхөртлөө хүлээлээ, Одоо айх эмээх юмгүй болсон юм чинь, ирж байна биз дээ гэж хүүхэн намуухан ярив.

– Ирэхээр ч барахгүй шүү гээд Дэмчиг зоригоор инээд алдсанаа бүсгүйн чийгт сормуусыг эрхийгээр илбэн арчаад
– Yлий сахисан сар шиг, үхэхийг нь хүлээж байж дээ гэж чамайг зэвүүцэх болов уу гэсэндээ л ирээгүй юм гэх Дэмчигийн үг энэ удаа харин үнэмшилтэй сонсогдов.
– Айхгүй юмнаасаа айж дээ, чи минь. Талийгаачийг байхад айгаагүй өдий хүрсэн … гэтэл Дэмчиг үгийг нь тасалж
– Тэр яахав найз аа. Одоо харин намайг хэзээ ч ирсэн хөөхгүй юм байгаа биз дээ гээд гарыг нь илэв. Бүсгүй гашуун боловч тааламжит дурдатгалаа санан ялимгүй ичингүйрэн духайснаа
– Чиний л дураар болдог шүү дээ гэж аяархан хэлэв.
– За тэгвэл болох нь тэр. Харин одоо энэ нохойг чинь бид аваад явъя. Хошуувч бий юу? гэж Дэмчиг дуугарав.

– Яах гэж? хэмээн бүсгүй гайхав
– Өөртөө дасгая. Тэгэхгүй бол … Чи нүдийг нь хар даа
– Нээрэн…ямар аймаар болчихоо вэ
– За түргэл…Хошуувчийг нь олж хий!
– Тэгээд би,..гэж бүсгүй тээнэгэлзэн, дорой дуугарвал
– Зүгээр, миний найз, нэг хоёр хоног тэвч! Бид хоёр эзэн, эрх хав хоёр болчихоод л ороод ирнэ.Тэр бүү хэл улавч авчирч өгдөг болгоно
Тэр гурав үнсэлцээд салав. Дэмчиг хар нохойг тэвэрч, бүсгүй хооллох салхинд гаргахыг зааварласаар доголон нулимстай хоцров.

Тэндээс Дэмчиг шууд гэртээ очсон боловч нохойг авсангүй. Төдөлгүй гонжгор хүүдийтэй юмс авчирч арын суудал дээр, нохойн дэргэд шидээд жолооны ард суух зуур
– Ан хийнэ ээ хө. Шөнийн анч сайхан шүү гээд инээд алдав. Хүн зөөн мөнгө олохоо л хэлж байна даа гэж Чулуун бодов. Бас хүнээр биш нохойгоор хань хийх нь ашигтай болохыг тооцож дээ хэмээн бодол зэхийрч явав. Гэвч Дэмчиг зорчигч арвинтай хотын төв рүү бус, харин хотын зах руу шууд давхихад баахан гайхаж бас арын суудал дээр яваа хар нохойн харц ширгээж, оч хаялсан нүд урд толинд үе үе тусан, ар шил рүү хүйт даалгахыг мэдэрсээр явлаа.

Чингэж давхисаар хотоос гарч хэрмэл бүдэг харгуй дагасаар ойн захад хүрээд зогсоход Чулуун гайхахын ихээр гайхавч асууж шалгаасангүй. Тэр бол ерөөс байхын бараа болж яваа хүн. Асууж шалгаах ч дургүй юм. Басхүү нэгэн ер бус хүйтэн зөн совинд автчихаад, дуугарах ч үгүй, хөдлөх ч үгүй, урд суудалд дөмбийж байв

Дэмчиг, хар нохой, гонжгор хүүдийтэй юм хоёрыг чирэн буулгаж, машиныхаа гэрэлд очив Нэг үзтэл мөнөөх бяцхан нохойн хүзүүвчнээс төмөр утсаар оосорлон чирч байв. Уллан цахдахад нь эргэж ирээд үсэртэл өшиглөв. Босч ирэхэд нь дахин нэг хийстэл өшиглөөд цасан дундуур чирсээр гэрлийн гол тусгал дахь зулзаган гацуурын дэргэд очиж, нохойг уяв. Пудль хэмээгч тэр өчүүхэн амьтан хавиргаа хэмхэртэл хэд өшиглүүлэхдээ ядаж ганц ганхийсэнгүй. Уяулчихаад зогсож байхдаа хичнээн хөөрхөн харагдсан гэхэв. Арслан мэт босоо өрөвлөгтэй цээж битүү зогдортой бас эрхийн чинээ модгор сүүлтэй, төө хирийн далбагар чихтэй юм. Паацгар дөрвөн хөлөөрөө бат уллан, нааш эгц харан зогсоход хоёр нүднээс нь гал дүрэлзэж байлаа. Уяанаас алдуурах гэж, хайр ивээл гуйж элдэв хоёр болсонгүй, таг зогсож байлаа. Дэмчиг гонжгор уутнаас эвхдэг буу гарган угсарч, сумлаад, дэлгээтэй хаалган дээр тальбан шагайснаа
– Хажуудаа нүдтэй новш чинь … Уг нь тэр хоёр сүрхий нүдийг нь нэвт буудъя гэж бодсон юм.

Тэгвэл яг дунд нь … хэмээн үглэн чичигнэв. Чулуун гэр эрэлхэг бяцхан амьтны үхлээ хүлээн тайван зогсохыг харж байлаа. Буу тас хийхэд нохой татваганасхийснээ дөрвөн хөл нь дөрвөн тийш сарвайн жийж, хилэнгийн гал дүрэлзсэн нүд нь аажмаар цогшин унтраад хөх гэрэл гаргаснаа тэгээд таг болов. Дэмчиг том хутга барьсаар сандчин гүйж, төмөр утсыг хутгаар хэрчих гэж оролдоод өөрийгээ шоолон инээд алдаж тас цавчжээ. Бас хуруун чинээ сүүлийгнь цавчин авч, “хүн болж төр” гэж шившив бололтой хол шидэв. Чингээд цустай хутга гар хоёроор цас малтан нохойг хийв. Дээрээс нь лонх бензин асгаж гал тавиад машиндаа ирж суухад хамаг бие нь дагжин чичирч байлаа. Шил архины бөглөөг арай ядан онгойлгож амаар нь хөнтрөхөд шүд шил хоёр харшин тачигнаж сонсогдоно. Тэгээд ихээр амьсгаа түрж, духны хөлсийг арчихад
– Yзмээд чи юу гэж хэлнэ дээ? гэж эцэст Чулуун ам нээв.
– Очихгүй юм чинь гэж Дэмчиг хариулжээ.

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