死去的斗牛
――大凉山斗牛的故事之二

你竟可以把他消灭掉，却就是打不败他。
                     ――欧内斯特•海明威

在一个人们
  熟睡的深夜
它有气无力地躺在牛栏里
等待着那死亡的来临
一双微睁着的眼
充满了哀伤和绝望

但就在这时它仿佛听见
在那远方的原野上
在那昔日的斗牛场
有一条强壮的斗牛向它呼叫
用挑战的口气
喊着它早已被遗忘的名字
戏弄着它，侮辱着它，咒骂着它
也就在这瞬间，它感到
有一种野性的刺激在燃烧
于是，它疯狂地向那熟悉的原野奔去
就在它冲去的地方
栅栏付出垮掉的声音
小树发出断裂的声音
岩石发出撞击的声音
土地发出刺破的声音

当太阳升起的时候
在多雾的早晨
人们发现那条斗牛死了
在那昔日的斗牛场
它的角深深地扎进了泥土
全身就像被刀砍过的一样
只是它的那双还睁着的眼睛
流露出一种高傲而满足的微笑

The Dead Fighting Bull

A man can be destroyed but not defeated
------Ernest Hemingway

In the dead of one night
When everyone was fast asleep
He lay feebly in the pen
Waiting for the arrival of death
His slightly open eyes
Filled with sorrow and despair

Just then he seemed to hear
From the distant champaign
On the former fighting arena
A burly fighting bull challenging him
In a provocative tone
Calling his long-forgotten name
Teasing him, insulting him and cursing him
Right on that instant, he felt
Stung and burnt with savagery
So he dashed wildly towards the familiar fields
Along the course of his forward charge came
The sound of the collapsing pen
The sound of the snapping young trees
The sound of smashing rocks
And the sound of the pierced earth

When the sun rose
In the foggy morning
The fighting bull was found dead
On his former fighting arena
His horns stabbed deep into the earth
His body covered all over with cuts
Only his eyes remained open
Glinting with a haungty and contented smile