Hacim
Rizvani from Djurdjeviste, village on the western slope of Sara, remembers
one morning of February 1976, cold and misty, like day of its rebirth.
This shepherd and his herd always were accompanied in the mountain by
Meca, powerful and experienced female, which had already several encounters
with the wolves, largest enemy for the man and the cattle on Sara. Also
with them were Murdzo and Karaman, Sarplaninci of pure breed. From time
to time, the dogs raised the muzzles in the air, as to seek an odour that
only they knew. The herd of 250 sheep was lead by two rams with big horns,
which, suddenly, started nervously to shake their heads.
- I knew that something was not normal, Hacim Rizvani said - and I did
not wish to continue further. I raised the arm and gave the signal to
the dogs to stop the herd.
The dogs of Hacim were trained to know without fault what each movement
of their Master meant: if he raised the left or right hand, if the arm
is up or horizontal.
On his order, without word, Meca, Murdzo and Karaman started to bark and
collected the herd.
- Meca, the experienced one, ran quickly and lay down near my feet - Hacim
remembers.
It posed its head on his legs, but its piercing look was directed towards
the herd. The sheep bleated and piled up, with low heads. It is said that
they behave like that when they are jealous, when they have lambs, but
I knew that now it was another problem. Little after the dogs started
to howl, only briefly and then started to run around, worried. Lead by
the rams, the sheep like a very large white cloud start to run beside
me and the dogs could not stop them. Suddenly the first terrifying howl
sounded and then a prolonged howl: I understood that we were attacked
by a horde of hungry wolves. I knew that for Meca, Murdzo and Karaman
the fight for the life or death was close. The reason is that the wolf
is sometimes more crafty than the fox. When it is hungry, it can very
quickly cut the throat of up to twenty sheep and being satisfied by only
drinking their blood.
Hacim did not think that he himself would have to fight for life or death.
Feeling that it can easily reach the prey, a large wolf left the forest
and ran towards the sheep. However, when it saw the man right behind the
herd, it ran towards him.
Like in the fever, the shepherd tried at the beginning to keep the wolf
away with his stick. The famished and persistent beast nevertheless succeeded
into grab his right arm, in which he held the shepherd's crook. The arm
became blue and started to swell. He was quickly losing the power and
due to pain he started to faint. He fell while bleeding. He in vain tried
to rise. It is the end, he thought. At the same time, at the edge of unconsciousness,
he saw that something bulky, greyish was running towards him. Another
wolf, he was shivering. It was however the bitch Meca. She realized that
her Master is in the life danger and it flew to his help.
– She was running around the wolf - all in emotion continues Hacim
- by seeking the best moment to attack the wolf. When the wolf again moved
towards me and when again I looked the death in the eye, the large body
of Meca bend in the arc and she planted her teeth in the neck of the wolf,
without hesitation. The beast howled in pain and turned in circles, while
trying to take from him Meca. Suddenly Murdzo and Karaman were here. And
after a short growl they courageously threw themselves on the wolf. In
this mould of four strong and furious animals, the wolf succeeded to catch
Murdzo with its teeth and he fell next to me, looking at me for the last
time. Of his torn neck blood was running.
During that time Meca, with assistance of Karaman continued to fight against
the wolf, until they defeated the attacker. The herd and the master were
once again protected and saved.
|