LES MONTAGNES SERBES

OD SRPSKIH PLANINA

Extract from "Politikin Zabavnik"
Writer Ivan Loncar

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.