In farming society, buffalo is a labor tool for pulling plows and rakes, and works with farmers in the fields. He is also a "farmer" who can't talk. This is because buffalo used to be the main labor force in the field and an important member of farmers' living circle. Cang Kejia said, "What you eat is grass, and what you squeeze out is milk." That's a cow. Buffalo doesn't have such a lucky name. In rural areas, buffaloes are used for farming and doing heavy work, and the requirements for life are extremely low. Eat grass if there is grass, and hay if there is no grass. When I was a child, I was a cowherd and had deep feelings for cows. There has always been an enviable name in literature called "Shepherd Boy", which is actually commonly known as "Cowherd Boy". There is a poem by Yuan Mei in the Qing Dynasty, "A shepherd boy rides a yellow ox, and his song vibrates Lin Yue. He tried to catch cicadas and suddenly shut up. " ("What I See") When I was in school in my early years, I really admired this poem: It was really comfortable to herd cattle in those days! You can not only play cicadas leisurely, but also sing and play the flute. What a genius. But then I felt more and more wrong. Can the ancient cowherd be better than our modern cowherd? Although I am still a child, I only have enough food and clothing. After all, I went to primary school at the age of nine and received education in modern science and culture. Even if I don't know those high-end musical instruments, at least, the bamboo flute can still be "but they are rough and harsh, making a harsh sound in my ears". I didn't see it flying like a poem. Of course, I later learned that the ancient poems with the participation of the shepherd boy were all beautifully written. In fact, the real intention of other poets is not the shepherd boy. This is like "borrowing a nest to lay eggs" and "borrowing a corpse to revive the soul" in Ci Fu. People want "eggs" or "souls". By the way, just leave some dignity for your "nest" or "corpse"
"Planting spring grass, autumn green and long pine trees in Xia Han. Cattle and sheep return to the village lane, and children don't know how to dress. " (Four Chapters of Seven Pastoral Songs by Wang Wei in Tang Dynasty) The general idea is: Spring grass is green and stands tall, and summer is cool. Cattle and sheep don't need to be driven back to the village lane. Children are romantic and don't understand officials and powerful people. Wang Wei is concerned about the seclusion behind high positions.
"Don't worry about the depth of the stream, black cattle can float. It is as safe as a boat for a child to step on the back of a cow. Cold and rainy mountains are far away, and uneven smoke trees are late. When Wendion went out to meet him, his son returned to the cowshed. " ("Cowherd in Song Dynasty" Land Tour) The general idea is: You don't have to worry about the deep stream, you can ride an ox. Cowboy's back is as safe as taking a boat. Wandering around the countryside, there is no way to serve the country, depression is hard to send, just talk about feelings.
……? Indeed, the poet beautified Cowherd's life. As I grow older, I always feel that this is impolite and unfair to the reader. In fact, plowing cattle is the most industrious, hardworking and responsible worker in the world. Cowboys are "child laborers" who do not have the rural labor force, but bear the labor responsibility.
Among farm animals, cattle have the strongest ability, the greatest strength and the best temper. Therefore, cattle have become an effective helper in people's lives. At that time, the countryside was generally poor, and people struggled to get enough to eat. Knife-ploughing sickle seeds naturally involve ploughing cattle, ploughing fields, sowing in spring and harvesting in summer and autumn. "In the first three seasons, cows ran around." Buffalo and farmers had a rest. In the busy farming season, they scramble to harvest and sow, and they work in the fields with farmers. "It's sad to get up in the morning, and the lotus moon brings home." It was the most leisure busy farming season, and Tao Qian probably didn't realize it. The kind that harvests and sows in the dark.
? From the time I went to school to the first few years of work, it was the early 1970 s and 1990 s in the southeast of Jianghuai. Every year, at the turn of summer and autumn, when late rice seedlings are harvested in summer, it is called "double season". Before beginning of autumn every year, late rice seedlings must be planted. If you miss this day, the autumn harvest will be greatly discounted. At the same time, the summer grain will not be harvested until about ten days before beginning of autumn. So in this two-week period at most, rural fields became the main battlefield of "double robbing".
? At that time, rural children in their teens could not even reach half of the labor force. It is useful to be a cowherd and earn half a centimeter. Half a centimeter, a year, can help the family get dozens of kilograms of rice, which is also considered "self-reliance." I studied Chinese and arithmetic when I was a child. "I can recognize big eyes and count to 235", which is the goal of farmers' children. No matter boys or girls, as long as they are seven or eight years old, every spring, the adults at home will apply to the production team to raise a cow, and if they get it, they will become a "cowherd." Therefore, the "shepherd boy" in ancient poetry hardly sees girls, which is the prejudice produced by poetry. It seems that boys and girls are as easy to feed as grazing cows. You can eat anything as long as you can fill your stomach. The old cow plowed in the field for a long time, and finally stopped with the rest or lunch of the adults, lying around, panting, wagging its tail or head, driving away the entangled mosquitoes and flies and gnawing at the pile of grass that the cowherd had already cut. I still remember that at this time, I always stood quietly beside the old cow who was eating grass while resting, watching it swallow hungrily and exhale a thick breath. I wonder if there are any regrets in this. In a word, a few years later, I read "Old Things in the South of the City", and Eiko said that she watched camels chew grass one by one, with their mouths closed one by one. I can't help crying. ...
? During the busy farming season, you can also ride on the back of cattle and walk leisurely to the mountains-herding cattle. Herding cattle in Shan Ye is the happiest time for shepherds. Bare hills, with almost no trees except weeds, are empty and far away We tied the reins to the horns of the cows and let them graze and run freely on the mountain. Little friends can get together in small groups, play poker and play games. Sometimes a pit is dug and built, and the hay collected is lit. Put peanuts, sweet potatoes and the like dug in the field and bake them on them, and put them in the plant ash. After being pulled open, put it in your mouth. Everyone eats half of that taste, even if it is medium-cooked. Sometimes, suddenly, there is a voice: two cows are fighting again-so, bang, everyone runs to see the fight. It is usually not as spectacular as the "bullfight" scene in the movie. These bulls probably seldom get together for leisure, and often run away after a while. Some bulls are full of energy, like challenges and make trouble everywhere like a naughty child; Or the opposite sex who has been chasing for a long time, and as a result, she can only go home hungry after dark.
The so-called herding cattle means that after the farm work is over, the children who herd cattle take it to the wild to eat grass and fill their stomachs. "A shepherd boy puts cattle, sheep and grass together." (Lu You Yu) You can ride on the cow or lead it along the fertile place of aquatic plants, and move forward gradually as it eats. At this time, the cattle are immersed in the enjoyment of aquatic plants, and you can also relax, browse the beautiful scenery, or read books and so on. I remember when I was in primary school, mowing cows before school and herding cows after school became my main task every day. There were not many good books at that time. Occasionally, I read the "picture book" when I was herding cattle and forgot to move. The cow ate all the grass around her. With the reins in her hand, she was jerked and stumbled. More often, the old cow rubs you with its big wheezing nose, or licks your arm gently with Lickitung with grassy mucus, which means you should move! Sometimes I feel dirty, so I put my palm up to make it look like I'm hitting it. The old cow began to lean slightly, swinging two long horns. It looks silly and cute. ……
When I was in junior high school, the matter of herding cattle was gradually handed over to my little sister. High school is far from home and needs to go out early and go back to school late. Later, I lived directly on campus. From then on, I took off the title of "cowboy". During the period, I was at home occasionally, leading cattle to the fields, but my childhood enthusiasm had long since disappeared. Perhaps, the price of growth is to constantly deny to gain something!
? Fields, mountains and ponds that I grew up with; In those grassy fields, fish swim around in the wheat fields; On rainy days, walk behind the cow and play with one foot. Together with those "cowherd boys" who have changed crop after crop, they drifted away unconsciously until they disappeared into the depths of my vision. It took me many years to really understand why Lu Xun left the Herbal Garden and was obsessed with raspberries and Manglietia!
? Time has passed, and farming civilization has gradually become an old trace. Just like the leisurely buffalo in front of us, it has already faded from fatigue and weakness, and replaced it with the fullness and luster of "vegetable cow". However, the dusty door of memory needs a chance to be reopened, otherwise it will be rusty and no one cares. Just like this childhood, you don't need to remember it all the time, sometimes it's good to remember it: childhood, there is a name called "shepherd boy"
I think of a poem written by Fang Hui in the Song Dynasty, "Children stand on the shore to watch tourists, and there are many cows near them." Ten thousand mulberry trees, a wisp of mulberry woven again. "(Twelve Sailing Poems on Qingxi Road) Sometimes I think that even if there is only a wisp of silk left, you can't weave Luo Qi, but you can achieve something!
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? 2065438+September 7, 2009 Yanqiao Middle School