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to guide me, walking was not easy. I ran into many dead ends, impassable bushes and branches, an impenetrable thicket of bamboo, or a boulder blocking the way. My clothing was again in tatters, the improvised threads holding it together split apart one after another. I came to a thick clump of bushes and bent the branches down to clear my way, disturbing a hornet's nest. They swarmed upon me in frenzied attack. I was stung on my face countless times. I was stuck in the bushes and couldn't get away quickly. I could feel my lips puffing up and my eyes swelling shut. After a while I managed to blunder my way out in hysteria and ran, almost blinded, into more branches, stumbling, falling. I went down to the river, drank, and bathed my face. This wasn't my day. First my lousy ass and now my face. I went on my way, bitter and angry.

Then I picked up the trail again happily and followed it. Evening was gathering, and I suddenly noticed a group of animals not more that five yards ahead of me. I quickly hid behind a tree and peeked out at them. There were six wild boars, four adults and two shoats. They pranced about, wiggling their backsides, heading away from me.

'If only I had a gun, I would finish them off one by one,' I muttered to myself.

I was safe as long as they didn't notice me, didn't pick up my scent. I watched them getting farther away, and then they stopped and started playing. They chased after one another and frolicked.