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The trainers massaged the animals’ flanks and horns and pulled their tails, seemingly as much to soothe their own nerves as to rouse their beasts.
驯兽师们按摩着动物的腹部和角，拉着它们的尾巴，似乎是为了舒缓他们自己的神经，也是为了唤醒他们的野兽。
Among the crowd, there was a popular favourite.
在人群中，有一个最受欢迎的人。
“Lawyer, you’re a king!” they shouted.
"律师，你是个国王！"他们喊道。
“This year, you’ll win it all!”
"今年，你将赢得一切！"
As the fight began, they fell silent.
当战斗开始时，他们陷入了沉默。
Lawyer and Blanco circled one another, locked eyes and shuffled backwards.
律师和布兰科绕着对方转了一圈，对视了一下，然后向后退了一步。
Then they ran straight ahead and crashed into each other with full force. The crowd, enchanted, rushed forward.
然后他们径直向前跑，全力撞向对方。群众被迷住了，纷纷向前冲去。
(Since the crowd forms the ring in which the sheep fight, they can shrink, expand or dissolve the field of battle at any time.)
(由于人群形成了羊群战斗的圈，他们可以在任何时候缩小、扩大或解散战场）。
The referee tried to restore order among the crowd and on the pitch.
裁判员试图恢复人群中和球场上的秩序。
The sheep edged backwards and their trainers huddled around them briefly.
羊群向后退去，它们的训练员短暂地挤在它们周围。
Lawyer and Blanco knocked heads a few more times, half-heartedly.
律师和布兰科又半心半意地敲了几下头。
Each thwack rang out like a hammer striking a wall.
每一次 "砰 "的一声都像锤子敲击墙壁一样响起。
But Blanco had begun to look bored and Lawyer was searching for a gap in the crowd through which he might wander off.
但布兰科已经开始显得很无聊，而“律师”正在人群中寻找一个可以走开的地方。
It’s hard to call a match – a fight shouldn’t go above 30 hits, but there’s no clear ending, and sometimes the sheep establish which is the dominant one before the humans are ready to accept it.
很难说是一场比赛——一场战斗不应该超过30下，但没有明确的结局，有时在人类准备接受之前，羊群就已经确立了哪个是主导者。
Farid explained that Blanco had effectively won with the first hit.
法里德解释说，布兰科的第一击实际上就已经赢了。
Blanco’s nonchalance and Lawyer’s gentle approach towards removing himself from the scene seemed to confirm this.
布兰科的不慌不忙和律师对自己离开现场的温和态度似乎证实了这一点。
But Lawyer’s trainer was not ready to concede defeat.
但“律师”的训练师并不准备认输。
Although there was a referee, casually dressed in denim shorts and a T-shirt, the crowd made the calls itself.
虽然有一个裁判，随意地穿着牛仔短裤和T恤，但观众自己做出了决定。
Blanco’s supporters finally rushed forward, crying “Well done! Let’s go!”
布兰科的支持者们终于冲上前去，喊着 "干得好！"。
They rubbed his horns and kissed him on both cheeks, tore their shirts off, and danced him out through the gates and into the streets of El Harrach.
我们走吧！" 他们揉着他的角，亲吻他的两边脸颊，撕掉他们的上衣，为他跳起舞来，穿过大门，来到埃尔哈拉赫的街道。
Lawyer’s trainer led him away, forlorn.
律师的训导员领着他离开了，怅然若失。
I asked Farid what was going to happen to the sheep.
我问法里德，这只羊会发生什么。
“Ah yes. He’ll get eaten for Eid, inshallah,” he replied.
"啊，是的。他会在开斋节时被吃掉，在真主保佑下，"他回答说。
Next up was the big one: Messi v Pogba.
接下来是一场大戏：梅西对决博格巴。
Messi was spry and petite; Pogba looked burly but slow.
梅西身手矫健，身材娇小；博格巴看起来很壮实，但动作缓慢。
The match started unpromisingly: Pogba sniffed delicately at Messi’s butt.
比赛的开始并不令人满意：博格巴细细地嗅着梅西的屁股。
Messi then rushed Pogba, who ran terrified out of the ring.
梅西随后冲向博格巴，博格巴吓得跑出了圈外。
Messi’s supporters began hollering.
梅西的支持者们开始呼喊起来。
But Pogba’s trainers, both with scarred faces and prison tattoos, were not defeated.
但博格巴的训练师们，都是脸上有疤痕和监狱纹身的人，并没有被打败。
Grabbing a horn each, they hauled him back into the ring as he dug his hooves into the ground.
他们每人抓住一个角，把它拖回了擂台，把蹄子插进土里。
Now the sheep locked eyes and began their backwards shuffle, but this time Pogba backed up so far that he found himself among the crowd, and did his best to blend in.
现在，羊群锁定了目光，开始向后洗牌，但这次博格巴退得很远，他发现自己在人群中，并尽力融入其中。
Hauled in once more, Pogba stared Messi down.
博格巴再次被拖住，盯住了梅西。
The crowd hissed attentively.
人群聚精会神地发出嘘声。
The sheep observed one another, Messi taut and focused, Pogba chewing nervously.
绵羊们互相观察着，梅西紧绷着脸，注意力集中，博格巴则紧张地咀嚼着。
Then Messi trotted off amiably.
然后梅西友好地走了。
The crowd broke into a polite round of applause.
人群爆发出礼貌的掌声。
