Tombstone And The Wolf

Author : Lamp

This is story of a long time ago

There’s a small country and also large forest , a flock of wolf has also arrived over there.

Inside that herd there’s one big wolf acting as the leader and has been living for a long time, with cooperation they had been living without come in contact with human as much as possible.

One day, one young wolf start to disappeared at one time from the group.

Their companion was so worried,  what if the human have caught it, they were shivering while look like dove that have been pluck out its liver (TN: と胆を冷やしました, i don’t really undertand what it mean in english and have translated it in the simple english that i know if it’s wrong please tell me)

However, the young wolf that have return back to it’s flock has expression that say, nothing has happened at all.

Where did you go to. I want to hear what were you doing, but the young wolf decide not to explain at all what did he do.

After a short time, the wolf has forgotten about it and the young wolf start to disappeared from the flock again. Then, after a little while will come back again.

The wolf brethen asked again. Where did you go, and what were you doing.

The young wolf did not answer. Not going anywhere, not doing anything.

That was a lie, and everyone undertands that. Even the young wolf understood that.

Nevertheless, the young wolf  determine not to tell the truth at all.

When it continue to happened 2 to 3 times, finally the leader feel that it needs to do something.

「Young wolf, where on earth did you go, what are you doing」

「Leader of the herd, i did not go anywhere. I was just separated only a little distance, and didn’t see any figure from the flock that’s why i was thought missing」 (TN: The young wolf say this with respect for the leader)

「That was pretend to be thing or something similar to it, even infant can understands that. Why would i take risk and say the truth」

The young wolf never gonna say the truth. The same lie was repeated as if it’s nothing, and never speak the truth.

This make leader of the flock even more worried on how to settle it. Maybe if i ask the young wolf directly he might consider to tell me the reason.

Only after a short time, the young wolf was separated again from the flock. But this time, the leader order the other wolf to chase the young wolf.

The young wolf then,  located entering near the forest entrance, went inside a small hut.

The wolf who pursued him was surprised. That young wolf, the reason he disappeared every time was to see the human.

The one living inside that hut was an old woman. The old woman, without being frightened with the appearance of the young wolf, welcome him. And brought the young wolf, with her walking to behind the hut.

A small tombstone stood there with gentle sunlight at the center, here and there flowers was fluttering beautifully while being grazed by the wind.

When the old woman have clean the weed surrounding the tombstone, he called the wolf, and together give a silent prayer.

Afterwards the old woman figure disappeared entering the hut when she’s done giving the young wolf a gentle patted. The young wolf was in a good mood and returned back to the road, when he see that figure.

That time, the young wolf was in great panic when he realize who was there.

「Young wolf. What are you doing」

「My brethern. Please, would you overlook on this. I don’t intend to bring harm to the flock. I simply want to come together with the old woman to the tombstone」

「Doing something together like that with the human is it that good. If living thing die it will returned back to the earth, and becomes one together with the world. It’s best for you to focused in the world or you would something immedietly.

「My brethen please understand. I believe, surely, if we were to lose someone dearly we will go to their side immediately. But, living things like us cannot see that. And can’t be aware of it. We don’t have place to returned, perhaps humans and the deceased does but it is not that much different to us. As for human, that tombstone made from stone can be seen as place of the deceased. You can consider that location as where the deceased once lived.」

「That’s just a human selfish thought. It’s unnecessary for us wolf」

「However my brethen, i am still scared. If my mother died, and become one with the world. At this moment, i want to have proof that my mother once exist. With it i can prove that my mother once lived in this world because i am here. But, if i were disappeared what will happen. Proof that my mother once exist at one time will be gone. Thus, proof that i had life at one time, probably did not existed」

「Young wolf what i want to say is」

「I just, want to prove. For them, even if we die, their still have proof that they once exist. With only one tombstone you wouldn’t be able to prove it. Also, if we die this tombstone will still be left here. It will continue to be here for a long time. Just like a small thorn that stuck at the fingertips. It will become as reminder about somebody which already gone」

What was the young wolf thingking, the wolf that went after him can’t seem to understand. Even if a person die, was there any wolf that even bothered with proof.

At least, the wolf didn’t think there’s any at all.

「Human must have been bringing bad influence to you. Must be that old human fault」

「No, no, it’s not at all. That old woman, was only giving me patted when i’m near that tombstone. I’m sure that if we lose something then you’ll understand the meaning for it existence」

「No, you have been corruptted. That old woman must be killed, that tombstone must too be destroyed, and such thought must be shattered and corrected.

Just like that, the wolf started going towards the hut where the old woman was. And the young wolf with hasted, went to pursued him immediately.

When the young wolf went inside the hut, he saw that the figure of an old woman being bitten by the wolf.

The young wolf went towards. However there was also the possibility that fang being pointed towards the young wolf. The wolf fang, accurately aim at the old woman neck, and is on the verge of being nibble.

The young wolves make a decision, to intervene between the wolf and the old woman. Stupid young wolf, the wolf fang went deeply inside his brethern body.

The wolf still surprised, turned around, and rush out from the hut just like that.

The young wolf body that had been bitten left to die in order to save the old woman, who would also be killed later.

The old woman while hugging the young wolf, he gave a pat gently.

The young wolf did not raised it’s voiced like usually it would have,  while the old woman continue to pat.

After a while, the old woman die.

It’s been decided that her granddaughter will be live in the hut where the old woman lived.

The granddaughter daily morning work is to see the 3 tombstone behind hut.

It’s the tombstone for granfather tombstone for the grandmother and also a small tombstone for the young wolf. (TN: I add young on this line because it say only wolf so that can be confusing)

As for the child of the granddaughter, that child will also, continue to watch over this tombstone.

A long time has passed, but the wolf was still not forgotten.

The existence of the cemetery is a place where the dead sleep, and also where the dead lay.