Short Stories 1: I Am a Singer of the Land
I never had a place to call home. I always wandered across the land, following the seasons. The loveliest of all was spring. Flowers bloomed everywhere. Animals began to emerge—searching for food, seeking adventure, and finding their mates for life.
When spring arrived, I witnessed nature change its colors. The weather turned pleasant for exploration. Beneath my feet was cool green grass; above my head, a vast blue sky.
Wherever I went, animals would approach me. They let me pet them, rub their heads, cuddle in the grass, and nap beneath the trees. Even those considered dangerous to others acted gently and lovingly toward me.
What they loved most was the song I sang to them. It was nothing more than random words, inspired by the magnificent land. A simple melody, just for fun—but to them, it was the sound of the world.
I look like a human, but I’m never considered one. That’s what makes the animals curious. I walk alone across this land, different from them, but not so different all the same.
One warm and sunny day, I finally reached the sea. So many birds, so many fish—creatures unlike those of the land. There, I saw a man sitting on a rock, holding a stick. When he pulled the stick, he drew a fish from the water.
He was just fishing, getting a meal to fill his belly. I was so intrigued, I walked toward him unconsciously. I was only a few steps away when he turned around and saw me. He froze.
“What the hell happened to you, man!? I’ve been looking for you!”
The man seemed to know me. But how?
He hurried over, wrapped me in part of his clothing, then studied me—touching my face and gently caressing my long hair. I recognized this gesture. It was something a human man would do to his mate, a woman. But I looked like a man, just like him. So why such intimacy?
He spoke words I didn’t understand. Still, he held me, treating me like his beloved. I didn’t mind at first, but the longer I didn’t resist, the harder it became to endure. I gently pushed him away.
He stopped. Looking worried, he led me to a small cottage near the beach, the place he called home.
That night, he let me sleep in his bed and took the floor himself. I didn’t need rest the way humans do. I awoke when the full moon stood high in the sky. Outside the small window, night creatures surrounded the cottage, staring with luminous eyes—as if asking me to sing.
So I sang. A song of my latest journey.
As I sang, I saw animals, insects, and even trees sway and dance to my tune. I didn’t notice the man behind me, struggling to cover his ears, as if in pain. And when I sang my final verse, he let out a scream—his final mortal breath.
I watched him, uncertain of what was happening.
I saw what needed to be seen. I heard every scream. I witnessed the unimaginable.
The man transformed into a wolf.
A majestic, beautiful wolf. He approached me and licked my hand.
“May I join you on your journey?” he asked, finally speaking words I understood.
I nodded.
My energy faded, and I fell asleep where I sat—on the wolf’s bed, where a man had once slept.
Early the next morning, I woke with the sunrise. At the foot of the bed lay a new companion—a wolf. Where had he come from?
Without thinking, I stood and walked out of the cottage I couldn’t even remember entering. Perhaps I had sleepwalked again.
Let’s begin our journey with a song. Forget everything else.
Let’s have fun together.
