ENG
On the road, bare bones on display,
Flesh rotted, decayed, faded away.
Long gone, forgotten in name,
His homeland lost, in death's claim.
In the land of Yellow Wind Ridge, where relentless winds raged day and night, the tomb mounds were often ravaged by the mighty gusts, revealing the exposed bones-a sight all too familiar.
One day, a hurried merchant found himself passing through Yellow Wind Ridge on an urgent matter. However, the villagers warned him of the terrible danger and refused to be his guide. After walking alone for hours, the merchant rested by the roadside, eating his rations. It was then that he noticed a set of skeletal remains in the withered grass. The bones were incomplete due to greedy vultures and wolves. "Were you slain by bandits, lying here in this desolate place? Or, like me, did you find no joy in life and chose to end it yourself?" Overwhelmed with sorrow, the merchant sighed as he looked upon the skull and wondered aloud. "You now lie uncovered in the wilderness, and I can only imagine the sorrow your family must feel." Moved by compassion, he untied his bundle, weeping as he began to dig a grave to bury the remains.
Suddenly, the skeleton sat up, startling the merchant, who fell to the ground and scrambled backwards in fear. Using bony hands to support itself, the skeleton approached the merchant and pushed the bundle towards him. Astonished, the merchant cautiously accepted the bundle and resumed his journey. The skeleton followed him from a distance, and together they travelled peacefully for hours. Gradually, the merchant let his guard down, and removed his inner shirt to drape it over the skeleton's frame.
From that moment on, whenever a strange noise arose, the skeleton would guide the merchant to take cover behind rocks. With furtive glances, the merchant would then witness guais passing by the path. For several days, they continued on this way until the merchant finally reached the main road again. That was the moment the skeleton ceased to move. Grateful for its companionship, the merchant offered to transport the skeleton's remains back to its homeland. However, after a moment's hesitation, the skeleton turned and walked back into the swirling sands of the ridge. Perhaps, it had already forgotten where it came from.
The story takes place at Yellow Wind Ridge, a place with constant, strong winds that often strip tomb mounds and leave bones exposed. A traveling merchant passes through this ridge on urgent business. Villagers refuse to guide him because of the danger, so he walks alone, grows tired, and stops to eat. While resting in the withered grass he finds a set of scattered skeletal remains, missing pieces thanks to vultures and wolves.
The merchant wonders aloud about how the person died and feels pity for whatever family might grieve. Moved, he begins to dig a grave to bury the bones. As he works, the skeleton suddenly sits up, which scares the merchant into falling back. The skeleton shuffles forward, uses bony hands to push the merchant’s bundle toward him, and then follows from a distance when the merchant continues on the road.
As they travel, the merchant and the skeleton keep a cautious peace. Over time the merchant relaxes, takes off his inner shirt, and drapes it over the skeleton’s frame. The skeleton proves helpful: whenever strange noises occur, it guides the merchant to hide behind rocks. From those hiding spots the merchant sees guais passing along the path, suggesting real danger the skeleton helped him avoid.
They travel together for several days until they finally reach the main road. At that moment the skeleton stops moving. The merchant, grateful for the company and aid, offers to carry the skeleton’s remains back to its homeland so it can be laid to rest properly. After a pause, the skeleton turns away and walks back into the swirling sands of Yellow Wind Ridge instead.
The ending is left ambiguous: the skeleton refuses the merchant’s offer and returns to the ridge, and the story notes that perhaps it had already forgotten where it came from. The tale shows the merchant’s compassion, an unexpected companionship with a reanimated skeleton that protects him, and a quietly unresolved fate for the dead figure who chooses—or is compelled—to go back into the winds rather than be taken home.