This story is sung as part of the funeral ritual. During the three days between death and burial; a group of three women sing it in a ceremonial chant.
They address the soul of the deceased, always in the second person, guiding it step by step through the journey it must take to reach the other world: the world beyond, the world on the other side.
Death is not an end, but a passage, and the soul is a traveler.
The journey begins at dawn, just before sunrise.
The soul arrives at a willow tree budding with new life.
Nearby, there is a resting chair and a well of water.
Beside the willow, or in some versions within it, sits an old fairy, or the Mother of God. She invites the soul to rest and offers it a drink from the well.
This water brings forgetfulness, helping the soul to release the world it has just left behind.
From there, the soul comes to a crossroads.
It is taught to take the path to the right, where the fields are clean, green, sown, and orderly. The left path is dry, scorched, and wild, best avoided.
Moving forward, the soul reaches a great fir tree and pleads with it to bend and form a bridge to the other side. At first, the tree refuses, claiming there is a snake at its roots. But in the end, it relents and helps the soul cross.
The soul continues on into a dense, labyrinthine forest, a place where one can easily become lost forever. Suddenly, a wolf appears, and then a fox. The soul must not fear them. Instead, it must recognize them as siblings, for they are guides who will help lead it out of the forest.
Next, the soul arrives at a vast body of water. Here, an otter appears and assists the soul across. Eventually, the traveler reaches a hill, or a grand house with many windows. Waiting there are the souls of its ancestors, gathered to welcome it. Inside, tables are laid out, glasses are full, and candles burn brightly.