The Swordsman
Once, during a period of calm in Japan’s history, a young samurai achieved great fame for his skill with a sword. But, since dueling was illegal, he had seldom fought with live blades.
As his fame grew, so did his head. And soon he was allowing his friends to talk about him as Japan’s greatest swordsman. And to prove it, in match after match, his form became more superb and his strategy more imaginative.
Soon the young swordsman was being considered as fencing instructor to the shogun, a great honor for one so young. Yet, not all went smoothly. He defeated opponent after opponent, but despite his successes there were whispers that first one swordsman, then another, was better.
Finally, he had defeated all the names mentioned, save one. It was then the rumors started that this one master was a man the young swordsman had been avoiding as long as possible.
Furious, the young man sought out this fearsome opponent. Arriving at his house, the youth roared out his challenge.
There was a long silence. And then a man much closer to the end of his life than the beginning opened the door. “I do not know why you have come to me this way,” the old swordsman said. “But for your rudeness, I will accept your challenge.” And then he slammed the door and would speak no more.
The young swordsman was troubled at first. He thought of the old man’s age and how long it had been since the ancient samurai had held a sword, for it was revealed to him that the doddering old fool had been a hero in the wars that took place before the youth was born!
The day of the match finally came and the young samurai arrived with the blustering March wind at dawn to find the old man and his servant waiting for him. Drawing his sword, the old man announced that he was ready, but the young samurai’s retainers calmed him and explained that it was not yet time for the duel.
Soon the judges and the spectators arrived and the ground was smoothed until not even an ant could stumble on it. And then the old samurai was given a mask to protect his head (and shown how to tie it on) and a wood sword and told the rules.
“Rules?” stammered the old fellow. But soon he understood. This was an important match and everything had to be done right.
When all was in readiness, the two men advanced into the ring toward each other…albeit the old samurai cast yearning peeks at his sword.
Gingerly the young master felt his opponent out and was amazed that the old man seemed to know so little to be such a big shot. It was only a matter of moments before the youth was pushing the old man around at will. Suddenly, with a flurry of blows to the head, the young man knocked the old swordsman off his feet and won the match.
Leaving in high spirits, the young swordsman noticed that the old man had flung away his mask and wood sword and was wearing his own blade again. And he was surrounded by a group of scornful samurai who despised him for having lost so easily.
And then three of them challenged him to come into the arena, drawing their sharp swords!
Unhesitant, even though he had just been beaten, the old man followed them to the center of the arena and drew his own elderly and worn blade. In the wink of an eye the old fellow was surrounded, and the watching youth felt a moment of pity for him.
But then his blade flashed, and as the young samurai watched in awe, the old one casually cut his way through his three detractors and continued off the field as if nothing had happened.
Throwing himself at the old samurai’s feet, the young swordsman begged to be forgiven. “I have never seen such swordsmanship before now,” he said. “How is it that I managed to beat you only moments ago?”
“You had a wooden sword,” the old man replied.
Originally published in the August 1978 issue of “The Bujin.” Reprinted in “Fighting Spirit” magazine, with the kind permission of Mr. Fredrick J. Lovret.
As his fame grew, so did his head. And soon he was allowing his friends to talk about him as Japan’s greatest swordsman. And to prove it, in match after match, his form became more superb and his strategy more imaginative.
Soon the young swordsman was being considered as fencing instructor to the shogun, a great honor for one so young. Yet, not all went smoothly. He defeated opponent after opponent, but despite his successes there were whispers that first one swordsman, then another, was better.
Finally, he had defeated all the names mentioned, save one. It was then the rumors started that this one master was a man the young swordsman had been avoiding as long as possible.
Furious, the young man sought out this fearsome opponent. Arriving at his house, the youth roared out his challenge.
There was a long silence. And then a man much closer to the end of his life than the beginning opened the door. “I do not know why you have come to me this way,” the old swordsman said. “But for your rudeness, I will accept your challenge.” And then he slammed the door and would speak no more.
The young swordsman was troubled at first. He thought of the old man’s age and how long it had been since the ancient samurai had held a sword, for it was revealed to him that the doddering old fool had been a hero in the wars that took place before the youth was born!
The day of the match finally came and the young samurai arrived with the blustering March wind at dawn to find the old man and his servant waiting for him. Drawing his sword, the old man announced that he was ready, but the young samurai’s retainers calmed him and explained that it was not yet time for the duel.
Soon the judges and the spectators arrived and the ground was smoothed until not even an ant could stumble on it. And then the old samurai was given a mask to protect his head (and shown how to tie it on) and a wood sword and told the rules.
“Rules?” stammered the old fellow. But soon he understood. This was an important match and everything had to be done right.
When all was in readiness, the two men advanced into the ring toward each other…albeit the old samurai cast yearning peeks at his sword.
Gingerly the young master felt his opponent out and was amazed that the old man seemed to know so little to be such a big shot. It was only a matter of moments before the youth was pushing the old man around at will. Suddenly, with a flurry of blows to the head, the young man knocked the old swordsman off his feet and won the match.
Leaving in high spirits, the young swordsman noticed that the old man had flung away his mask and wood sword and was wearing his own blade again. And he was surrounded by a group of scornful samurai who despised him for having lost so easily.
And then three of them challenged him to come into the arena, drawing their sharp swords!
Unhesitant, even though he had just been beaten, the old man followed them to the center of the arena and drew his own elderly and worn blade. In the wink of an eye the old fellow was surrounded, and the watching youth felt a moment of pity for him.
But then his blade flashed, and as the young samurai watched in awe, the old one casually cut his way through his three detractors and continued off the field as if nothing had happened.
Throwing himself at the old samurai’s feet, the young swordsman begged to be forgiven. “I have never seen such swordsmanship before now,” he said. “How is it that I managed to beat you only moments ago?”
“You had a wooden sword,” the old man replied.
Originally published in the August 1978 issue of “The Bujin.” Reprinted in “Fighting Spirit” magazine, with the kind permission of Mr. Fredrick J. Lovret.