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The Old Warrior and the Young Warrior
There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation extended far and wide throughout the land and many students gathered to study under him.
One day an arrogant young warrior arrived at the village. He was determined to be the first man to defeat the great master. Along with his youthful strength, he had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weakness, and then would strike with merciless force and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the first move.
Much against the advice of his concerned students, the old master gladly accepted the young warrior's challenge. As the two squared off for battle, the young warrior began to hurl insults at the old master. He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult known to mankind. But the old warrior merely stood there motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself. Knowing he was defeated, he left feeling shamed.
Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the insolent youth, the students gathered around the old master and questioned him. "How could you endure such an indignity? How did you drive him away?"
What do you think was the Old Man's answer?
The Wise Woman's Stone
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food.
The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.
The traveler left rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.
But, a few days later, he came back
What did he say to the Wise Woman??
The King, The Cunning Man, and the Hanged Man.
Long, long ago there lived a King in a palace on a hill. Everyday, when he used to be in the hall of audience, a beggar came and gave him a apple and everyday, as soon as he received the fruit, he gave it to his steward who carried it away.
In this way, ten years passed. One day, when beggar gave the apple to the King and left, the King put it in his pocket and went down to his stables. In the stable he took out the gave it to his horse. While the horse was eating the apple, it burst and a priceless jewel came out of it. King saw that jewel and askedhis steward "Where have you put all those apples which I gave you."
"Sir, fearing that they might be poisoned, I used to throw them into a pantry in the kitchens which we do not use, but I never looked in to see what had become of them."
"Now go and bring those fruits" ordered the King. The steward left, but soon returned, and said to the King, "Majesty, all those fruits are rotten now but I saw a heap of jewels there which sparkled more than your crown itself.
Next day when the beggar came, the King said to him,"Why do you bring me suck a rich gift everyday, yet hide it from me?. Today, I will not take the fruit until you tell me."
The beggar threw off his rags and stood erect. He was a Cunning Man of renown in those parts. "All right your Majesty, I shall tell you. I have an incantation to perform very soon and for that I need the help of a brave man. You are the bravest man in the Kingdom and I request you to assist me"
"I am ready to do what is asked," replied the King.
"Alright, then I shall be waiting for you in the
cemetery, under the shade of Yew trees, on the last night of the New Moon, a fortnight hence. King, you must come to me there" said the Cunning Man.
"Yes, I will be there," said the King, and the Cunning Man returned to his home.
On the day fixed for their meeting, near to midnight, the King reached the cemetery. He found the Cunning Man, once more in the disguise of a beggar, waiting for him under the shade of the Yew trees. He went up to him and said, "I am here, now tell me, what can I do for you?"
"King, if you wish to return a favour to me, then go alone from here to the South and a league hence you will find a thorn tree there. On that tree, a dead man is hanging up. Please go and bring that body back to me here.
The King shuddered at what he was asked to do. Nevertheless, he had given his word. "All right beggar," he said, "I will do as you ask, beacuse I have promised to help you. But, when I return I shallhang you from the same tree for the crime you ask me to commit."
Then the King started his journey, through the dark hour before midnight. After walking for a league, he reached the thorn tree. He saw a dead man hanging there and, coming close, he cut the rope by which it hanged there. Then, placing the body on his shoulder, he started his journey back to the city.
He had not walked far when he heard a quiet, cold voice. "Who are you and where are you taking me?" the voice asked him. The King grew weak with fear. It was the dead man speaking.
"I am the King of this land and I am taking you to my city."
"But why do you do this, and who told you my dwelling place?"
"A beggar, who is in truth a Cunning Man, told me about you and, at present, I am taking you to him. But tell me, who are you?" asked the King.
"In life, I was Angos the son of Anken. I am ready to go with you, but only on one condition."
"Whatis that?" asked the King
Angos said "I will tell you a story and you will not speak between the time I begin, and the time we reach the beggar. If you speak I will go back to where I was."
"I agree to your proposal." said the King.
And Angos started telling this story to pass the time...
An age or more ago, there lived a holy man known as Melyor, in Penwaren which was situated on the bank of River Tamar. Melyor had a very beautiful daughter named Dehoules.
When Dehoules grew up, then one day three knights from Radnor visited Melyor and each demanded Dehoules for himself. Each Knight also said that if he could not get Dehoules , he would sacrifice his life.
But Melyor, the father of Dehoules, decided not to give his daughter to any one of them. He was really afraid that if he gave her to one, it will cause the death of others. And so Dehoules remained unmarried.
But each day the three Knights came; they stayed there night and day, hoping for a favourable reply from Melyor, because they could not keep their eyes off the beautiful Dehoules .
After sometime, Dehoules suddenly died of a fever. The three young Knights were shocked to learn of her death. They carried her dead body to the cemetery and buried her there.
Now one of the Knights built a hut in the cemetery and made her tombstone his bed. He remained there night and day, and lived on what he could get by begging.
The second Knight took a lock of her hair and took it to the well where the river Exe rises. There he spent his days showing the lock of hair to anyone who came by, and telling them about his love for Dehoules , and so keeping her memory alive for him.
The third Knight took a kerchief that fell from her body as they had borne it to the grave. He kept it with him always and became a wandering errant, who travelled the whole world over, searching for some way to restore Dehoules to life. Everynight, he slept with the kerchief under his head.
While travelling, the third Knight reached Penrith, far to the north and there he entered in a house of the Lord of Penrith , where he was greeted very respectfully. He was offered food and sat down to eat it but, suddenly, at the same time, he heard the cry of a child. In spite of the efforts of everyone there, the child would not stop wailing. The mother of the child grew very angry and , suddenly, she threw him in the blazing fire. In no time, the body of the child was reduced to ashes.
When the errant Knight, saw this, his hairs stood and he exclaimed: "Alas! it is very bad that I have entered in the house of a demon and not the house of a just Lord. Now I will not eat the food given to me. It would be a sin to eat such food.
As soon as he said this, he got up from the table and tried to go away from there. But the lord of the house stopped him and said, "Wait and see the power of raising the dead to life which is inherent in a spell which a Black wizard once gave to me. It works as soon as the charm is recited."
So the errant Knight waited a moment, beacuse his curiosity was very great, and he wished to see this marvel. The Lord of Penrith gathered up the ashes of the child. After this, he took his book of spells and read from it as threw some dust on the ashes. And than a great thing happened. The boy stood up alive from the ashes and he was exactly the same as he was before.
After seeing this, the mind of the errant Knight was quieted and then he was able to take his food there. The Lord of Penrith put the book of spells away in a chest and, after taking food, went to bed. The errant Knight did the same, lying on the floor by the fireplace, where the child had been burned.
When everybody was sleeping he took the book from the chest and left the house in great stealth, to go and fulfill his desire of restoring his beloved to life.
Carefully hiding the book, the errant Knight travelled day and night. At last he reached the cemetery in which his beloved was buried. As he drew near the lychgate, he saw the second Knight arriving there. He was the same Knight who had travelled to the source of the River Exe. The first Knight was also there, the one who remained in the cemetery and was sleeping on the gravestone of their beloved Dehoules .
Now, the errant Knight told them all about the book he had, and the spell it contained, which he has seen cast with his own eyes. So they told him, by all means, to recite the spell.
So he opened the book and read the spell. He threw some dust on the ashes and after some time Dehoules rose up alive. All the three Knights saw her alive again and became deleriously happy, so much so, they became love sick and quarrelled with one another. Each of them desired Dehoules for himself.
The errant Knight said that she is his wife because she was won by the power of his spell. The second said that she is his wife he had reamined faithful to her memory all that time, and he had thought of nothing but her, as he waited by the source of the Exe. And the first Knight said that she is his wife because he kept vigil day and night by her grave, waiting for her return, not even taking care for the preserving of his own life.
"Now, the King, you have to decide their dispute. Give your judgement and decide whose wife she will be? If you know it but say no to rendering judgment, your head will be in pieces."
King heard this from Angos, then he said to him,
"Listen carefully, the one who brought her alive by the spell must be considered as her father because he gave her life. A husband does not give life, but a father does. The Knight who took the lock of her hair to the well where the river Exe rises, and who preserved Dehoules's memory by telling all who would listen about her, he may be considered as her son, beacuse his act was an act of piety. But the first Knight, who slept on her grave and never left her resting place, not even to find his own food, he is to be called her husband because he has done everything in his deep affection.
When Angos heard what the King said, he disappeared from his shoulders. The King heard his quiet, dry voice saying "You promised not to speak, but you have broken your promise and here I leave you." And then Angos was gone entirely.
When the King returned to the cemetery empty handed, he saw the beggar waiting for him. He drew his sword to slay the Cunning Man, but that one shook off the rags of his disguise and held up his hand to stop the blow.
"Where, oh King, is the burden I asked you to bring here to me?" Then the King told him all that has happened since he had found the body of Angos hanging from the thorn tree. When he reached the end of his tale, the Cunning Man shook his head.
"Go home, oh King, and count the wealth you have, both the jewels I have given you for lo these ten years, and for all the gold you have from your fathers, for your days are short and though you may be brave, you have but little wit."
Why did the Cunning man say this?
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