Winter arrived a few weeks later, making the massive cleanup and rebuilding effort even more difficult. Snow was never likely in northern Kyushu until after the New Year, but the days were still miserably cold and wet.
Rumors and stories of the invaders’ atrocities filled every conversation, the slaughter of whole villages, the use of black magic to frighten and disrupt the defenders, riding their demon ponies across water, killing people with volleys of arrows from impossible ranges. Some said the invading army numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Ken’ishi could not fathom a number that large. Many of the stories sounded wild and incredible, but he had seen the Mongols drink blood, and he could not have imagined such a thing before.
When the Shogun’s regent, Hojo no Tokimune, and his entourage finally arrived, the entire region was buzzing with rumors and preparation. The Shogun’s representatives surveyed the destruction, listened to the reports of the commanders, viewed the heads of the enemy, and distributed writs of acclaim and reward for the lords and high-ranking samurai who had fought with success. With the surveys complete, the defending armies disbanded to return to their domains. Many of the lords of Kyushu squabbled about who would receive the richest rewards from the bakufu for successfully repulsing the enemy invasion.
Ken’ishi thought this was unseemly, but he could say nothing. Meanwhile, prayers and offerings of thanks to the gods filled the countryside.
Let them think the storm was the gods’ making. The silent, silver whisper interrupted his meditations one night as he prepared for sleep.
From the warm, sensationless abyss of the Void, Ken’ishi answered. “How could you have done such a thing? How is it possible?”
The man’s mind is too simple to encompass the enormities of time and existence.
“Did you bring the storm?”
I was once lost at the bottom of the sea, away from the sight of men. Through tides and time and long chains of fortune, I was found again. Is this not the nature of destiny?
Ken’ishi’s mind reached out with more questions, but Silver Crane fell silent. The more he thought about what it had said, the more questions arose.
One day, Ken’ishi was walking through the market square, where a few brave merchants had returned and worked at rebuilding their trade, and he spied a familiar face. “Otomo no Ishitaka!”
The young man turned to look and smiled with recognition. “Ken’ishi! I thought I might see you around here.”
“I am happy to see you up and walking around,” Ken’ishi said as he approached. They bowed to each other.
“As am I. I thought I was dead. Father always told me I had a thick skull. I guess this is the first time it has served me well.”
They laughed, and Ken’ishi said, “I know a good saké house that is open for business.”
Ishitaka smiled. “Lead the way, Ken’ishi. I am thirsty.” He leaned over and pointed at his pate. “I have a crease in my skull running from here to here.” His voice was proud.
The two young men spent the rest of the afternoon in the Spring Snow Saké House, but they did not drink enough to become disgracefully drunk. Ken’ishi had no wish to bring public dishonor upon himself, or for any tales of vulgar conduct to reach the ears of the lord he had never met.
As the afternoon turned into evening, Ishitaka said in an abruptly serious tone, “Ken’ishi, I have a confession. I know something about you.”
Ken’ishi tensed. “What is it?”
“I know that you were a ronin.”
Ken’ishi stiffened.
“Some say,” Ishitaka continued, “that being a warrior without a lord is a dishonorable thing, a disgraceful thing. They say that a ronin can be nothing more than a cowardly bandit. His lord cast him out, or he failed to protect his lord with his own life, or did not follow his lord into death, so he must be a worthless man. I say that is wrong! Because I have known a ronin, and he is one of the bravest men I have ever met. The tales of your fight with the enemy in Hakozaki are spreading. Did you really slay a hundred Mongols single-handedly?”
Ken’ishi’s face warmed. “I don’t know how many it was.”
“In any case, my father has heard of it, and is looking forward to welcoming you at my uncle’s castle.”
“Your father?”
“Otomo no Tsunemori.”
Ken’ishi’s mouth fell open.
Ishitaka laughed and pointed. “The look on your face!”
Ken’ishi’s ears flushed again.
“You saved my life and the lives of your men that day.”
Ken’ishi could not speak. How many other thousands had he slain by his actions?
“You will do well as one of my uncle’s retainers!” Ishitaka raised his bowl and took another drink.
Ken’ishi smiled wanly and did the same.
“My uncle is an honorable man, and he treats his retainers fairly.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I will serve him with all the honor and loyalty that he deserves.” As he took another sip, he tried to distinguish if the warmth he felt in his belly was from the saké or from something else.
Destiny.…
So ends the Fifth Scroll
GLOSSARY
ayu – Plecoglossus altivelis. Fresh water fish indigenous to Japan and Korea, often called “sweetfish” because of the sweetness of its flesh.
bakufu – lit. “tent government”, but came to mean the dwelling and household of a shogun, or military dictator. Generally used to refer to the system of government of a feudal military dictatorship, equivalent in English to the term ‘shogunate’.
biwa – short-necked fretted lute, often used in narrative storytelling, the chosen instrument of Benten, goddess of music, eloquence, poetry, and education in the Shinto faith.
bokken – wooden practice sword, designed to lessen damage. Sword master Miyamoto Musashi was renowned for facing fully armed opponents with one or two bokken.
bushi – synonymous with “samurai”, military nobility, warrior gentleman.
daikon – variety of large, white radish with a mild flavor.
do-maru – lit. “body wrap”, style of armor constructed of leather and metal plates, lacquered, lighter and closer fitting than the o-yoroi style.
futon – padded mattress flexible enough to be folded up and put away during the day.
Go – a board game for two players, originating in China more than 2,500 years ago, noted for being rich in strategy despite its relatively simple rules. Players place black and white “stones” on the intersections of a 19 x 19 grid, the object being to use one’s stones to capture a larger total area of the board than the opponent.
hara – the belly or stomach, believed to contain the soul or the “center of being.”
jitte – lit. “ten hands”, also called a jutte, weapon consisting of an iron bar and U-shaped guard, designed to catch and hold sword blades, often used to disarm unruly samurai, typically 12-24 inches long (30-60 cm).
kabuto – helmet, comprising many different styles, secured to the head by a chin cord, often adorned with crests.
kami – sometimes translated as “god” or “deity”, but also referring to the ubiquitous spirits of nature, the elements, and ancestors, which are the center of worship for the Shinto faith.
kappa – supernatural river creature or spirit, about the size of a child, with a turtle-like shell, a beak for a mouth, a flat saucer-like indentation on its head that must remain filled with water when it is on land, or else it loses its power. Their behavior and feeding habits range from pranksterish and lecherous to predatory and vampiric.
kemari – an ancient game wherein the players strive to keep a leather ball in the air using various parts of their bodies.
ki – spirit, life, energy.
kiai – battle cry or sharp cry meant to focus technique, awareness, and fighting spirit, sometimes to startle an opponent or express victory.
kimono – lit. “thing to wear”, traditional garment worn by men, women, and
children, typically secured at the waist by an obi. Straight-lined robe that reaches to the ankle, with a collar and wide sleeves.
komadori – Erithacus akahige. Japanese robin.
kozuka – small utility knife fit into the side of a katana scabbard.
menpo – metal armor covering the face from the nose to the chin, often fashioned into fearsome shapes.
miso – a thick paste made by fermenting soy, rice, and/or barley, used as seasoning. Very healthy. Miso soup is an excellent hangover cure.
mochi – rice cake made from pounding short-grain glutinous rice into a thick, sticky paste.
momme – unit of weight, approximately equal to 0.13 ounces (3.75 gm).
mon – emblem in Japanese heraldry, similar to coats of arms in European heraldry, used to identify individuals and families.
naginata – a polearm with a stout, curved blade 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) long, with a wooden shaft 4-8 feet (120-240 cm) long.
nodachi – also called odachi, lit. “great/large sword”, averaging 65-70 inches long (165-178 cm).
obi – sash used to secure robes, of a myriad of lengths and styles. Typically men’s obi are narrower than women’s.
o-furo – a deep, steep-sided wooden bathtub, but also sometimes referring to the room where bathing is done.
oni – supernatural creature from folklore, translates as demon, devil, ogre, or troll. Hideous, gigantic creatures with sharp claws, wild hair, and long horns growing from their heads, mostly humanoid, but sometimes possessing unnatural features such as odd numbers of eyes or extra fingers and toes.
onmyouji – practitioners of a form of divination based on esoteric yin-yang cosmology, which was a mixture of natural science and occultism.
oyabun – lit. “foster parent”, but most often used to refer to the boss of an organized crime family.
o-yoroi – lit. “great armor”, heavy, box-shaped armor, used primarily by high-ranking samurai on horseback, consisting of an iron breastplate covered with leather, lacquered iron scales, woven together with silk or leather cords, and rectangular lamellar shoulder guards.
ramen – noodle dish consisting of wheat noodles served in broth, often with pork, miso, green onions, pickled ginger, or other toppings.
ri – unit of length or distance, equivalent to 2.4 miles (3.9 km).
ronin – a samurai with no lord or master, having become masterless from the death or fall of his master, or after the loss of his master’s favor or privilege.
saké – fermented beverage made from rice.
seiza – lit. “proper sitting”, kneeling position with legs folded under, sitting on calves and heels.
shuriken – lit. “hand-hidden sword”, any small, concealed bladed object, used for throwing, stabbing, or slashing. Common types include weighted spikes and thin, bladed plates.
soba – buckwheat.
sumi – traditional ink, made from soot, water, and glue.
tachi – style of sword, earlier design than the katana, with a more pronounced curvature, usually worn with the edge hanging down, in contrast to the katana, which was worn with the edge facing up.
taifu – lit. “great wind”, hurricane, root of the English word “typhoon”.
tanuki – Nyctereutes procyonoides. Mammal indigenous to Japan, sometimes translated as “raccoon dog”, member of the dog family (Canidae). Resembles a raccoon in having rounded ears, dark facial markings, and brown coat, but its tail is not ringed. Its limbs are short, brown or blackish in color, and its body heavy and low-slung. In folklore, tanuki are tricksters, said to possess magical powers and the ability to change shape. Tanuki are said to keep their magical powers in their scrota.
tatami – mat used for flooring, made of a core of rice straw wrapped in soft rush straw.
tengu – supernatural creature from folklore, having both avian and human characteristics. Tengu were long believed to be disruptive demons and harbingers of war. However, this image evolved into one of protective, if still dangerous, spirits of the mountains and forests.
tsuba – round or square guard above the hilt of a bladed weapon.
uguisu – Cettia diphone. A song bird known as the Japanese bush warbler.
yojimbo – bodyguard.
yoriki – lit. “helper, assistant”, in the case of this story, the deputy to a provincial constable.
yurei – lit. “dim spirit”, supernatural entity from folklore, analogous to Western ghosts. A person who dies in a state of extreme negative emotion, such as revenge, love, jealousy, hatred or sorrow, may be trapped in the earthly realm as a yurei.
zori – flat, thonged sandals made from straw or wood.
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PERMISSIONS
Takuan Sôhô, excerpts from The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman, translated by William Scott Wilson. Translation copyright © 1986, 2001 by William Scott Wilson.
Issai Chozanshi, excerpts from The Demon’s Sermon on the Martial Arts. Translation copyright © 2006 by William Scott Wilson.
Yagyu Munenori, excerpts from The Life-Giving Sword: Secret Teachings from the House of the Shogun, translated by William Scott Wilson. Translation copyright © 2003 by William Scott Wilson.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo, excerpts from Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai. Translation copyright © 1979, 2002 by William Scott Wilson.
All above reprinted by arrangement with The Permissions Company, Inc., on behalf of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boston, MA. www.shambhala.com.
The Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi, copyright © 1982 by Bantam, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Used by permission of Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc. Any third party use of this
material, outside of this publication, is prohibited. Interested parties must apply directly to Random House, Inc. for permission.
Sword of the Ronin (The Ronin Trilogy) Page 38