SAMURAI STORIES
contributed by
Paula Nielsen
Samurai Sports, Inc.
http://samuraisports.com/indexfl.html
Every group has its bad apples or malingerers. There was certainly no difference within the ranks of the exalted samurai warriors. Personal vendettas have existed since the beginning of time and the Meiji Restoration period was no exception. There were the diehards of the old school and the newly formed gendai. Each faction was fervent in their beliefs. Unfortunately, theirs was not a philosophy of live and let live. If your political thoughts differed you were an enemy regardless of the facts.
Evening had fallen and small glittering stars were becoming noticeable. We were all tired and hungry as we had been mounted and traveling since dawn with no respite. We were in pursuit of insurgents who had raped and pillaged a village of the Emperor’s loyalists.
A fire was started to not only warm us but to cook our food and keep wild animals at bay. Unfortunately, the glow from this campsite could also telegraph our position to the enemy.
We dispatched guards to patrol the perimeter of the camp. The rest of us slept to gain strength in preparation for any late night attack that might occur. We were inside their territory and didn’t know their location. We all had to assume that they were observing and preparing to attack us and send in ninja to disrupt and create a small but deadly environment of havoc which would force us to retreat and return home in dishonor.
The camp fire was now reduced to red hot coals which gave off an eerie light creating gothic shadows. Most of our men crept to the outer perimeter of our encampment to lay in wait for the evil ones. There were to be no surprises tonight if we could avoid it. The rest of the men, including myself, talked loudly and laughed pretending to be oblivious and defenseless near the fire which we stoked periodically inviting attack.
Suddenly there was a sound of approaching feet which became louder and louder. Through the dim light I saw the glint of menacing swords drawing dangerously close. We gave the appearance that we were totally unaware of any forthcoming attack. The pillagers stormed in ignoring or not seeing our men positioned on the periphery.
As I saw the whites of their eyes - screams and death could be heard from the rear. Our men had circled around following them into our camp and attacked from the rear immediately cutting down two thirds of the group. At this point I was more concerned with those faces of fanaticism bearing down on me.
In a crouching position using bushes as my concealment, I execute a horizontal mayoko giri which cuts well into my attacker’s leg. He immediately falls to the ground as I plunge my blade into his back and through his lungs. Retrieving my sword from his lifeless body, I turn and hone in on the enemy across the campfire. At a full run I leap over the flames and with a downward diagonal hidari kesagiri cut through his shoulder severing his spine. He falls backward and lands onto the fire. I spin around looking for another adversary to best and begin to see familiar faces returning to camp.
We can only hope that this was a lesson “well learned” and that outlaw group will never again consider pillaging a village of the Emperor because after all ---- this was treason.
v v v
Snow was falling and even though it was still twilight the shadows falling on the temple walls were darkening and loomed large and foreboding. My fellow samurai and I had just left the temple and were starting on the path to the geisha house for a night of sake, lute music and the graciousness and companionship of the ladies. The wind had picked up and was swirling the flakes of snow around like bits of facial tissue each one sticking to our faces before melting and disappearing forever. We were both in high spirits and looking forward to our evening of relaxation and enjoyment.
We stopped and looked at each other questioningly. Were we correct? Was an enemy or two, three or more creeping up behind us? To our dismay and I might add, surprise, there appeared a band of rival samurais approximately five in number descending upon us from different directions. Without a word passing between us, we instinctively knew what we had to do to survive this situation of five warriors versus two. There was no other option for the moment.
As they menacingly approached, we turned to stand back to back giving us a circular area of influence. We gazed upon our opponents trying to size up their weak areas but, alas, we could not find any. The moment of truth had arrived.
The attackers came at us in unison thus creating deadly chaos. Knowing that my back was covered, I did not have to worry about any blind spots. My fellow samurai and I both knew that I had more experience for this kind of encounter than he had. Therefore, he followed my lead and stayed close to my back in a steadfast position keeping attackers from the rear while I engaged the frontal on rush.
They rushed us at once entering my circle of influence haphazardly which allowed me to pick my first victim. He charged me thrusting his sword to my chest area but before he could reach his mark I crashed my sword downward with severing speed upon his neck and shoulder executing a migi kesigiri. He fell mid-step giving me just enough time to size up the next attacker whose blade barely missed my chin which I unconsciously evaded by leaning backwards.
In that backward position I executed a horizontal mayoko giri cut severing his leg. As he fell to the ground I executed the final “coup de grace” and thrust my sword into his heart. I observed there was an air of hesitation now in the remaining attackers. This gave my steadfast partner and I enough time to regroup. The next attacker came at me with sword waving above his head. I immediately thrust my sword under his raised arm plunging it deeply into his armpit and preventing his downward cut. While blood flowed down the blade to the hilt of the sword he was left dancing on the end like a puppet.
As fast as they rushed in - they rushed out, but fewer in numbers. We were overjoyed to find that it was my friend and myself who survived to carry on the tradition of the samurai and fight another day.
v v v
Due to necessity and survival all villages are settled around the “gift of life” – water. Today, the beauty of that gift was enhanced by the bright sun sparkling off the cascading waterfall and stream. Two of the village children were playing the old game of skimming rocks across the water.
I felt relaxed and at peace with the world as I watched them use their adolescent skills in competition with each other. In a very few years they will have reached manhood and will be required to take their role in defending their village – but not today. Today is a day of beauty and tranquility, or, so I thought.
We were in a small cove of the river hidden by trees and brush from the view and sound of the villagers, a perfect place for privacy, especially if one is up to no good.
The crackle of twigs reached my ears. As I cautiously turned to where the sound came from I espied a lone rider coming thru the brush. He had not, as yet, discovered me but was taking an extreme interest in the young boys. Slavery and kidnapping was a common occurrence in the Japan of yesteryear and I believed that this was his mission today. He seemed to be a straggler from his band. As I wasn’t sure if he was alone, I watched straining my ears to hear any other noises that would denote additional members of his group. Fortunately, except for the one lone horse breaking twigs and branches and the absence of other noises, I knew he was alone. What a coup for him……..to be able single handedly to kidnap the two boys and return in triumph to his village with his prizes.
I moved silently placing myself between the rider and boys but hidden behind a huge Banyan tree on a small knoll. I had seen from his clothing that he was a member of an outlaw band of renegades and this proved what I had originally thought. Kidnapping was on his mind.
As he passed under the tree with his eyes fixated on his prey I was fixating on him. Aware that he had nothing to lose and would also strike at me I took action as I was in no mood for a lengthy battle today. With my sword drawn I execute a right upward diagonal joho giri into his neck with a great deal of power and force.
With the last flourish of my sword, I saw his airborne head flying past me, his eyes never wavering in their stare and I knew that today was not his best day. I guess that it all boils down to “don’t lose your head over a situation you can’t win”.
Tanaka Tadashi