tried to make it naruto like.
Oct 10, 2013 20:47:38 GMT -7
Post by The Chairman on Oct 10, 2013 20:47:38 GMT -7
There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the Art of Ninjutsu, so they simply walked across the water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.
And Death spoke to them.
He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.
So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a Weapon more powerful than any in existence: a Weapon that would never lose in a Duel, a Weapon worthy of a Ninja who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a Weapon from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.
Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.
And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for 100 years of life.
Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death’s gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.
The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow Ninja with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful Weapon he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.
That very night, another Ninja crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden upon his bed. The thief took the Weapon and for good measure, slit the oldest brother’s throat.
And so Death took the first brother for his own.
Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.
Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her.
And so Death took the second brother from his own.
Death waited, his own hands tied by his word, that he would allow the youngest brother to live 100 more years. In that time he claimed his family and friends when it was their time, but he could never claim the one man he wanted. And so he waited in the graveyard of the village. One day, the man walked to the graveyard and smiled at death, as if he was an old friend. Death stood and asked why he had come. The man smiled and showed death the picture of his grandchildren. He looked at Death and said. “I have lived a Full life with no regrets. And it is time i take my leave.”
Death stood silent. For the 100 promised years were not over. “You still have 25 years of free life. Why do you not take it?”
The youngest brother simply smiled. “Because I have lived my share, and it is time for the new souls to live theirs.” And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and as equals, they departed this life.
And Death spoke to them.
He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.
So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a Weapon more powerful than any in existence: a Weapon that would never lose in a Duel, a Weapon worthy of a Ninja who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a Weapon from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.
Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.
And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for 100 years of life.
Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death’s gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.
The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow Ninja with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful Weapon he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.
That very night, another Ninja crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden upon his bed. The thief took the Weapon and for good measure, slit the oldest brother’s throat.
And so Death took the first brother for his own.
Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.
Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her.
And so Death took the second brother from his own.
Death waited, his own hands tied by his word, that he would allow the youngest brother to live 100 more years. In that time he claimed his family and friends when it was their time, but he could never claim the one man he wanted. And so he waited in the graveyard of the village. One day, the man walked to the graveyard and smiled at death, as if he was an old friend. Death stood and asked why he had come. The man smiled and showed death the picture of his grandchildren. He looked at Death and said. “I have lived a Full life with no regrets. And it is time i take my leave.”
Death stood silent. For the 100 promised years were not over. “You still have 25 years of free life. Why do you not take it?”
The youngest brother simply smiled. “Because I have lived my share, and it is time for the new souls to live theirs.” And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and as equals, they departed this life.