HidA and Shinsei
When the sons and daughters of Heaven fell to the Earth, they held a series of contests to determine who among them was fit to rule. Hida, by far the largest and strongest of the eight, easily won all the tests involving power and endurance. In the contests that required wits and insight, however, he was sorely outmatched by his more canny brothers and sisters. During the final test, he was the first of the eight to fall. Counting on his tremendous strength to compensate for his simple tactics, he was no match for Lady Shinjo, whose speed and cleverness rendered him helpless. The humiliation at such a loss – and so early in the test – was more than he could bear, and he stalked away from his brothers and sisters to fume in solitude. He berated himself for hours, cursing his clumsiness and his inability to marshal his strength effectively.
His brooding was broken by the appearance of a little old man with a shaved head, dressed in simple robes. A raven sat on the old man’s shoulder. He sat down opposite the hulking Hida, who did not stir at his approach.
“Why are you angry, my son?” the old man asked. Hida didn’t look up.
“I am angry because I am weak, and because my strength could not save me from that weakness.”
The old man smiled – sadly it seemed – and spoke again.
“Knowing your weakness is a form of strength, First Crab. Seek the truth in that, and you will never be beaten again.”
Hida’s head rose from his hands as he looked at the old man.
“But my weakness caused me to fall first,” he replied.
“No. Your inability to accept your weakness caused you to fall first. But now you know it, and in knowing it, you transform it into strength. Lies are told by those who would deny their weakness. The truth can only live in those who see what they are.”
Hida stared in wonder as the old man’s words sank in.
“Why did you tell me these things?”
“Because you wanted to hear them.”
With that the old man bowed and went on his way.
His brooding was broken by the appearance of a little old man with a shaved head, dressed in simple robes. A raven sat on the old man’s shoulder. He sat down opposite the hulking Hida, who did not stir at his approach.
“Why are you angry, my son?” the old man asked. Hida didn’t look up.
“I am angry because I am weak, and because my strength could not save me from that weakness.”
The old man smiled – sadly it seemed – and spoke again.
“Knowing your weakness is a form of strength, First Crab. Seek the truth in that, and you will never be beaten again.”
Hida’s head rose from his hands as he looked at the old man.
“But my weakness caused me to fall first,” he replied.
“No. Your inability to accept your weakness caused you to fall first. But now you know it, and in knowing it, you transform it into strength. Lies are told by those who would deny their weakness. The truth can only live in those who see what they are.”
Hida stared in wonder as the old man’s words sank in.
“Why did you tell me these things?”
“Because you wanted to hear them.”
With that the old man bowed and went on his way.