"Please, Uncle! When will Shizue-sama return to us? When she was here before, she told a story about a bridge made out of birds that carried the kami of birds into heaven. She told the best stories at our house." The little girl, her white hair tied into braids, tugged at her father's kimono.
An older boy, hair dark as obsidian and eyes like fiery coals, folded his arms stubbornly. "Ie. Shizue-sama told the best stories in Scorpion Lands. She told a story of the tiger on the Mountain of the Seven Thunders who ate one thousand, two hundred, and sixty five warriors before he was defeated by a monk with a blade of grass and a crow's feather"
The Crane girl's eyes grew wide with fear, and she clung even tighter to her father's kimono. "She's got to come today. She promised she'd come before Lady Doji's day, and that is almost here."
Even the Scorpion boy said wistfully, "She did tell really great stories."
Finally, my uncle said, "Shizue-sama is being detained at the Court of the Celestial Emperor. If I tell you the story, will you permit me to return to my duties, little ones?" He smiled as they both quickly sat down at his feet, for my uncle's stories are well known in those parts. Once they were settled, he began to speak.
"Very well, I will tell the story. Shizue-sama often visits the Court of the Celestial Emperor, and her beauty, kindness, and wit, and her many wonderful stories, have made her a great favorite of the Court. But, in every court, there who would be jealous of her, and who sought to discredit her in the eyes of the Celestial Emperor. And so they whispered and whispered and whispered, until one day the Celestial Emperor summoned Shizue-sama before the Celestial Throne."Doji Shizue!" the Celestial Emperor declared. "You have told many stories at my court, and talked of many strange and wonderful things. But I long to see one thing that I have never seen before. I wish to see the Truth. If you cannot show me the Truth, you have no place in the Celestial Court."
Shizue-sama bowed deeply to the Celestial Emperor. "I can show you the truth, if you but give me Three days to gather it, my Lord. I will fetch it to you for all to see." The Celestial Emperor nodded, and Shizue-sama hurried on her way. The jealous members of the Court schemed among themselves, awaiting her return. They thought she would fail, because they did not believe that there existed such a thing as the Truth and was sure that Shizue-sama would fail.
But in three days, the Storyteller returned, and behind her, her yojimbo carried three great platters, each covered with a great lid. Shizue-sama bowed deeply before the Celestial Emperor. "I have brought you the truth, as you have wished. But I must warn you, my Lord, you must look very carefully when you look at the Truth. A foolish man is, after all, unable to recognize the Truth when it is shown to him. Also, the Truth may be a frightening thing. Are you certain you wish to see it?"
The Celestial Emperor nodded, and the Celestial Court looked eagerly at the great Platter of Silver to see what she had hidden there. Shizue-sama went to the first yojimbo, and lifted the great lid of the platter, but on it lay a Truth no larger than a single grain of rice.
The Celestial Court was mightily offended, and began speaking among themselves behind raised fans. Even the Celestial Emperor was angry. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "This Truth is to puny and insignificant for the Celestial Court of the Emperor of the Nine Heavenly Mountains and the Five Rivers of Fire and the Three Bottomless Seas. The Celestial Emperor is deserving of a Greater Truth than this! Get it out of my sight immediately!"
Shizue-sama looked worriedly at the angry members of the Court, and even more at the angry Celestial Emperor, and she quickly swallowed the Truth like a Rice Grain so that none of the Court might have to look upon it further. She then bowed, even deeper, and said, "I have brought another Truth, that is larger, if you wish to see it. Maybe that will please you?"
The Celestial Emperor nodded, and Shizue-sama lifted the lid from the second platter, which was made of pure gold. On it, there lay a Truth that was round and plump and no bigger than a single green bean.
The Celestial Court was even more offended, and started to whisper of mockery. The Celestial Emperor began to turn red. Great was his fury. "I ask for Truth, and you bring me this thing, no larger than a Bean? I rule the 700 orders of Animals and the 700 orders of Fishes and the 700 orders of Birds, and the Dragons of Heaven bow before me! You think that I would be satisfied with such a small Truth? Remove it from this place immediately!"Shizue-sama looked even more worried, and hurridely swallowed the Truth like a Green Bean to conceal it from the Emperor as quick as could be. "Very well, my Lord," she finally said. "I have one last Truth I can show you. Do you truly wish to see it? It is much larger than the others, but...."
The Emperor roared, "Show it to me!"Shizue-sama quickly bowed, and lifted the lid of the platter made of Jade. Immediately, there sprung from the platter the most hideous bakemono that ever existed. His eyes were in his belly and his mouth was on the top of his head and he had feet where his ears should be and arms where his feet should be. The bakemono howled and gibbered and raced around the Court of the Celestial Heavens, screaming a blood-curdling cry. The courtiers dived behind cushions and crawled under the takama, terrified out of their minds, for any who looked upon the bakemono was filled with terror and dread. Even the Celestial Emperor ducked behind the Celestial Throne.
Finally, a mighty Crab samurai grabbed the Celestial Jade Chamberpot and used it to crush the Bakemono into Jigoku. Slowly, the Celestial Court recovered themselves, and the Celestial Emperor returned to his seat upon the throne. After a long period of time, the Emperor said, with caution, "Is that the last thing you have to show me, Doji Shizue?"
Shizue-sama nodded, and said, "Hai, my Lord. The Samurai has killed the Truth."
The Emperor thought about this for a long moment, and said finally. "I wish to examine the other Truths more carefully. Perhaps the Celestial Court was too hasty in judging them inadequate."
Shizue-sama shook her head. "I am very sorry, my Lord, but in order to remove them from your sight, I was forced to swallow those Truths. I cannot bring them back. But, my Lord. If the Celestial Court watches and listens very carefully when I speak, they may manage to catch a glimpse of those truths from where they lie now." "
The man smiled. "And with that, she turned and left the Celestial Court."
Kakita Kaori (jadehunter@msn.com)