When In Perfect Ease In A Relationship...

Thursday, December 3, 2009, 17:39

Once an emissary returned to the palace and reported to the king that his task of delivering message to the neighbouring country was done. The king was pleased and enquired if he had seen or heard anything during the course of his travel.

The emissary was too happy to share with the king about a strange martial art that he had witnessed while he was having supper in a wayside inn.

The inn was under the process of renovation and there were a lot of workers engaged in the renovation job. An old carpenter due to his carelessness got a lime on his nose. It was too tiny and thin as the wing of a fly, yet it was quite a thing on his nose. Instead of simply whipping it off, the carpenter called out to a mason, "Hey do you want to practise your special skill?"

The mason readily accepted the invitation and brought out a large axe. He then started swinging the axe in different directions to clear way the little dot of lime. As the shocked emissary watched the strange game, as the axe moved in different ways, the carpenter stood least perturbed, calm and cool. The mason then confirmed with the carpenter if he was ready, after he had done with a few practice moves. The carpenter said with most ease, "Whenever you are" The mason the swung the deadly weapon in front of the carpenter's nose. The emissary could not help jumping off his seat in a fearful anticipation of the head of the carpenter getting chopped. The axe just passed right in front of the nose and whisked away the tiny piece of lime from the carpenter's nose sans a small scratch on his nose!

The king was spellbound and asked the emissary to bring the mason to his court in order to see the extraordinary feat. The emissary then brought the mason who belonged to the kingdom of Ying to his king's court. The king enquired about the special art that the mason had mastered. He then asked if he could perform it in his presence. The mason however was hesitant to perform before the king. When the king enquired the reason, the mason replied that he could only carry out his skill with his carpenter friend. The king said that the carpenter can be summoned. The mason said sadly that it was highly impossible as his friend had passed away!