A Ballad of Samurai

The Wrath of the Kitsune

Read in Landscape

Now down the dusty road they go as boy does lead the man
On briefest trip they both do run no hardship either plans
To meet on way of path they take for child does know it well
The safest course through forest roads that long the boy has dwelled.

The night does fall and camp is made again at sun they rise
And head about the meager course to place their goals do lie
The boy to journey back to home he holds in peasant's keep
While man for master's vaunted grave does current wond'ring seek.

Along their path they speak at length of all they current know
As man does seek to learn the way that child his skills did hone.
To gain much craft inside the woods at such an early age
What training granted gave him reign to long this venture wage.

"Of the dangers of wilder place and the workings of bandit men
As the latter will use the former to often cover their sin
The boy is quite skilled for a child so tender and so young
And is granted so few a day that are under eternal sun.

How gained you your woodcraft with which you do your work
Avoiding the spiting of nature and of bandit's foulest hurt
By the virtue of hard knowledge that tells of the shadows and trees
And grants my junior companion his wage and soft reprieve?"

And hearing words the boy did speak he tells the man his tale
In hopes to meet his guesting gaze with story given well.

"My parent passed from life as babe
And both the pair were laid in grave
Before the time my mouth could ask
Apart from peer I'm gave this task

To earn my keep and way through life
I'm bidden more than peers this strife
And struggle hard to gain my wants
Yet even though the path may daunt

The hearts of those with lesser still
Yet still I every need fulfil.
But many pity took on child
And taught the boy of forest's wilds

With which I gain for self my good
Alone in wilder places stood.
So take not long a pity's sake
I've met the challenge gave by fate.

And do for self a work that's well
And earn the keep of place I dwell."

And master hearing words did nod not feeling pity's sting
For many men an envy great atop this boy would deem.
How many folk of greater age don't have a way to make
Their way through world and earn for selves and all their families sake.

Yet child did know the ways of world and surely well would live
And go about the roaming lands and take what nature gives
To nourish self and help his lot and keep his needed life
At early age this babe had learned to wage for self this strife.

So on they go no thought is gave for rest of day they journ'
And talk the pair a walking make as dangers both now spurn.
Not lacking any words to give they go about their way
Unfearing hearts are grant by peace along the road they lay.

And days then came and parted fast as pair the land did walk
Not fearing well for any task for men from paths did balk
That gave the risks  of danger great or any other harm
So on they went along the way not fearing any harm.

Then finally forest broke above the pairs own daunted head
And out they came from place where paths they took had led.
Then spoke the man to cunning boy who lead them through the green
With woodcraft great and very good a gift that's great he deems

For any one to ever hold much less a little child
The skill by which he led them through the places often wild
And kept them secret still from any one who sought their harm
Thus granting men a better path that lessened much alarm.