The Legend of the Three Arrows
The Legend of the Three Arrows
As I recall it told to me – by Alfred Brock
Mori Motonari was a very powerful man in Japan. He was a great warrior and many samurai were loyal to him.
Though his province was small he was able to overcome and conquer much larger enemies to the east and the west.
He was an honorable and just leader to his people.
Three of his sons rose to the rank of General in the army of the Mori clan. They were called Mōri Takamoto, Kikkawa Motoharu, and Kobayakawa Takakage.
He encouraged them to work together for the good of the Mori clan.
Being wise Mori Motonari knew that one day these three strong leaders may come to blows and all their hard work be torn asunder.
He called them to a dinner where they engaged in dining and entertainment.
When the evening was in full bloom Mori Motonari called a stop to it and summoned the three Generals before him.
They came forward in respect and sat before him on tatami mats. Their weapons, sharp and ready at their sides.
Each one in succession Mori Motonari called forward to him. To each one in succession he gave them a thickly formed arrow and asked them to break it.
Each one in succession easily broke arrow given to them. Hardly hiding their contempt they returned to their seats on their tatami mat.
Mori Motonari called for the broken arrows to be removed from before him. In the silence the sound of a sweeping broom could be heard out into the garden beyond.
While his kind servant and Captain swept away the splinters of the arrows Mori Motonari reached behind him and drew out three more arrows just as thick and strong as the ones that had been broken before him. As his Captain swept Mori Motonari tied the arrows together with aged but powerful hands. His fingers carefully tied ceremonial knots in the cords he used to combine the three arrows. All gathered looked on with interest and curiousity
With the floor clean between them Mori Motonari again asked each of the Generals in turn to come forward and break the new bundle of arrows.
Each of them tried and each of them failed to break the bundle.
‘So it is,’said Mori Motonari to his sons and Generals, ‘that individually each of these arrows may be broken easily but tied together, and joined thus, their strength is greater and so they cannot be broken.’’
The dinner then began again and continued long into the night. It was a fine evening.
As I recall it told to me – by Alfred Brock
Mori Motonari was a very powerful man in Japan. He was a great warrior and many samurai were loyal to him.
Though his province was small he was able to overcome and conquer much larger enemies to the east and the west.
He was an honorable and just leader to his people.
Three of his sons rose to the rank of General in the army of the Mori clan. They were called Mōri Takamoto, Kikkawa Motoharu, and Kobayakawa Takakage.
He encouraged them to work together for the good of the Mori clan.
Being wise Mori Motonari knew that one day these three strong leaders may come to blows and all their hard work be torn asunder.
He called them to a dinner where they engaged in dining and entertainment.
When the evening was in full bloom Mori Motonari called a stop to it and summoned the three Generals before him.
They came forward in respect and sat before him on tatami mats. Their weapons, sharp and ready at their sides.
Each one in succession Mori Motonari called forward to him. To each one in succession he gave them a thickly formed arrow and asked them to break it.
Each one in succession easily broke arrow given to them. Hardly hiding their contempt they returned to their seats on their tatami mat.
Mori Motonari called for the broken arrows to be removed from before him. In the silence the sound of a sweeping broom could be heard out into the garden beyond.
While his kind servant and Captain swept away the splinters of the arrows Mori Motonari reached behind him and drew out three more arrows just as thick and strong as the ones that had been broken before him. As his Captain swept Mori Motonari tied the arrows together with aged but powerful hands. His fingers carefully tied ceremonial knots in the cords he used to combine the three arrows. All gathered looked on with interest and curiousity
With the floor clean between them Mori Motonari again asked each of the Generals in turn to come forward and break the new bundle of arrows.
Each of them tried and each of them failed to break the bundle.
‘So it is,’said Mori Motonari to his sons and Generals, ‘that individually each of these arrows may be broken easily but tied together, and joined thus, their strength is greater and so they cannot be broken.’’
The dinner then began again and continued long into the night. It was a fine evening.
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