A Piece of Truth
A Story Told by Kakita Kyoumi for Winter Court 5
"High in the Heavens, Prince Meadow Lark was a mighty Story-Teller. He often visited the Court of the Celestial Emperor, and his humor and wit, and his many wonderful stories, made him a great favorite of the Court. But, in every court, there who would be jealous of him, and who sought to discredit him in the eyes of the Celestial Emperor. And so they whispered and whispered and whispered, until one day the Celestial Emperor summoned Prince Meadow Lark before the Celestial Throne.
“Prince Meadow Lark!” 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. "
Prince Meadow Lark 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 Prince Meadow Lark hurried on his way. The jealous members of the Court schemed among themselves, awaiting his return. They thought he would fail, because they did not believe that there existed such a thing as the Truth and were sure the task was impossible.
But in three days, the Storyteller returned, and behind him, his yojimbo carried three great platters, each covered with a great lid. Prince Meadow Lark 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 he had hidden there. Prince Meadow Lark 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 too 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!”
Prince Meadow Lark looked worriedly at the angry members of the Court, and even more at the angry Celestial Emperor, and he quickly swallowed the Truth like a Rice Grain so that none of the Court might have to look upon it further. He 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 Prince Meadow Lark 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 asked 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!”
Prince Meadow Lark looked even more worried, and hurriedly swallowed the Truth like a Green Bean to conceal it from the Emperor as quick as could be. “Very well, my Lord,” he 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!”
Prince Meadow Lark 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, the mighty warrior, Princess Fury, 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, Prince Meadow Lark?”
Prince Meadow Lark nodded, and said, “Hai, my Lord. Fury 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.”
Prince Meadow Lark shook his 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.”
And with that, he turned and left the Celestial Court."
A Story Told by Kakita Kyoumi for Winter Court 5
"High in the Heavens, Prince Meadow Lark was a mighty Story-Teller. He often visited the Court of the Celestial Emperor, and his humor and wit, and his many wonderful stories, made him a great favorite of the Court. But, in every court, there who would be jealous of him, and who sought to discredit him in the eyes of the Celestial Emperor. And so they whispered and whispered and whispered, until one day the Celestial Emperor summoned Prince Meadow Lark before the Celestial Throne.
“Prince Meadow Lark!” 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. "
Prince Meadow Lark 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 Prince Meadow Lark hurried on his way. The jealous members of the Court schemed among themselves, awaiting his return. They thought he would fail, because they did not believe that there existed such a thing as the Truth and were sure the task was impossible.
But in three days, the Storyteller returned, and behind him, his yojimbo carried three great platters, each covered with a great lid. Prince Meadow Lark 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 he had hidden there. Prince Meadow Lark 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 too 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!”
Prince Meadow Lark looked worriedly at the angry members of the Court, and even more at the angry Celestial Emperor, and he quickly swallowed the Truth like a Rice Grain so that none of the Court might have to look upon it further. He 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 Prince Meadow Lark 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 asked 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!”
Prince Meadow Lark looked even more worried, and hurriedly swallowed the Truth like a Green Bean to conceal it from the Emperor as quick as could be. “Very well, my Lord,” he 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!”
Prince Meadow Lark 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, the mighty warrior, Princess Fury, 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, Prince Meadow Lark?”
Prince Meadow Lark nodded, and said, “Hai, my Lord. Fury 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.”
Prince Meadow Lark shook his 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.”
And with that, he turned and left the Celestial Court."
