Читать книгу From Lee to Li: An A–Z guide of martial arts heroes - Ben Stevens - Страница 8

A much-loved folk hero of Japan, Saito Musashibo Benkei was either: a) the supernatural offspring of a temple god, or b) the son of a blacksmith’s daughter, depending on which story you choose to believe. (Personally, I tend to go with the latter.)

Apparently coming into the world with hair and teeth already in place, Benkei was a natural troublemaker—so much so that he soon earned the nickname oniwaka or ‘young devil child’.

In spite of this, he trained as a monk and, at the age of seventeen, stood two metres tall with the strength of a small bull. It was at this point that he decided he’d had enough of living in a Buddhist temple. What he really wanted to do, he decided, was to join the yamabushi —a sect of mountain priests who were also quite adept at fighting.

So, now trained in martial arts and warfare (and particularly expert in his use of the sword), Benkei decided to place himself by Gojo Bridge in Kyoto, where he set himself a target of beating 1,000 men using his sword.

He almost succeeded; 999 men proved absolutely no problem whatsoever, but it was the very last man who was to be Benkei’s undoing. Along he came, playing a tune on his flute, a little sword hanging by his side.

‘He looks easy enough,’ Benkei said gleefully to himself. ‘Certainly easier than some of the other men I’ve had to fight.’

As the man grew closer, Benkei called, ‘Hey, you. Just hand over that sword, eh? That is, if you want to continue breathing!’

‘You idiot,’ scoffed the slightly-built man. ‘I am Minamoto no Yoshitsune, son of the infamous warlord Minamoto no Yoshitomo. Step aside this instant, or taste my wrath!’

‘You’re for it,’ growled Benkei as he rushed forwards.

Yoshitsune, however, merely stepped aside before using his flute to hit the giant sharply around the head. Benkei let out a roar and flashed his great sword all around him, but each time Yoshitsune was simply not there.

So undemanding did Yoshitsune find the battle that he was frequently able to play a tune on his flute in the course of it. Finally, exhausted with cutting through nothing but thin air, Benkei sat on the ground and conceded defeat.

‘Okay, you win,’ he told Yoshitsune. ‘Here, take my sword, as proof that you’re the better man.’

But Yoshitsune only laughed as he sat down beside the dejected giant. He explained that he’d been trained in martial arts and swordsmanship by supernatural goblins called tengu, and so only needed to draw his sword in moments of extreme peril.

‘I’m sorry, Benkei,’ said Yoshitsune gently, ‘but this was a battle I knew I’d win before you even challenged me.’

It was at this point that Benkei begged to become Yoshitsune’s loyal follower, for however long they both should live.

So from that day on they had a multitude of adventures, until the day finally came when Yoshitsune found himself betrayed by his powerful brother, Minamoto Yoritomo. Holed up in Takadachi Castle, an entire army just about to force their way inside, Yoshitsune killed first his family and then himself, to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.

Benkei, loyal to the last, remained outside the room where his fallen master lay, defending it until his great body was finally brought down by over 100 arrows.