The Wonder Tales Issue #9
The Tall Tale of Tobisum the Inch High Samurai
By Nick Davis
Smashwords Edition
Published by Alt-World at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 Nick Davis
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Dream big and let nothing stand in the way of them.
*****
Once Upon a Time, in a land far, far, far away traveled the lost Princess Gwendolyn, almost as good a shot as the Archer whose bow she carried. She was as kind as she was brave, fair of face with emerald green eyes and a mass of unruly red hair held in place in a long braid that reached far down her back. Lost with her are her loyal companions Kurt, the wolf-boy, cursed by Baba Yaga unable to talk or change into a human, and Will O’Wisp a Faerie creature. Together they have been banished to the Land of the Sun by the evil Witch Isabelle, a strange land many, many thousands of leagues from their own.
As Gwendolyn searched to find her way home she encountered Tobisum, a Samurai who is one inch in stature, but is mighty in heart. Together they defeat the Serpent of the Iron Mountain and rescue the Woodland Nymph, from who Gwendolyn learns of her heart’s desire which is to change Kurt back to a boy. To do this they must seek out the door to Baba Yaga’s house in the Land of the Sun and only the Jiki Ninki of the Crackling Mountain has the answer.
It had been three days since the Woodland Nymph set Gwendolyn on her quest to the Crackling Mountain and the Goblin Jiki Ninki. The companions had traveled through woods and vale, across rivers, and had not seen another soul. That night they camped in a woodland glen. With the fire roaring, Kurt asleep and WillO buzzing away, Gwen asked Tobisum to tell her more about the girl Haru that had found him in the mouth of a dead carp. Only too happy to talk about himself, the inch-high Samurai said he would tell the story of how he came to be a Samurai.
Not too long ago Tobisum lived in small village on an island in the middle of a great lake. A little girl called Haru who had black hair, white skin and eyes the color of jade found him her father’s catch, in the mouth of a great carp, although how he ended up there Tobisum did not know. She named him Tobisum which means “not quite an inch” and nursed him back to health. He stayed with the girl and her family for many years, aging from a young boy to a boy of thirteen, though throughout those years he never grew and remained no bigger than an inch. It certainly wasn’t because he didn’t eat enough, for his appetite was the same as any other normal sized boy. He was just as active, too, and surprisingly strong for his size, helping his adopted family with the daily catch. But as much as Haru and her family loved him, and he loved them too, Tobisum wasn’t from their world and there were days he was restless and would climb great trees to look out on the world beyond the little island in the middle of the great lake.
One day Tobisum asked Haru a question, “What is beyond the shores of the great lake?”
“I do not know,” said Haru. “I have never left my island to see. Pa says just beyond the shore is Castle of Lord Sanjo, a mighty Samurai and lord of our lands.”
“I think one day I will go see Lord Sanjo and become a might Samurai myself,” said Tobisum.
Many days passed, and Tobisum showed no sign that he wished to leave. Every day he worked the boat with Pa, and helped Haru with sorting the catch at night. The days turned into months and the months became a full year, then in Spring Tobisum approached his family, for even though he never showed it he couldn’t stop thinking about the castle of Lord Sanjo.
“Family dear, it is time… I am going to the castle of Lord Sanjo to become a Samurai,” said Tobisum packing his small bag of belongings.
His adopted family tried desperately to make him change his mind, but Tobisum would not waver. Seeing how determined he was, they gave in and helped him prepare for his journey. Pa gave him the fishing hook Tobisum would use to land fish, now fashioned as a small Katana. For a scabbard Ma made a small sheath out of leather. Haru had little she could give, so she took a small ribbon, tied it as a sash around Tobisum’s robe so he would remember her and he could place his sword in it. Together they all walked down to the shore and Tobisum refusing all offers by Pa to take him to the edge of the great lake choose to use a small teacup as a boat, and a chopstick for a paddle.
“Be careful Tobisum,” said his family in tears.
“I will,” said Tobisum bowing.” I will never forget you or your great kindness which one day I shall repay in full.”
The inch-high youngster then pushed his makeshift boat into the water and began to paddle towards the shore of the great lake.
“Goodbye!” said Tobisum taking one last look at his island home and his beloved family on the shore before the waves carried him off. The tea cup boat got swept up in the current, bouncing off rocks and swirled through rapids like he was being tossed through a raging storm. Many times Tobisum almost gave up as he furiously paddled against the current. But as tiny as he was, his spirit was mighty and his dream of becoming a Samurai grew bigger as he fought to overcome his peril. Finally after what felt like many days Tobisum reached the shore of the great lake and pulled his little teacup boat to the shore. Cutting his chopstick down to the size of a walking stave the inch-high boy set off in the direction of Lord Sanjo’s castle.
After many weeks Tobisum reached the castle of Lord Sanjo. Along the way he faced the peril of the vicious crow, manic squirrel and sly rat, but Tobisum drew his katana and stood his ground fighting off these deadly creatures who wanted him for their lunch. He paused at the huge castle door that towered above him. Indeed, it would have towered above a normal sized boy too.