Kooky-Fu Theatre

K.A. Rutledge

Slashing Tiger, Coiling Dragon
an allegory

Fade in: A man dressed in black approaches the gate to a wood-fence enclosed compound. The tattered sign over the double doors reads, “Tiger Claw dojo.” The stranger stops a few steps from the gate. The sound of many scissors cutting is heard coming from inside the compound. The man adjusts the position of the coils of wire he carries on his shoulder, producing a soft rattle.

The cutting sounds on the other side of the fence cease.

Whispers and the shuffling of feet are heard from inside the compound. After a few seconds, a voice calls out from behind the gate.

Disembodied voice: “Who is there!?”

The stranger takes a step closer to the gate. His demeanor conveys confidence.

Stranger: “I am here for a lesson.” His tone is calm and his voice deep.

More whispers and shuffling of feet is heard from behind the gate. A moment later, the click of a latch; the small door contained by one of the gate’s large double doors opens. A man dressed in a brown tunic and loose fitting pants quickly fills the doorway, hands on hips. Others are seen close behind him.

Dojo Representative: “We are offering no lessons today. Be gone!”

The stranger’s eyebrow arches as he catches a glint of sunlight off of something nearly concealed in the other man’s hand.

Stranger’s thoughts: Ware! He carries scissors!

Suddenly, the stranger steps confidently toward the open door, right hand coming up to grasp the wire coils on his right shoulder as he moves through the doorway. The startled man at the door scrambles backward, his eyes wide with fright. His compatriots give way, scattering from the path of the intrusive stranger.

Stranger: (voice confident and deep) “I come not to receive a lesson, but to offer one!”

The stranger stands calm, but defiant in the courtyard, surrounded by the startled students of the Tiger Claw dojo. Bonsai trees of various sizes and configurations (yet all basically similar) decorate the garden that surrounds the small graveled courtyard. The dozen or so young students look from one to another, momentarily at a loss. A voice shatters the tense quiet…

Enter the Young Master (from the large veranda adjoining the house)

Young Master: “Who dares challenge the Tiger Claw clan!?” his voice booms across the garden

The startled collective flinches at the Young Master’s utterance; all but the stranger, who remains still and stands tall. The Young master, robed in brown, stands with feet wide and hands on his hips. The stranger regards him coolly.

Stranger: (with a deep, calm voice) “My name is not important. I represent the Dragon Tail dojo. My Coiling Dragon style is much too strong for you. Acknowledge defeat or, if you must… (a small smile plays across the stranger’s lips) …challenge me. (the stranger raises his hand to indicate the two bonsai in the dueling circle, each on its own turntable)

At that, a low gasp is heard from some of the students surrounding the stranger. A dozen pairs of wide eyes fall upon the Young Master. He looks calm and in control, but a bead of sweat rolls down his left temple, betraying his spirit.

Quick as lightning, the Young Master’s hands disappear into the voluminous sleeves of his robe and in the blink of an eye his arms fall straight at his sides, a pair of gleaming scissors in each hand.

Young Master: “Yes. I challenge.”

The stranger’s eye’s narrow. With unimaginable speed, he uncoils a length of number 6 copper wire as he strides toward the large pine on one of the dueling circle turntables. Between his near silent footsteps the soft snick of a wire cutter is heard

In disbelief, the group of students catch the gleam of the silvery wire cutter in the stranger’s hand, which a heartbeat before was empty! He must be a master!

Stranger: “I choose thi…”

Young Master: (loud, excited voice) “You get THAT tree!”

The Young Master points with his scissors to the scraggly juniper on the second turntable.

Young Master: “I challenge, so I choose your tree.” (His expression is one of triumph)

The stranger stops abruptly and looks at the tree that, according to the traditional rules, he must now use. However, he is now smiling widely.

Stranger: (with a tone of finality) “Yes, you are correct. But now I choose the form. I choose …WINDSWEPT form!”

The students gathered in the garden utter a gasp. The Young Master has already been outwitted! It was originally the stranger who challenged, but the Young Master fell into his trap and usurped the challenge, conceding the choice of form to the stranger. (dramatic music)

Windswept form; very powerful for the Coiling Dragon style. The Young Master’s triumphant smile dissolves into a grim scowl. With heavy steps, he moves to the pine.

With sudden, silent agreement, the two adepts launch into their styling of the trees. The Young Master makes deft cuts, expertly chosen. But his Slashing Tiger style is no match for the Coiling Dragon style for making the windswept form. The Young Master tries valiantly, but in the end he succumbs to the power of the stranger’s Coiling Dragon style.

After the match, the crestfallen Young Master looks sullenly at the still smiling stranger and then nearly falls to the ground, but for the quick assistance of a pair of students. The students half walk, half carry the defeated Young Master from the courtyard. The remaining students, though now struck with depression, are about to forcefully see the stranger off when a new voice is heard in the garden.

Enter the Old Master (seated cross-legged on one of the monkey pole bonsai stands in the middle of the garden)

Old Master: “Impressive display of skill, young man.” The Old Master then cackles with seeming delight.

The remaining students gasp (again). It’s the Old Master! Several of them hurry over to help the old man off of the monkey pole.

The stranger regards the old man with a humorous expression then bends down to pick up the two small remnants of wire from the ground under his newly styled juniper. (The only two wire remnants, note the amazed students. So many wires and only two remnants!)

Stranger: “Yes, I have to agree with you there.” (smugly)

Old Master: “Too bad you are a slave to your skill. You can make manifest only a fraction of what is possible.” (the Old Master stifles a yawn)

The stranger’s eyes narrow (again) and he adjusts the coils of wire on his shoulder.

Stranger: (smugly) “Be careful or I might just embarrass you in front of your students, too.”

Old Master: “Yes, I accept your challenge. Bilbo, go and fetch us a pair of trees. Any two will do.” (he seems rather matter-of-fact about the whole thing) “And you may choose your tree and the form for this duel,” he informs the stranger.

The stranger is now startled, but quickly regains his composure.

Stranger: “If I win?”

Old Master: “Name any prize you like when our duel is over.”

The remaining students gasp (yet again) and look worriedly at each other. Some are eyeing the gate, thinking of an early escape. A grim smile spreads across the strangers face.

The two trees for the duel are brought and placed on the turntables. The stranger quickly chooses his tree, assesses the configuration and proclaims the form for this duel: literati!

The students are then resolved to their doom. Again the stranger has chosen a form that gives his Coiling Dragon style an advantage over the Old Master’s Slashing Tiger style. The stranger’s tree is perfectly suited to the literati form. Resigned, the students watch the duel play out.

From the start, the stranger’s style works marvels on his tree. The precise positioning of the stranger’s branches soon outshines the Old Master’s admittedly masterful clipping. The fate of the dojo seems all but sealed …but then…

The Old Master reaches into his tunic (his only clothing) and takes out a coil of wire! The student’s collective (you guessed it) gasp is ignored by the stranger as he works to refine his branch positioning, but the familiar snick of the wire cutter coming from the old man’s tree stops him in his tracks.

With his mouth hanging open, the stranger watches as the Old Master deftly applies wire after wire to the branches of his tree. It is clear that this old man is a master of the stranger’s own style! Treachery!

Stranger: “Wait! You can’t do that!” You are the master at the Tiger Claw dojo, of, of Slashing Tiger style. You can’t use wire!”

Old Master: “Say’s who?” (an incredulous expression on his face)

The stranger can think of no response and can merely watch as the Old Master’s tree is transformed into an object of uncompromising beauty. A true work of art. In the end, the stranger’s tree is skillfully composed, but his lack of artistic vision is clear and his limited view of bonsai has marred his work unmercifully. He is soundly defeated.

After the confused and morose stranger is helped from the courtyard (and into the street), the students return to the Old Master to satisfy their curiosity.

Student 1: “How is it that you can use wire? You’re the master of the Slashing Tiger style; we only use scissors.”

Old Master: “What nonsense. You only use scissors. That is just for right now. In time, you will learn to use all of the useful tools for bonsai art - After you learn to use scissors.”

The Old master looks at one of the older students.

Old Master: "By the way, you've been here for 15 years. Why aren't you using wire yet?


Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
http://www.bunjindesign.com/bonsai/
zone 8, Texas

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Carl_Bergstrom

Well, I for one liked it! It made for wonderful mental images!

I must admit that I'm not sure I fully understand the allegory as anything beyond a plea for a catholic understanding and application of the many technical approaches to the art of bonsai. Probably just me being dense, though.

Cheers,
Carl

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In love with trees

TreeBay

Did the students gasp at the Old Master's coil of wire, or his lack of trousers?



Regards,

Matt

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Jay

Andy.... you sure can write......

Do I hear 'Wax on...Wax off' in the background?

If you are teaching the principle of learn everything in its time... and a time to learn everything.... I understand 'MASTER".

It is important to master each aspect of the art before moving on!

Jay

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Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

K.A. Rutledge

Thanks for reading. Hmmm, maybe it's not an allegory. Maybe its' a pun.

Actually, I've just edited the thing (I did exactly zero edits after I wrote it last night (this morning) and it needed a couple. I amended the ending and it might help (or it might not).

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
http://www.bunjindesign.com/bonsai/
zone 8, Texas

Treebeard

Andy, that's a nice short story. You have a real talent there.

I admit, I was expecting a moral about the futility of a styling contest, but was rather surprised when I got to the end. Nice one.

Regards,

Chris / TB

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K.A. Rutledge

Thanks Chris. Yes, in this bizarre world, one has to suspend disbelief that "styling" a tree can happen in one sitting and that dueling is a worthwhile aim.

It's Fantasy Koku-Fu Theatre. ;-)

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
http://www.bunjindesign.com/bonsai/
zone 56, Neptune

Attila

Masterful storytelling Andy.

You should try your hand at movie scripts since your writing has lots of audio-visual effects.

The idea of "bonsai dueling" is hilarious, I imagine trying to "destroy" the opponent with a "devastating" idea.

As second thought, why not. Ballroom dancing is practiced as an art and there are tournaments involving fierce competition, intimidation tacticts and whatever else it takes to win.

Why not propose bonsai for the summer olympics. A jury panel could award points for speed of execution, technique (compulsory and freestyle), and imagination.
And a skilled commentator would be nice so that people could also listen to the event on radio.

Attila
Los Angeles

FredL

Funny story, Andy. If you lived closer, we'd definitely invite you to our Tuesday night Dungeons and Dragons Game!

Fred