Tales of the Hermit Vol. 3

The Monk and the Samurai, The Sword Maiden,
and The Katana That Caused It All
by Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook

“opened my mind to the relationships of Eastern and Western thought.... Its magnificent artwork makes the stories come alive.”
~ Aikido Today Magazine 

 View the introduction to Volume 1: Prologue, Part I, II, & III.

DESCRIPTION
In Volume III of the Tales of the Hermit Series, Père Dominic continues his exploration of life on the Summit of the mountain fastness in the Islands Empire where he was given refuge from the military authorities who were seeking to capture him.

As a Westerner born in Ireland and educated in England, France, and Italy, Père Dominic's travels had taken him through Persia, India, and China before he had finally arrived at the Islands Empire facing the sunrise. Although he had been welcomed at first, he had been forced to flee for his life when the political and military climate turned against all foreigners and their creeds.

Sheltered on the Summit by a mysterious group of individuals known only as the "Residents," Père Dominic had begun a slow and difficult recovery from the state of physical and mental exhaustion that had marked his arrival in this wild and remote area. Part of the therapeutic regime the Residents had devised for him consisted of distracting his mind by exposure to the wealth of scrolls in the Library on the Summit that reflected the experiences and imaginative reflections of not only the Residents, but also of many others who had sought refuge on the Summit in the past.

In Volume I of Tales of the Hermit, Père Dominic had delved into two scrolls. After reading them carefully, he had entered into lively discussions of their contents and possible significance with a number of the Residents. In turn, it was suggested that he study two additional scrolls-the first entitled Yamabushi or "Mountain Warrior," and the other, Homecoming (see Volume II).

Then, during a tour of the Library collections on the Fourth Level of the Summit, three additional scrolls, bundled inside one larger cover, were recommended to Père Dominic by the Hermit, Yu-Xia. When questioned about them, Hori, the Librarian, offered a few words concerning their contents as he handed the elaborately tied package to Père Dominic: "These three tales, The Monk and the Samurai, The Sword Maiden, and The Katana That Caused It All, are linked together by a single narrative, and are quite different in tone from those you have read previously. They are meant not only to surprise and amuse, but also to provide another perspective on the human condition which we all share-for better and worse!" Père Dominic's journey takes a new turn . . .

    

• 144 pages - 8.5" x 11" - hardbound -186 illustrations

• ISBN 1-893765-05-9 Price $29.95