WHEN SWORDSMEN MATTERED
N the days when success and victory in battle fell to the. man who proved himself the best swordsman the art was highly respected, especially among our "enemies." After one of the famous Napier’s battles in India a native juggler and swordsman visited his camp and asked to be allowed to perform before the General, his family, and his staff. A man stood at his side to assist him, and one of the wonderful things he did was to cut a lime in two on this fellow’s outstretched hand. The pieces, perfect halves, fell apart at a single blow and no smallest mark was left on the man’s palm. Have you read Sir Walter Scott’s "Talisman"? If you have you will remember that he describes just such a feat as this. Maybe Napier had, or maybe he hadn’t. Any way he refused to believe that there wasn’t some sort of trickery about the business -that, perhaps, the lime was already halved. | Stretching out his own right arm Napier challenged the native swordsman, " Make the experiment on me and I will believe in you!" — The man took his hand, carefully examined it-and refused to try. "Ha! I thought so," said the General. "You are afraid! Then it is a trick!" | "Wait"! replied the juggler. "Show me your /eft hand. Ah, this will do, I will perform the feat on your left hand." "Why the left, and not the right?" "Because your right hand is hollow in the palm. There would be too much risk of cutting off your thumb. Your left hand is less hollow-therefore the risk will be less." Napier instantly wished he had never doubted. But he had laughed and derided and challenged the man in front of his family and staff. There was nothing for it but trust out his left hand for the trial. He placed the lime carefully on the flat palm and held his arm straight and steady. The swordsmen balanced himself, then with one swift stroke cut the lime in two pieces. "TI felt the sword edge," said the General afterwards, "on my flesh as though a cold thread had been laid across it."
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 37, 8 March 1940, Page 34
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363WHEN SWORDSMEN MATTERED New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 37, 8 March 1940, Page 34
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