The warrior sat at the feet of the sage and listened with rapt attention. His bow and arrows were lying in one corner of the hut. It was time to relax his mind, breathe deeply and take in every word of wisdom that the sage had to offer. The warrior had not spoken a single word to the sage. Yet, he was somehow acutely aware of the fact that the sage had read his thoughts and knew of the dilemma that he was in.
Before long, the sage opened his eyes and spoke.
“They indeed were a curious tribe that lived in the jungles at the foot of the hill. Their spies had told them that their enemies were regrouping and were going to attack the jungle in a couple of days. The tribesmen decided to offer a sacrifice to God and seek His blessings. The village priest, an old and venerated man whose predictions had always proved correct in the past, told them something rather unsettling. He told them that they could try all they could but they would lose the battle. On hearing this, the warriors of the tribe got the entire village together and held a meeting. Long they debated and discussed what they would do. The old priest had never been wrong. What should they do in the face of certain death and defeat?”
The sage went silent and with kind eyes surveyed the warrior’s face closely. Slowly, a kind smile spread across the sage’s face.
“You know what they did, don’t you?” asked the sage.
“They fought,” came the reply.
“Yes. Even though they knew. They fought. Because that is what they were supposed to do. That is what they were born to do. That is what they were destined to do. Fight.”
