Many of my readers may know I have this fascination with the number 47. For every short story I wrote, I would find some way to incorporate that number into the piece. Once I accidentally wrote a story without the number, and as a lark, I decided to see what words appeared in the 47th place of that piece. And then the next 47 and then next 47 and so on. Believe it or not, I actually ended the piece on the 47th word... anyhow, when I put those 47th words down, in order, I actually came up with a coherent sentence... unlike many that I pepp er my blogs with. Sorry about that.
I like the number 47 because it's a Prime Number: a number divisible only by itself and the number 1. Sound good, huh? Actually the numbers 4 and 7 were the two jersey numbers I ever wore during my heyday as a hot shot soccer player many moons ago. The Prime number thing is applicable, however... it's also in a series of books by Arthur C. Clarke: RAMA - that my buddy Matthew lent me while we both lived in Ohtawara-shi, Tochigi-ken, Japan.
See... there's a segue.
As well, there is also a wonderful story called: The 47 Ronin, one of the most celebrated tales in the history of the samurai warrior class. There is a 1928 movie by Akira Kurosawa called: The True Record of the 47 Ronin. I was lucky enough to read a copy of: The 47 Ronin Story by John Allyn, an English version of the Japanese tale written in 1970.
The original story takes place shortly after the turn of the 18th century in the Tokugawa era of old Japan. The Samurai were warriors during a time when there was no war, and thus were not able to do what they were trained to do - fight.
The real life story is about 47 ronin (masterless samurai) who were told to commit seppuku (ritualistic suicide) for their slaying of a corrupt official whom they believed had been responsible for their master's death. Killing the one responsible for their master's death is a point of honor - bushido (the way of the warrior) for a samurai and/or ronin.
They were essentially given a death penalty for killing the man who killed their master - but killing this man is part of the samurai code. They became famous in death for their devotion to a dead master. They brought honour to the samurai.
They eventually ended up enshrined at Sengaku Temple beside their master...
It's a wonderful tale with much of the truth lost to history, but the main story remains ingrained in the hearts of the Japanese.
Somewhere counting to 47,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is by: New Found Glory: 47
