Everyone knew his story. Not many have seen the legend in plain sight. This man got his name for when he was a boy. His adopted grandfather and him planted sunflowers all over the town, the fields, schools, temples and along rice fields and of course all over their home. They adopted this little boy after they found him in a rice field one night. Picking rice and putting it into his sack for meals. Instead of tossing the little trouble maker to the police station for a thief crime. The old couple sympathized with what only looked like a 11 year old and brought the boy back to their house and bathed him and fed him till he couldn't eat another bite. Then taught him hard work in the fields planting all those sunflowers. Through all that hard work and discipline. It was engraved into the child to work hard and treat others with respect. One day As he was planting in front of a blacksmith's home. The black smith told him to come back when he's free. So later that night he came back. The blacksmith was already waiting. Sitting back under his canopy where the anvil sat. His legs were propped up on a mini stool and he was smoking a pipe smiling. There was a table in front of him dividing me and him apart. There was something wrapped with a ribbon on top. He nudged his chin to the sky and winked. You have done so much around town and beauty is among one of the most important things in Japanese culture. You sir have captured that. It's now time you start a new form of discipline with me. I've already talked to your grandparents. It seems they think you would make a wonderful samurai one day. For they think you know honor and can savor the moment. Stop and smell the flowers. Everything is done with love, But also done very efficiently. I also see a smile on your face while you do it so I know you're pure of heart. Enough of me rambling, It's yours. The boy took the package and opened it. It was a freshly made katana! The boy smiled and was about to speak. The blacksmith said there was no need for words, my boy. I have a case stand where you can keep it until you're trained to use it. So for the next 5 years the boy came and learned how to use the katana. Only using wood swords for those 5 years. His katana stayed in pristine shape. Until that night.. See, The town Knew that the planters of the sunflowers were very old kind gentle people who adopted the little child who was helpless on the Streets. They also knew that if evil overtook their hearts they could abuse kindness. So that night After putting his grandparents to bed. They heard creeks in the house. Now the 16 year old boy who just got to take his katana home for the first night for passing all the masters sword technique had a unfortunate surprise. The boy jumped out of bed. It must have been 2am. He heard 3 people in the house besides his loved ones in bed across the hall. Saw an opportunity for the first one. He went low and cut the robber's legs off. Yelling through the house the people of the town heard from the house on the hill with the sunflowers. They heard screams and 'no! I'm sorry!' By the time the village got there he had avenged his grandparents but at what cost. The village opened the door to the house and moonlight struck the body as he was on his knees with blood all over him. The 3 robbers dead. The boy was in shock because he knew it was too late. For the robbers killed his grandparents in their sleep already. The blacksmith came and took the sword out of the boy's hand and hugged him and the others were cleaning his face off. 9 months went by and the boy kept up the house and the sunflowers. Sitting in the empty house with his katana in hand tapping his foot on the cold mat. he knew it was time for a change. So in the night he left to walk the forest in search of a new life. Many years have passed and no one has seen or heard from him. For no one knew his name but only his story. He is known only as the sunflower samurai

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