An Easy Target

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Arrows striking a target. Image by meineresterampe from Pixabay.

Some people find archery hard. For Lily it came easily. She picked up a bow when she was five. She practised from sunrise to sunset. By twelve her bow was a part of her. She had fired more arrows than everyone in her village combined. When she turned eighteen she was confident she was the best archer in the Kingdom, possibly even the world. 

One day, as Lily boasted of her skill, her grandmother agreed and said, “You are good, but…there might be one who has more skill with a bow.” Lily, enraged, wanted to know more; who could possibly be a better archer than her? Her grandmother told her a tale of the greatest archer she had ever met. He had passed through town many years ago.

“He had travelled the world looking for anyone who could beat him. When he realised there was no one he retired to the mountains in the north.” Lily had been so sure of her talent. To prove her worth she decided to head north and track down this archer and prove her superiority.

The next day she set off. Moving from village to village, lodging with generous families who offered her food and a bed for the night. Each time Lily stopped she would ask if anyone knew the famous archer who may have visited years ago. Everyone she asked directed her north. 

Days of travel passed until she found herself at the base of a snow capped mountain. She followed a twisted path, climbing higher and higher, the wind growing with each uneven step. For most of the journey she used one hand to support herself against the mountain, while the other clutched her bow tight to her chest.   

Halfway up the mountain the wind began to wane. She rounded a steep bend and came upon a plateau. A wide dirt patch opened before her, steep cliff faces lined three sides, creating a hollow protected from the wind. Nestled at the other end of the plateau was a simple wood cabin, resting against the base of the cliffs. A thin trail of smoke climbed from its chimney.

Tired, but determined, Lily walked up to the door of the cabin and knocked. After a moment, during which she considered knocking again, an old man with a kind round face, opened the door. Before he had time to speak Lily demanded, “I am here to see the greatest archer in the Kingdom, is he here?” The old man smiled and replied, “That was me.”

“I came to prove that I am better than you.” Lily said, not trying to hide the pride in her voice, “I need to prove I am the best archer in the Kingdom, maybe even the world.”

“As you can see,” The old man gestured at a cane he was using to rest his weight on, “I am not in the best condition, however since you have made the journey I will make a bargain with you. Train with me for just one session and I will teach you how to be the best archer in the world.”

Lily hesitated, knowing that if this man had retired then she was clearly the best archer. She doubted she had anything to learn from him. Before she had time to answer, the old man said, “Wait here.” And disappeared into the cabin.

Moments later he emerged carrying a target. Despite the width and weight of the heavy wooden target the old man didn’t seem to be struggling. He barged past Lily and walked away from the cabin, to the edge of the plateau. He placed it near the edge of the cliff. When he returned he reached inside his house and removed three arrows. He handed them to Lily and pointed at the target. 

Readying her bow Lily smirked. She had practised for years, she could strike a hare at two hundred paces. This target was half that distance - a simple shot.

Lily fired the first arrow. As the arrow approached the target the wind picked up, snatching the arrow and pushing it to the right of the target. It skittered along the dirt. Annoyed, Lily drew again, refusing to look at the old man. This time she tried to account for the wind. She fired. This time as the arrow rushed toward the target the wind changed suddenly and pushed the arrow down. It struck the ground with a thud, standing upright ten paces in front of the target.

Losing her temper, convinced she was being tricked, Lily turned to the old man and yelled, “This is not fair! This is not how you show skill.” The old man nodded and said, “Perhaps.” He walked past Lily and went to the target. He picked it up and brought it closer. Very close. He kept walking till he was only a few steps away from Lily. He planted the target and said, “Try again.”

Lily was confused but drew her final arrow and fired. The target was so close the impact rocked it backwards, sending it clattering to the ground. She had hit the centre of the target, though she felt no real satisfaction. Lily turned to the old man and said, “But this isn’t skill, anyone could make that shot.” 

“Exactly.” He replied, “It’s not about whether you hit the target. Anyone can hit a target just by moving it closer. You must accept that you don’t control what happens once the arrow leaves your bow. That is what truly determines how good an archer you are. It matters not if you hit the target, but only that you can accept the outcome when you miss.”