As the Emperor dealt with his subjects, the Fool walked around the canyon and found a large oak tree. As he got closer he could see a body lying in repose on a catafalque in the shade of the giant tree. Four swords hung above the body on the tree by heavy nails. A familiar lantern sat at the base of the catafalque.
The man lying there was dead. He was old and wore a monk’s habit. Under the habit, the Fool could see the armor of a knight. The steel boots stuck out of the simple brown tunic. The Fool felt like the man’s face looked familiar – like looking into a mirror.
That is the end of one of your other journeys, the Emperor said, walking up to the Fool. He died of great sorrow and heartbreak.
The Fool was confused. This was him? He was looking at another version of himself? The Emperor got down on one knee and showed great respect for the dead man.
He loved my mother, the Emperor said after standing back up, but he could never be with her, since she was with my father. He still fought and served his king and queen with altruism and love, but after my mother died, he left the knighthood and became a hermit monk. After my father died, his heart broke and he refused to eat or drink water until he finally passed.
The dead don’t care about funerals or wakes, the Emperor went on. We do these rituals to stop and remember that it is against all odds that we are alive, and that death reminds us to be grateful.
The wind stirred the oak tree leaves and the dead man’s beard. The Fool looked at the face of the man and couldn’t see anything but himself. It dawned on him that there were an infinite amount of Fools making this journey, and every time was different for them all. Whenever he would take the journey again, it would be different than this time.
You will meet another version of you as well, the Emperor said, if you haven’t already.
A new parade of subjects could be seen traveling down the shore of the river in the shadow of the canyon walls. The Emperor put his hand on the Fool’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze before walking back to his throne.
The Fool stood there for a few minutes more before returning to the Emperor’s side to hear more of the Emperor’s wisdom.