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Story one: the full five-lesson cycle
Every one of the forty stories now takes five lessons: read the whole thing once, summarise it one paragraph at a time using the S.W.O.R.D. method, then bring all three summaries together. Switch between the five lessons below to see the whole cycle for Story 1 — Creation.
Rank one · Apprentice Samurai · white belt · Story 1 of 40
Lesson 1 of 5: Creation — Read & Understand
So today's lesson has no sword-work at all. Just read the story of how everything began, start to finish, and make sure it makes sense. Next lesson, you'll draw the S.W.O.R.D. for the first time — on just the first paragraph.
Every story in the dojo is written on three scrolls, so every apprentice can read at their own level — and every scroll is written in the same three paragraphs: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Try switching between the scrolls — notice how the story never changes, only how it's told. Read all three paragraphs before moving on.
No summarising yet — just check that you followed the story. (Drawing the SWORD starts next lesson, on paragraph 1 alone.)
Who is this story about?
Tap the words that name a character in the story, not a place or a thing.
What happened, and in what order?
Tap the four events in the order they happen in the story.
True or false?
Tap the statements that are actually true in the story.
Tell the story back in your own words, like you're explaining it to a friend who's never heard it. Take as long as you like — this isn't a summary yet, so don't worry about cutting anything out. That's what the next three lessons are for.
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Check your understanding against the three questions every apprentice asks before rolling up the scroll.
- Do I know who the story is about?
- Do I know what happened at the beginning, middle, and end?
- Could I explain the whole story to someone else?
Rank one · Apprentice Samurai · white belt · Story 1 of 40
Lesson 2 of 5: Creation — Draw the Sword: The Beginning
Quick recall: what does the S in S.W.O.R.D. stand for? (It's always the very first move.)
Read paragraph 1 — the Beginning — once more, closely this time. You can still switch reading levels; it's the same paragraph, just told differently.
Work through all five moves, one at a time, using just paragraph 1.
S · Search — who is in this paragraph?
Tap the word that names a character — not a place or a thing.
W · Watch, O · Order — what happens, and when?
Tap these four events in the order they happen in paragraph 1.
R · Remove — what can be cut?
Tap the phrases that could be left out of a summary without losing the meaning.
D · Deliver — say it in your own words
Fill in the gaps to build your own sentence.
Now write it as one clean sentence — your own summary of paragraph 1 only.
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Before you roll the scroll back up:
- Did I only keep what matters from paragraph 1?
- Is it in my own words, not copied from the scroll?
Rank one · Apprentice Samurai · white belt · Story 1 of 40
Lesson 3 of 5: Creation — Draw the Sword: The Middle
Quick recall: what does the O in S.W.O.R.D. stand for? Why do you think it comes after Watch?
Read paragraph 2 — the Middle — closely. Switch levels if you like; it's the same events, told differently.
Work through all five moves, one at a time, using just paragraph 2.
S · Search — who is in this paragraph?
Tap the word that names a character — not a place or a thing.
W · Watch, O · Order — what happens, and when?
Tap these four events in the order they happen in paragraph 2.
R · Remove — what can be cut?
Tap the phrases that could be left out of a summary without losing the meaning.
D · Deliver — say it in your own words
Fill in the gaps to build your own sentence.
Now write it as one clean sentence — your own summary of paragraph 2 only.
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Before you roll the scroll back up:
- Did I only keep what matters from paragraph 2?
- Is it in my own words, not copied from the scroll?
Rank one · Apprentice Samurai · white belt · Story 1 of 40
Lesson 4 of 5: Creation — Draw the Sword: The End
Quick recall: what does the R in S.W.O.R.D. stand for? What's it looking for in a paragraph?
Read paragraph 3 — the End — closely. Switch levels if you like.
Work through all five moves, one at a time, using just paragraph 3.
S · Search — who is in this paragraph?
Tap the words that name characters — not places or things.
W · Watch, O · Order — what happens, and when?
Tap these four events in the order they happen in paragraph 3.
R · Remove — what can be cut?
Tap the phrases that could be left out of a summary without losing the meaning.
D · Deliver — say it in your own words
Fill in the gaps to build your own sentence.
Now write it as one clean sentence — your own summary of paragraph 3 only.
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Before you roll the scroll back up:
- Did I only keep what matters from paragraph 3?
- Is it in my own words, not copied from the scroll?
Rank one · Apprentice Samurai · white belt · Story 1 of 40
Lesson 5 of 5: Creation — The Full Scroll
Here are the three sentences you drew in Lessons 2, 3 and 4. Read them together, in order.
Turn your three sentences into one smooth, 2–4 sentence summary of the whole story. Cut anything that repeats, and smooth the joins between them.
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Check your finished summary against the Code, one rule at a time.
- Honour the truth — does it say only what the story says?
- Discipline to cut — did I leave out what doesn't matter?
- Clarity is strength — could someone understand it in one read?
- Speak with your own voice — is it in my own words?
Story 1 of 40, complete.