By Gavin King, 2nd Dan Go So Kempo

As is customary with most clichéd stories ours takes place in a Kingdom far far away where there lived two boys, Sam and John. Both had been friends since they were very young and had always wanted to be Map Makers when they grew up. In the year of their sixteenth birthdays both set out to realise their dreams to learn the art of map making.

In their village there were two Master Map Makers. John was the first to secure an apprenticeship. His Master had a luxurious shop, full to the brim with expensive furniture and exotic ornaments. Johns Master brought in an expensive chest which was obviously very old with large gilded hinges and a huge intimating padlock securing its contents. From around his neck Johns Master produced a large key, unlocked the padlock and creaked upon the chest lid. Inside the chest were a number of extremely old exquisitely drawn maps.

“These maps were drawn by my Master. He was the greatest Map Maker in the Kingdom, who spent many years complying each of these maps, detailing every possible path and location in our great Kingdom. Some of the information in these maps was known only to my Master and very few others. Studying these maps has in turn allowed me to produce many great maps of my own. By studying these maps, you to will one day become a great Map Maker!” explained Johns Master.

“Thank you Master, I will study these maps diligently!” excitedly replied John.

Sam was unfortunately not as successful in his attempts to secure an apprenticeship. He went to shop of the villages other Map Maker only to find a sign on the door saying, “Closed. Back on Monday!”

In the local tavern at the weekend Sam and John were enjoying their first ales as men with a profession, well at least John was.

“My Master has given me maps drawn by a great Map Maker to study! They are fantastic containing every path, road and bridge in our Kingdom. It has paths on them that are known to very few!” said John. “How are your studies coming on?”

“I went to my would be Masters Shop only to find it closed until Monday…” said Sam dejectedly.

“…my Master says that the owner of that shop is lazy and greedy. He charges fortunes for his maps which allows him to take many holidays. I feel so sorry for you my friend!” interrupted John.

Despite John’s comments Sam decided to return the other Map Makers shop on Monday morning. He entered the shop to find a sparsely furnished shop seeing the Map Maker drawing a beautiful map.

“Sir, my name is Sam. Ever since I was a young child I’ve always dreamed of becoming a Map Maker. Would you please teach me?” inquired Sam.

The Map Maker smiled and beckoned him closer.

“Young man, you are in luck. I have an opening for an apprentice. Would you like the job?” asked the Map Maker.

“Yes, oh yes!” said Sam excitedly.

“Excellent. I have a job for you then!” said the Map Maker as he disappeared to the back room, returning with a package. “Please take this package to the address on the label.”

Sam took the package and read the label.

“I’m sorry Master, but I have no idea where this place is?” sighed Sam.

“It is a village in the north of the Kingdom. Head north and you’ll soon find it! Be sure to take notes on the route you take!”

Three weeks later Sam returned tired, hungry and with a heap of scribbled roads and locations.

“Did you deliver the package?” asked Sam’s Master.

“Yes, and I have a bag with 500 gold pieces in it given to me from the gentleman I delivered the package to. I apologise for the delay I got lost!”

“You didn’t get lost you were merely learning the way! Now I have another package for you to deliver. This is to a town in the South.” ordered the Sam’s Master.

Sam took the package as ordered. On the outskirts of the village he heard his name being shouted over the sound of galloping hooves.

“Sam, SAM!” shouted John mounted on a brand new handsome stallion, “Lovely isn’t he? How is your studying going?”

“Slowly, my Master has tasked me to take this package to a village in the South, yet he hasn’t provided me with a map of how to get there. My last errand took over three weeks to complete because I got so hideously lost.”

“Wait here I’ll ride back to town and get you one of my maps my friend, it’ll save you getting lost.” offered John.

“Thank you, but I think I best set off and do as my Master wishes.”

Two weeks later Sam returned again with payment for his Master and more scribbled notes of the routes he’d travelled.

“Well done Sam, I have another package to be delivered to a village in the West.” announced Sam’s Master.

Sam looked dejected but did as asked and continued to do so for well over a year. His deliveries had taken him to every corner of Kingdom. During this time John had become a successful Map Maker, yet Sam had not even sold a single map.

“Master, when will I have access to your maps? All I have is a scribbled mess of the routes and places I delivered your packages to…” Sam was complaining as his Master interrupted.

“…I have no maps to give you!”

“No maps?” Sam gasped.

“Go to your friend John and buy one of his maps!” ordered Sam’s Master.

John had become very wealthy selling maps and was happy to give his friend a copy of his maps. Sam looked at the maps and immediately saw numerous inaccuracies. The map missed off many bridges and roads, it also included many paths that no longer existed.

Sam ran to his Masters shop to show him. As soon as Sam entered the shop his Master smiled.

“Master, this map is wrong!” blasted Sam.

“Wrong?”

“Yes, many of our Kingdoms roads aren’t there. New bridges aren’t included and it’s even missing towns!”

“And how do you know this?” lured Sam’s Master.

“Because I have been there Master!” Sam said as every cog in his tired head clicked.

“Unfortunately all your friend produces are poor imitations based on someone else’s experience. You’re friend has no understanding of the Kingdom from which to base his maps. How can he hope to accurately draw of map of a place he has never been? He has no experience from which to correct the inaccuracies. Our Kingdom is constantly changing and without experiencing these changes first hand you’ll have no way of understanding them. Without that understanding those changes your maps will be nothing but outdated cheap imitations of the real thing. My maps are expensive and they are slow to be produced, BUT they are always authentic and always accurate!”

Sam continued to travel the Kingdom went on to become a Master Map Maker and lived happily ever after! Thus ends our cliché!