Long ago, in the province of Kai, a master swordsman was approached by one of his students who had just returned from a trip. The student was very excited about a fortune teller whom he had met in one of the neighbouring villages. This fortune teller was famous for claiming to be a powerfully clairvoyant woman who was able to tell him many things about his past and his future. "This fortune teller is different", the student said, "she offers to teach her magic for a price and if you would learn from her how to see into the future, you would become invincible."

The master refused. "That woman has nothing to teach me," he said. "I know the future. I either live or die. There is nothing more to consider."

But his student insisted and even offered to pay the fortune teller's fee as a gift to his teacher. The student pleaded until, at last, the master swordsman reluctantly agreed to accompany his eager student to see the medium. Once there, the teacher went inside the house, while his student stayed outside. The samurai looked at the woman and she greeted him. "So, you can see the future?" he asked.

"I can," the fortune teller answered, "and I offer you some of that knowledge for a price. What could be more valuable to you?"

"What use would I have for such skill? Why would I need it?"

"You will know what to do in any and every circumstance", the woman insisted. "What could be better than that?"

"I know what to do already", the samurai said and prepared to leave, but the woman blocked his path and yelled at him. "You are a foolish man who rejects the greatest power there is! What could be more valuable than the power I offer you?"

The samurai drew his sword and with blinding speed beheaded the fortune teller. He then stood there for a moment staring at the severed head. When he emerged from the house, his student ran to him. "What happened, teacher?" he asked.

The master swordsman still walking answered calmly, "She had nothing to offer me. She did not even see death coming."

The student put his unspent money back into his purse and placed it inside his kimono and then followed his teacher down the dirt road, thinking that one needs not to be a fortune teller to know that it is not always a good idea too ask too many questions.