The Christmas Mantis: A Martial Arts Christmas Story

By Paul Turse

In the Shaolin Temple, the courage of the praying mantis is respected and its fighting skills emulated. Handed down from priest to disciple, the legendary tales of the mantis have inspired all who train in the martial and spiritual disciplines. But the most clandestine of stories is the one about Man Ti, the Christmas Mantis. Into the lowly insect world, word has traveled that a new king is to be born in a far away place called Bethlehem. This king promises a world where all creatures great and small will be honored equally in the afterlife. If only a member of the insect world could be there at his birth to honor him, it would ensure the salvation of all insects. At the great conclave, however, none of the insects have the courage to make the journey, except for Man Ti, a preying mantis who is determined to brave all odds in order to meet this king. He sets off with nothing but the fighting skills of his preying hands. Guided by the Star of Wonder and the barely perceptible cry of a baby, the insect hero marches forward undaunted. After becoming embroiled in a civil war between the green and yellow ants, nearly being sealed in a giant honeycomb, set adrift at sea, and resisting the temptation of the banana widow in the underworld Kingdom of the Spiders, Man Ti finally arrives at the stable, where the Baby Jesus has just been born. Having failed in every attempt to find a fitting gift along the way to bring to the baby, Man Ti approaches with nothing but his empty hands. The Three Wise Men misinterpret Man Ti's intentions and attempt to swat him, but he manages to escape and hide in the manger. It is then that two deadly dragonflies swarm into the stable to harass the Baby Jesus. The Three Wise Men declare that this is an evil omen signifying that there will be no peace on earth if the Baby Jesus cannot sleep. When ManTi comes out of hiding and risks his life to save the Baby Jesus, he teaches the baby the meaning of sacrifice and ensures harmony in the world. But in return, the Baby Jesus teaches Man Ti that the empty hand is greater than the one filled with material things and changes Man Ti's preying hands to praying hands. With the Star of Wonder piercing the heavens and choirs of angels singing on high, Man Ti, with his haloed head glowing in the night, stands guard at the foot of the manger should any other dragon flies be foolish enough to return and attempt to awaken the sleeping baby. This inspirational story will be an exciting stocking stuffer that will fill the hearts of young and old alike with a deeper understanding of the sacrifice that the Christmas season foreshadows.Contact Paul Turse at samurairaider@comcast.net.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1515166864
• ISBN13: 9781515166863
• Release Date: December 2015
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 50 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.1" x 6.0"