Long, long ago, when heroes were still learning the ways of magic and combat, far on the outskirts of civilized lands, there lived a monk who was said to have mastered a skill that gave him immeasurable power.  He was said to be undefeated in all his years of combat, that no force in this world could stop him and his special technique.  The fame of this monk and his power spread far from his home high in the mountains, attracting many who desired to learn his secrets.

  So it was that the monk decided that he would take one student.  A contest would be held to see who would recieve this honor.  A clearing in the woods in the foothills of the monk's mountain served well enough.  Warriors and monks alike gathered there.  They carried all manner of weapons, from swords to clubs to strange contraptions.

  One of the combatants stood out from the crowd... and above it.  He must surely have had Orc blood in his veins, for he stood twice as wide and tall as the other challengers.  The contest was presided over by the monk himself.  He started the combat by pointing at two warriors and clapping.

  The first had somehow carved stones to fit over his fists, and entered the circle banging his fists together, sparks flying.  The other was the giant warrior, who weilded a giant club.  The battle was short lived, as one swing from that club sent the overweighted and slow warrior flying from the clearing.

  Next the monk pointed to a sword weilder, who charged quickly into battle and speedily swung his sword... which lodged itself deep in the thick wood of the giant's club.  Deprived of his blade, the warrior was soon felled by the giant warrior.

  One by one, the warriors were pointed to, and they entered the ring, only to face the insurmountable strength of the behemoth.  Finally, the monk pointed to a young man, who carried no weapon with him.  The youth entered the circle, littered with all manner of weapons strewn about.

  The orc-man scoffed and tried to simply boot the waif from his presence, but the youth had speed on his side and quickly dodged.  He grabbed something sharp from the forest floor and inserted it into the calf of the leg the orc-man was standing upon.

  The giant howled in pain, and used his club to steady himself, for one of his legs was kicking and the other was impaled.  The youth, now behind the orc-man, jumped up and kicked at the broad back of the giant.  Being horribly unbalanced, the giant fell face-first into the dirt, and was unable to stand back up.

  The monk clapped once more, signalling the end of his contest.  He had found his student.  The pair went up the mountain to the monk's residence, where he lead the youth into a candle-filled cave and produced a scroll and a small fruit.

  The monk unrolled the scroll before the youth and placed the fruit beside.  The youth was slightly confused, but eager to learn this strange secret of the monk.  The monk pointed at the scroll and the fruit, then opened his mouth, and spoke, saying:

  "A... A is for Apple."

  Over the next few moons, the youth learned the greatest secret of the monk.. the ability to read.  With this technique at his disposal, there were no things the youth could not learn, and so he went on to become a great and revered monk, who would one day teach yet more students the marvelous lesson taught him in that mountain cave:

  The simplest of lessons pave the way to all else.