The Form of the Sword

Infobox short story |
name = The Form of the Sword
title_orig = La forma de la espada
translator = Harriet de Onís
author = Jorge Luis Borges
country = Argentina flagicon|Argentina
language = Spanish

series =
genre =
published_in = "Ficciones"
publisher = Editorial Sur
media_type = Print
pub_date = 1942

english_pub_date = 1953
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"The Form of the Sword" (original Spanish title: "La forma de la espada") is a short story by Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges, first published in July 1942 in "La Nación", and included in the 1944 collection "Ficciones", part two ("Artifices"). The first English translation appeared in "New World Writing No. 4", in 1953. The title is sometimes given as "The Shape of the Sword".

STORY

An Irishman, now living near Tacuarembó in Uruguay, recounts his experiences in the Irish War of Independence and how he received the large scar on his face.

Borges starts the story narrating as himself, an Englishmen, who is forced to stop in a small town run by the unnamed Irishman, who is known as strict but fair. Borges ingratiates himself with the Irishman, and they go out to drink together on the patio. Borges gets drunk and asks about the origin of a crescent-shaped scar on the Irishman's face. His story is as follows:

The Irishman describes the war and the introduction of a new comrade, John Vincent Moon, into their band of rebels. He explains that the new comrade was a coward, that he was arrogant about his mental capabilities but terrified of getting hurt. He describes how he himself saved John Vincent Moon's life when they were attacked by soldiers. John Vincent Moon was scraped by a bullet as they escaped, but the wound was only superficial.

He and Vincent Moon fled together to a general's house, where they stayed for ten days. The ninth day, he went out to avenge the death of some comrades. Vincent Moon always stayed at the house, pleading his injury. When the narrator returned on their last day in the house, he heard Vincent Moon on the phone, selling him to the police.

He recounts his chase of Vincent Moon, how he cornered him and marked a moon-shaped scar on his forehead just before he was captured by the police.

"Borges interrupts the story hear to ask what happened to Vincent Moon."The Irishman tells Borges he is only telling him the rest of this story because he is a stranger, because his disdain will not hurt so much. Then he proceeds to reveal that Moon fled with "Judas' money" while his comrade was (apparently) killed.

His story ends with the line: "I denounced the man who protected me: I am Vincent Moon. Now despise me."