The outlaw Josey Wales approaches the Indian chief Ten Bears and, after deciding that the two will live in harmony, they both take out their knives and make a gash in the palms of their hands. They take the gashes in their hands and bring them together in a handshake that ensures that the blood between the two will commingle and they have become blood brothers. It is rarely sanitary but to the two people involved blood brotherhood is very significant. Blood brotherhood is the ultimate sign of friendship between two people and blood brotherhood is a solidarity that can be shared only between two people. Some people will perform small ceremonies when they become blood brothers but any way you look at it blood brotherhood is something that is very important to the people involved.

Blood brotherhood is also two brothers that are related by birth. Let us not get all caught up in the drama of becoming blood brothers by choice when there is also the aspect of being blood brothers by birth. Sometimes being a blood brother by birth does not guarantee that you will always get along with your brother. There is the only Cain and Able story where Cain kills Able and then, when questioned by God, Cain proclaims that he is not his brother’s keeper. Certainly that is a blood brother relationship that is less than solid. But being a blood brother by birth does sometimes mean that there is an unspoken bond between two men whether they know it or not. A brother can sometimes know what his brother is thinking and know what his brother is going to say without even realizing it. This is the advantage of sharing a common gene pool.

Throughout history there have been many famous blood brothers that were not blood brothers by birth. Probably the most famous is the Lone Ranger and Tonto. For many that thought that Tonto was merely a sidekick the fact is that, in their fictional world, the Lone Ranger and Tonto were blood brothers and that would explain why they fought so hard for each other. Then there is the famous fictional story of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer becoming blood brothers. Mark Twain really makes the story come to life with his powerful imagery in this story and we learn as the story progresses that the two are blood brothers. Such powerful images in fiction can make being a blood brother in real life that much more appealing.

Blood brotherhood is a funny thing because blood brotherhood by choice can usually make for a stronger relationship that blood brotherhood by birth. Many people try to get along with their brothers but there just seems to be something about that family link that can sometimes cause two brothers to feud mercilessly for their entire lives. Blood brothers not bound by birth are brothers by choice and it would stand to reason that if you become someone’s brother by choice that the compatibility as friends is already there. It seems a bit odd to become blood brothers with someone that you cannot always get along with when the purpose of being a blood brother is to be willing to put yourself in harm’s way for your brother.