A make-believe sword fight helps a boy understand the consequences of violence, and mercy. It also helps him come to terms with his frustrations, his fears. By imagining his way through a battle, a boy almost always wins. This process develops in him an optimism he'll carry with him the rest of his life. By thwarting that imaginative process, a boy won't develop the hope or confidence he needs to solve problems.
Adventure always brings a boy safely home.
And knowing that there is always a home to return to encourages a boy to venture out, to grow, first as a child using his imagination, and then as an adult using his experience. There are more recent adventure stories that help boys deal with their aggression, and channel their imaginations. My boys love the books by Gary Paulsen, especially The Hatchet , and The Winter Room. Still, Huck Finn does it for me. I grew up by a large horse pasture with a canal rimming its edge and abandoned chicken coops at the far reaches of my childhood territory.