Japanese Mythology B

Romance of Old Japan Part 1: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917). Text Source

The Labors of Yamato-The Grotto of Love

yamato was tired of Tachibana and her devotion since to more fighting was necessary
he sought distraction and rode in quest of a stag and boar ignoring his princess who was sad but didn't complain
Y longed for the lost siren, mysterious mermaid. One day he wandered on the island of Enoshima hearing elven music
he followed it seeming to come from every direction all the way to a cliff with a great grotto that glowed with green light when he saw faint female shadows
Y jumped in the water and swam to the mouth of the cave but hesitated for legend said it was a trap baited to lure humans to their death
he heard new songs with a sweet voice calling him and he continued briskly
he stepped on what felt like a rock but was actually a dragon snorting and heading to sea but this did not phase him and he kept following the light through tortuous things before coming to a chamber
he saw a beautiful sight of imperial halls bathed in moonlight and clouds with golden sand and sliver pebbles and gates made of diamonds and jade in each corner emitting light
a coral couch sat a siren singing while playing a gold and amber lute
she sang of the presence of Benten goddess of Deathless Love tempting Y to explore their realm
her beautiful hand maidens set a banquet before him of rare and delicious dishes and poured ambrosial sake into cups of sea lilies, gem like fruits on plates made of sea anemones. translucent shells made of pearls shed soft silver light on the room
Y kneeled before Benten asking for her love and then he may die in peace. she continued singing her strange songs but he was still entranced
she told him he must dare death to win her love and he said there was nothing he wouldn't do for life with her. she told him to sail to Horaizan and gain the Golden Apple of Youth

The Labors of Yamato- The Golden Apple

Golden Apple from Minecraft. Source
Minecraft is my favorite game and as soon as I read this I thought of the glowing of an enchanted golden apple from MC.

He asked about the land
she said long ago across the Yellow Ocean and kingdom of Cathay a monster ugly and mean lived there and all worshipped him
Jofuku was the royal doctor feared every day would be his last and one day told his master that he would sale to the Isle of Life Eternal and fetch the Apple Golden for him since his life is valueless compared to the monster
the King agreed and Jofuku sailed over the sea for days and months and years until he found the Wonder-Tree the Tree of YOuth Immortal floated on a foam island the Island of Delight
Jofuku said "This fairs island is just the place for me and i will live here forever eating of the Wonder-Tree" He landed on the shore and was in a Forest of Enchantment
he lived there for 5 score years (100) but felt no passing of time
One day he walked to the foam flowered valley as he watched a sea bird flying south and he summoned the bird asking him to bring him to his home so he could dy.
the stork agreed and Jofuku was overjoyed to return home with the Golden Apple but upon return the tyrants life ended and now he ascended Khan of Khans was king
after Benten told the story she said if he could go to that island and bring it back she would give him eternal love and youth

The Labors of Yamato- The Demon Boar

Y returned to Kashiwa-bara and demanded his servants to tell him what they knew of the Island of Golden Apples but no one knew anything
He asked the fishermen the same but they also didn't know
He was despaired and felt no joy in anything not even his wife so he goes to Princess T who cried when seeing him after his long absence
he impatiently demanded why she was crying and she told him it was because she was so happy he was back safely and she missed him
one day a country guy went to Y to complain that in the forest of Hakone there was a giant boar possessed by a demon that not even Susa-no-wo would fight him
Y said he would take care of it and went to talk with the High Priestess to discuss and she told him he will need the Sacred Sword to defeat the boar and only his tail is vulnerable
Y took the sword but asked how he would ever accomplish that in reality but that he could do it because he is awesome
Y set out with a group of hunters and set forth to a forest at the foot of Fujiyama scaring away tons of birds and quick rabbits. they kept course in the beautiful forest
they quested steep ravines and cliffs to a jagged crag where the Demon Boar was
Hunters would surround and charge the Boar only to be gored by the tusks right through the gut and falling dead to the ground
Archers shot arrows at it but only bounced off of its hide
Y himself charged on his stallion at the boar ignoring HP's warning and his horse was gored too
Y got up and tried to get his horse up but it wouldn't move since it was DYING and looked at Y silently begging for a mercy kill
but suddenly the monster charged at Y who hid behind a tree trunk where the boar waited for him to come out
Well Y was stuck between a Boar and a Dark Abyss so he drew the Sacred Sword and jumped over the boars head and grabbed its tail and cut it off. The demon plunged over the abyss and exploded into a thousand pieces as it his the bottom while Y slid off its back just before the fall

The Labors of Yamato-The Grass Cleaving Sword

Y and his men went to the shore of Suraga nad journeyed to the plains of Sagami after defeating the local savages
the chiefs welcomed Y with fake hospitality and invited his hunters to a deer-hunt on the moor naive to the treachery they had planned
they stalked the stag all day when at the time the rivers were most hectic Y was awoken by goblin laughter
thinking it was a dream he rubbed his eyes but it was not. but the crackling increased and light glowed from the sky until the stars were blocked by a cloud of smoke that moved like a serpent of fire
Yamato sprang up and saw that he entire moor all around him was a sea of flames shouting to his comrades he tried to find an opening in the fire
while that was happening thousands of deer scared of the fire ran around and trampled and gored horses and hunters blindly
Y told his archers to shoot down the steeds but the fire got worse and and they gave up hope
suddenly Y saw a woman running around in fiery clothes in the grass until she tore them off and her long hair singed and her body burned and it was Tacibana who fell at his feet
she cried no pain but joyously bade Y to use what she just did as an example. and Y cut down the burning grass with the sacred sword and taking the drill, made a path to the sea and the wind turned and went to burn the savages instead
the warriors escaped through aid of the Sacred Sword but more likely Princess Tacibana

The Labors of Yamato-The Sacred Sword

Y and Princess T rode home pasing Isle of Enoshima in the distance
again the siren song Tempted Y and his madness fell over him
Y told her to ride home and to hide her until her hair grew back and her skin healed as she cried she did as she was told but sang a song of hope saying she doesn't care anymore but one morning she will hold him in her lustrous hair
Y went to the grotto again and stepped on the dragon and slashed at it and it cried
Benton warned not to hurt her guardian or she will kill him and Y said "nope bc this sword can even kill you"
the siren was then glad because the dragon was really her dad Susa-no-wo evil god who wanted the sword himself bid Benten to lure it from yamato
Yamato cried that he didn't have the apple yet and she reproached lightly but summoned her maids to spread a banquet and tainted his sake with a sleeping potion and played lullabies
when Y awoke at dawn he looked for Benten and called for his Beloved but no one responded
a mocking laugher rang out and Y jumped up and saw that he was alone and found no one and the Sword was gone
He went to the shore and cried for hours about what happened and he would have reluctantly returned to his princess but he got lost
the white peak of Fujiyama loomed in the distance but Kwannon the merciful aided him and appeared above the mountain and there gleamed a damsel robed in white hovering above the sea
there he prayed as she was clearly no mortal and he begged her to strengthen him and give him bravery so he can gain the Sacred Sword again
She told him not to worry and that he will find his sword on a deer's horns in the mountains and that he will get it when he kills the deer
he realized that was Kwannon Goddess of Mercy and Love and went to look on the scoured moor for the magic stag when suddenly a bamboo stalk sprang from the ground tall and lean but really strong so he clove the shaft and found a pointed flint to put in it. and lay on the ground
he then heard soft padded feet and saw a shaggy dog that jumped over him and ran off then he followed the dog thinking it had the scent of the stag
then more dogs came around and he realized it was Kwannon that lent her hounds
he climbed to a vantage point and in a meadow beneath him he found the magic stag by a lake
suddenly the stag smelled him and ran to the lake but the wolves gained on him and its leader almost got it but the deer tossed him off
so Y jumped in and threw his lance at it and swam to the struggling stag and saw that he met his mark and grabbed the sword and finished off the stag then the demon sank into the depths while Y swam to shore

The Labors of Yamato- The Dragon

Y was happy and realized that Benten did not love him but rather the word and he yearned for his faithful wife but first decided to visit the sorceress and charger her with treachery and theft
he went back to the grotto and gazing into the jade green water and saw her glittering gold scales and went in pursuit of her as the dark waves closed down on him
Y sandk like a stone and the sea ang a sweet and sorrowful song of death and love then he was reminded of returning to the surface but he felt enclosed by the folds of a serpent and chill struck his heart
the sound became louder and clearer and he recognized it was benten who threatened to hold him forever and that 3 times she has let him escape but no more unless a goddess with more love could
then far above Y was aware of Princess T murmuring hsi name and he could see her smile and saw her hair he knew she was the goddess more beautiful and loving than Benten
Princess T's hair grew down like vines and grabbed Yamato and pulled him away to the surface
Princess T made sure he was okay anxiously but he was so tired he collapsed in her arms but when he came to T was gonde and he was not sure if she went for help but hours passed and she did not come back
he went back to his city where everything was in a panic and Y asked what happened and people said a dragon had devastated the livestock and rice fields overwhelming the land with pestilence and death
Y hurried to the palace where he heard the dragon and cries of his people
he went from room to room cellar to turret looking for Y only to find a pile of bodies then searched the gardens and outer buildings following trails of blood but found nothing
suddenly he heard the priestess chanting and mounting a Pagoda and found T in white clothes waving a wand and chanting the norito
suddenly her voice was interupted with a load roar it was the thunder God Raiden beating his drums the clouds shut and Futen the Wind God unleashed the winds while a flash of lightening hjurtled Susa-no-wo the Dragon of the Sea
his head was camel his horns like a stag, eyes like coals of fire, crocodile scales with tiger paws and eagle talons
it spat fire and steam and charged at Y
he evaded it and slashed its belly but every stroke made him more tangled in his coils and this went on and seemed all would fail until Y lunged at the throat and the monster flew away but soon crashed to its death
Y heard T chanting that evils of reptiles will disappear for ever and the evil spirits will be in the Sea Plain and sent to the Whirlpool Gate to Yomi where they will be gone for good
Y saw T who thanked him for saving her again
They agreed to never part and lived joyously
one day during a monsoon Y went to Ainos and went by sea rather than mountain
T was worried that he was not in the right mind to venture and asked that she join him
he pushed her worries aside and said it was his last fight then they will live in peace
while at sea Y exclaimed that he need not worry about Susa-no-wo at sea since he already defeated him on land
this angered him and he created a storm that beat up the ship and heard a siren warning him that because he defied her father, she will gain him forever as a victim
T saw the siren stretching her arms and forgetting his prior infidelity she was willing to sacrifice her self to benten to save her husband
the tempest stopped and a white heron flew to the sun and Y jumped into the sea and battled for T but when he came to the surface she was dead

Japan: Faery Robe

in Suruga the wind sways and snow falls on the mountain tops
a fisherman hears far off water and ethereal melodies but fears they are from a tempest but realizes it is Mother Spring
Over the mountain of Fujiyama grand a cloud hovered then dissolved in the air
a fairy in a feathered robe stood by the sea and chanted then laid down her lute and hung her robe on a branch and jumped into the scie
the robe looked like feathers from a celestial dove and he sought to steal it and use it to bring himself fortune
the faery popped up and asked to give it back or else she cannot make it to the cloudland that is her home
he said before he gives it to her to dance the dance that makes the moon go round
she says she needs her robe first but he says no dance first
she calls him an evil man and said she cannot dance without it
then moved by pity love and shame and gave it back
she then donned her rainbow wings and again played her lure and sang and danced that moved the myriad gods by Uzumes wile and lured the goddess back to earth to greet us with her smile
the fisher was entranced as if he saw a blossom from Paradise
she waved her rainbow wings to the breeze and skimmed the surface of the seas and flew way

The Jewel of Heart's Desire: The Land of Morning Calm

emperor Chiuai reclined in his summer pavilion looking at the sea and played his lute and knew only two delights, the art of music and his bride
the empress was adept in manly sports, a fearless amazon and huntress
She asked if he was the son of Yamato
he said yes but my father subdued the country and there was nothing there but queen kingdom and his lute
she said unworthy son of a glorious man i would have you bear the sword of Yamato beyond the sea. I had a dream where the Sun Goddess came to me and said west lies the Land Morning Calm where hidden is the Crystal of Heart's Desire, the Jewel that i am about to give you"
he said don't trust dreams and said even those who ascend the mountains can se no more than what we see of the water and claims there is no land beyond the western sea
a blinding light flooded the room and Amaterasu descended in anger and told him that because he did not believe the dream she gave the empress he will dies and she will rule
he then died and the empress put his fingers on the lute and begged that he wake again and play
he sang let us set sail to the Land of Morning Calm then the lute fell from his hands she held a candle to his lips to see if he breathed he did not
there was a rule that women cannot rule unless in name of her consort so Prime Minister Takeuchi concealed the death of the emperor and said that he delegated the Empress to command the expedition west and assembled a fleet
Empress Jingu was angry and besought an omen of the gds " my departed husband was pleased to give me the distaff and needle .Vouchsafe a sign Sun goddess. Grant that with fragile thread i may draw to land a great fish
she took her thread and needle and bent it into a hook then baited it with a cherry bloom and cast it to the seas where immediately the waters bubbled and a monstrous shark came forth
she prayed again this time for armor and weapons and soon maidens came out of nowhere and removed her jewels and dressed her in a manly disguise and dressed her in a dragon crested helmet and golden steel breast plate and an 8 foot tall spear as well as the Sacred Sword
She emerged and said behold the sun goddess armed me for victory
They successfully maneuvered through monsters and storms of all sorts
she heard her husband's voice encouraging her forward and after days of no luck they finally found land with mountains and plains and a tranquil bay nestled a white walled city but a massive chain forbade entrance to the harbor
empress held the Jewel of Prince Fire-Fade and the water swept over the city and bore the fleet to the temple garte
thinking this was the fulfillment of ancient prophecy, the scared King came forth waving a white banner and knelt before the Empress
Fearing their nation was swallowed by the sea the Koreans swore to remain loyal to the Empress
They presented her with the Jewel of Heart's Desire a crystal ball that would emit flames in time of peril but in peace was radiant like the moon
She gave it to Takeuchi who hung it on the mast so it could guide the way home
as soon as they set forth it burst into flames as Futen the Wind God unleashed a typhoon
Benten the Dragon's daughter longed to possess the ball so she tore it from the mast and took it to the sea.
Empress was angry and demanded that the PM not be seen until he retrieves it.

The Quest of the Jewel

the journey ended in ruin and disgrace and Takeuchi retired from the Court. Resolved on self-destruction he climbed to the top of a cliff when a fishermaid Tamatori followed him secretly
she had long loved him in secret sadly knowing only a princess would wed the famous daimio
she yelled at him to stay as she grabbed him but he begged her to let him do it as he is disgraced and told her what happened
she cried that she saw a wonderous light as if a star fell to the sea
Takeuchi gazed into the water and saw a coral pagoda 100 stories tall and on the top saw the Jewel of Heart's Desire
It was the palace of Benten
The fisher maid told him not to worry because she can swim well and will retrieve it for him since she loves him
as she grabbed it the sea-dragon crawled from his lair and on every side sea monsters helped him and cuttlefish blinded her eyes and devilfish tangled her limbs
Tamatori feared her hour had come and knew that a dragon would not mess with a corpse she plunged her sword into her chest and thrust the jewel with in the wound
Takeuchi was saddened to see the maiden lifeless but she clutched the jewel across her chest smiling in death
He commanded she be placed on a lordley catafalque and conveyed with all honor
people from all over came to bear tribute even samurai with drums and dirges honored her as if they had jus twon a battle
the empress knelt at the maidens bier and placed the patent of nobility in her hand making her Princess of Hearts Desire only too late
Overjoyed she promoted the PM to regency

Urashima

on a warm spring day sailed forth ro suminoye
I remembered the story of Urashima the bonito ever questing
who for 7 long suns never resting but never made it home or to suminoye
after questing fruitlessly U drew forth a tortoise from the water which was symbolic of long life and was holy
he spared him and returned him to the sea
lulled by gentle waves from zephyrs U fell asleep and then came a vision of a maid beyond fair
the daughter of the dragon with the glory of the sunset glimmering in her hair
she whispered his name saying she was the tortoise he spared and to come live with her in her castle under water. With you r flower-wife ever living and never dying
he laughed and went with her and lived for along time ageless and never dying
he mentioned how he wanted to see his family and sadly Otohime gave hima talismanic casket but warned him of opening it
he continued his voyage but fruitlessly and saw nothing where his village should be
he opened the casket and the talisman of life floated away shouting and trying to grabbed but suddenly he tottered and fell to the earth old and wrinkled and died

Addison Franca: OU Myth & Folklore 2020)

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Week 9 Story Telling B: Japanese Mythology B