Week 15 More Reading: Japanese Mythology, Part B "The Labors of Yamato

Week 15 More Reading: Japanese Mythology, Part B "The Labors of Yamato - The Dragon"

Image result for susa-no-wo and the serpent

(Susa-No-Wo the Serpent from MrPsMythopedia)

"The Labors of Yamato - The Dragon"

reminiscent of the labors of Hercules from Greek myth

Hydra

chose this unit because I have a novel idea in the works rooted in East Asian mythology
begins with Yamato descending Mt. Fujiyama with the Sacred Sword
realizes that Benten the sorcerous did not love him and was using him to retrieve the sacred sword
before he could return home to Tacibana the one who loved him he had to confront Benten

he goes to their meeting place and sees Benten's golden scales beneath the jade-green water
he dives after the siren (Benten) and is swallowed by a giant wave
he sinks like a stone
he sinks and feels himself being "enveloped in the folds of a loathly serpent"
Benten sings her siren song that says she will hold him forever
he can only be saved by a beautiful goddess that loves him more than Benten

Tacibana

in the depths, he begins to hear Tacibana whose hair grows long and envelops him and carries him up to land

The Isle of Enoshima

Yamato passes out from exhaustion
when he wakes up Tacibana is gone
thinks she has gone for help but waits for hours and she doesn't come back
goes to the city of Kashiwa-bara

the city is in a panic

Yamato is told that a dragon has descended on the land and is destroying crops and cattle
the dragon was last seen entering the royal palace
Yamato races to the palace looking for Tacibana but finds nothing but dead bodies
hears chanting and finds Tacibana dressed in white chanting the norito
Susa-No-Wo the sea dragon appears

a long battle ensues
Tacibana sinks into the depths
yamato rescues her

Storytelling ideas: Since this is the end of the semester I won't have another story to write but I will hold onto this knowledge for future projects.
Bibliography: Romance of Old Japan Part I: Mythology and Legend by E.W. Champney and F. Champney (1917)

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