Reading Notes: Heavenly Beings - Susanoo and Orochi

The Eight-Forked Serpent of Koshi begins with Susanoo discovering the son of the Mountain-God, Ashinadzuchi, his wife, Tendazuchi, and their daughter, Kushinada-hime.  The three are grieving, both because of the fate of their last daughter and the slaughter of their eight other daughters.  Susanoo promises to slay Orochi, the terrible eight-forked serpent, who has killed their other children in exchange for Kushinada-hime as his bride.  In the end, Susanoo keeps his promise.

However, what if Susanoo lacked all the facts?  What if the deities Ashinadzuchi and Tendazuchi were also extremely clever tricksters?

Ashinadzuchi had promised one of his many beautiful daughters to Orochi, who is extremely mighty but also rather passive for a giant eight-forked serpent.  He marries off eight of his daughters for advantageous reasons but cannot bring himself to marry his beloved Kushinada-hime to such a beastly creature.  So, his wife sends a chopstick down the River Hi in order to provoke Susanoo towards their forest.  In the end, Orochi is murdered by an unknowing Susanoo and the son of the Mountain-God is able to marry his last daughter to the brother of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu.

Story source: Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).
Photo from Fandom

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