Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology, Part B

Story: The Labors of Yamato - The Dragon

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

Japanese Dragon
After regaining the Sacred Sword, Yamato encountered a siren. The siren sang and seemed to confuse Yamato, putting him in some sort of trance. He then discovered the city in panic. A terrific dragon had descended upon the land.

Yamato went to investigate, and there he saw it. Susa-no-wo, Dragon of the Sea was hurtling towards him.

A battle between Yamato and the dragon raged. He was able to subdue Susa-no-wo. Yamato told his beloved Tacibana "No longer shall our arch-enemy defile the land. Hereafter hath he power alone over the sea.”

However, one day, Yamato exclaimed that he feared Susa-no-wo no longer, for he had conquered him in land, and so he would conquer him in the sea. At his word the Sea God raged. At his words, the Sea God raised mighty tempest. 

Out of the depths he heard a siren singing: “Reckless Yamato, thou hast adventured upon my ever-verdant Sea Plain and defied my father, the God of Ocean. Therefore shalt thou perish, else another victim be granted me.”

At the end, Tacibana gave her life, for her beloved Yamato.

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