EP21 Darkness Falls
Show Notes for episode 21 of our Podcast – Darkness Falls.
Story Notes
Her brother Susano-o, having been condemned to go reside in Yomi, wished to speak to his sister one last time and so ascends to Heaven. He brother informs her that he comes with no ill intent and so Amaterasu asks for them to make a pledge together and create children.
Amaterasu makes him hand over his ten span sword, cleaning it and chewing it in her mouth she spits forth three female Spirits, these daughters being called Takiribime, Ichikishimahime and Takitsuhime. According to the Kojiki these daughters born from his sword show Susano-o had no ill intent and so in triumph he runs amok in Heaven destroying rice fields. The main text of the Nihongi differs where it says should he have daughters then he has ill intent.
Before running amok in Heaven he asks for the Jewels from Amaterasu’s hair, and chewing them he spits forth five children, these being Amenooshihomimi, Amenohohi, Amatsuhikone, Ikutsuhikone and Kumanokusubi.12
Susano-o’s final act whilst running amok in Heaven (in the Kojiki) was to drop a pie-bald colt which had been skinned backwards from its tail into the sacred weaving hall where Amaterasu and Amenohatorime were. The colt causes Amenohatorime to be startled and so she accidently kills herself by slamming her weaving shuttle into her privates. Amaterasu frightened by all this flee into the Sacred Rock cave and so night falls eternally. In the main text of the Nihongi, Amenohatorihime is not mentioned and Amaterasu injures herself in fear before fleeing to the rock cave.
Proverb Notes
Today were giving you our first ever Proverb.
猫の手も借りたい (neko no te mo karitai)
“I even want to borrow a cat’s hand.”
A proverb which means that you are so busy right now that you would even ask for help from a cat.
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