Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 8 (Chinese and Japanese).djvu/407



MONG every people, the deeds of early heroes easily take on a mythical or semi-mythical character, and when the hero lived far in the past his fame is so much affected by this mythopœic process that it becomes difficult to tell what are historical facts and what are legendary embellishments. There is still another type of heroes whose actual existence can never be established, but whose legendary deeds are so much a part of popular tradition that they are always thought of as persons no less real than those whose exploits are unquestionably authentic. We shall, in a brief survey of the Japanese heroic tales, draw illustrations from both classes.

A very famous hero in the ancient mythology was Susa-nowo, the Storm-god, who, as we have heard, vanquished the eight-headed dragon and saved a young woman from being sacrificed to that horrible monster. Similar stories are told about his sons, who are said to have subjugated various "gods" who were found in their dominions, the modern province of Izumo. But we need not delay over these stories, which are purely mythical; the strictly heroic stories may be said to begin with the valiant Yamato-Takeru.

This prince was an emperor's son and he is said to have lived in the second century, He was sent on an expedition against the disobedient tribes of the west, in order to revenge the atrocities which they had committed upon his brothers. On one occasion, disguised as a young woman, he gained admittance to the house of a chief, and his disguise was so ingenious that the enemy had no suspicion of the truth. The chief became