Theme: Retelling of Myths
Written by: Aceton Low (3F 2023)
It all began with an accident.
Amaterasu Omikami, the Goddess of the highest and she who shines on the world.
Every place she went, smiles would illuminate.
Birds would croon harmonious symphonies.
The living were charmed by her glorious divinity.
However, her younger brother was quite the opposite.
Cruel, mischievous, some say he was wicked at heart.
He wasn’t always like this.
Susano’o no Mikito, the God of the Rising Storms.
His mischief had only brought irascibility to the Heavens.
From ruining rice crops, to defecating Sacred Temples.
Everyone could only blame Amaterasu for being too soft on him. But who could blame her? After all, he had taken the passing of their mother the harshest so she could only go soft.
However, one day he had bitten off more than he could chew.
Amaterasu’s garden was adorned with peace and beauty, blossoms, and life.
Change.
Susano’o “stormed” to her garden while she was gone.
He blew his winds into the garden, causing havoc.
The once heavenly garden now reeked of death and sorrow.
Upon returning, Amaterasu gazed at what used to be her pride and joy.
She now understood why the Gods held such grudges against her brother.
Furious and overwhelmed with guilt, she shut herself out from the world in a tiny cave, locking it with a Heavenly Boulder.
The world was now plunged into a spiral of never-ending darkness.
All.
Because.
Of.
Susano’o.
The Gods began to worry.
Their voicings only caused inauspiciousness to the World.
The world began to shut down and life started to deplete.
Omoikane, the God of Wisdom, came up with a plan that would restore life’s balance once again.
Cockerels and vassals were asked to crow together.
The one-eyed blacksmith was asked to hit an iron nail into a hard rock – rhythmically.
Together, music was made.
The patron Gods of mirror making and embroidered jewellery came together and formed a mirror along with a string of beads which were then used to hang the mirror.
All the Gods gathered around the cave and hung the mirror on an Evergreen tree, which signified the dwelling place of a great God.
Amaterasu was puzzled, she had thought that life would’ve fallen into despair without her.
What could they have possibly been rejoicing?
She slid the Heavenly Boulder slightly to peek out.
Fooled.
“We have found a new Goddess with greater power than you!”
Amaterasu was dumbfounded. No way.
She leaned out the cave to take a look at her replacement, realising it was merely her reflection.
There was no one. No new Goddess.
Fooled.
She’d been fooled.
Too late.
This was their chance.
The strongest of the Gods, Ameno-tajikarao, gripped Amaterasu’s hand, forcing her out of the cave.
Another god ran to the Heavenly Boulder behind Amaterasu and wrapped a hemp rope around it, preventing her from returning to the cave again.
With that, light had returned to the world.
The gods bowed deeply before Amaterasu and glorified her presence more than ever.
MJR World of Words 