Mythology

The two gods, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca, constantly battled to determine who would rule the universe. After one fight, Quetzalcoatl was driven from his capital city, Tenochtitlan, by Tezcatlipoca. According to Aztec myth, Quetzalcoatl would eventually return in triumph as a light-skinned, bearded god. In 1519, the Aztec king, Moctezuma II was shocked when a light-skinned, … Read more

Long before the Aztec people founded their great empire, they lived in a community of many tribes in a place called Chicomortoc, also known as Seven Caves. But the people grew restless and tribes began to leave. The Aztecs were the last to go. One of their gods, Huitzilopochtli, which means Hummingbird of the South, … Read more

As the sun, Nanahuatzin became Tonatiuh. Proud of his new power, Tonatiuh hung in the sky and refused to move unless the gods provided sacrifice with their own blood. The Lord of the Dawn, angered by Tonatiuh’s demand, threw a dart at him. But the dart sailed wide, and the sun fired back, hitting the … Read more

Even after people and food were created, darkness still shrouded the world, and the gods discussed how they could provide light to the earth. One god, Tecuciztecatl, arrogantly volunteered to become the sun. The other gods elected Nanahuatzin, a humble god who was crippled with disease. Finally, the gods decided they would have a contest … Read more

In Aztec mythology, the gods decided to make people after the world was created. The other gods ordered Quetzalcoatl to journey to the underworld, Mictlan, and retrieve the bones of people who were turned into fish. But Mictlan was ruled by the crafty Mictlantecuhtli, who promised the bones to Quetzalcoatl, but only if he could … Read more

Human sacrifice was an important ritual in Aztec religion. The gods had given their own blood to create mankind, and the Aztecs believed that they wanted human flesh and blood as sacrifice. The Aztecs also believed that human blood contained chalchihuatl, a liquid the gods needed for nourishment. Most often, prisoners of war were used … Read more

An Aztec myth describes the earth goddess, Tlaltecuhtli, as a fierce beast with several gaping mouths full of teeth. Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca watched Tlaltecuhtli as she crossed the ocean, her hungry mouths searching for food. Repulsed by the disgusting monster, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca decided to destroy her. Transforming themselves into giant serpents, they descended from … Read more

The Aztec gods and people descended from the great creator god, Ometecuhtli. Quetzalcoatl is the offspring of Ometecuhtli. He is represented as a serpent decorated with beautiful feathers. The Aztecs believed that Quetzalcoatl was a kind god who brought rain clouds and nurtured crops. Tezcatlipoca, the god of night and sorcery, brought chaos and destruction. … Read more

The Aztecs believed that four worlds or eras, called suns, existed before their own. In the first sun, powerful giants roamed the earth. But the two gods, Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca, quarreled and began fighting. Quetzalcoatl hit Tezcatlipoca with his staff, sending him tumbling into the ocean. Tezcatlipoca reemerged as a giant jaguar, and he began … Read more

The Aztecs created a magnificent empire that covered most of Mexico from the 1300s to 1521. They constructed their capital city, Tenochtitlan, upon land reclaimed from a lake and marshes. Among its many buildings were spectacular pyramids. When Tenochtitlan was conquered by the Spanish in 1521, it may have been the largest city in the … Read more

Gucumatz and the Heart of Heaven called on Fox, Coyote, Parrot, and Crow to bring them yellow and white corn seeds. They ground the corn into a paste and fashioned the first four men. At first, Gucumatz and the Heart of Heaven were thrilled with their new creations. The four men were intelligent and quickly … Read more

Gucumatz and the Heart of Heaven now listened for praise and prayers from their new creations, but they were disappointed. The animals couldn’t speak the creators’ language. Instead, they squeaked, barked, chirped, roared, and hissed, creating such a racket that the creators understood nothing. Clearly, the animals could not worship the gods properly, so the … Read more

In the beginning, the world was a pool of motionless water beneath the sky. Within the water, Gucumatz, a serpent covered in blue and green feathers, suddenly stirred. He swam to the surface and spoke to the Heart of Heaven, a god in the sky. They discussed creation, and as they spoke, their words became … Read more

Originally, Deer had a smooth head with no horns. One day, the animals decided to have a contest between Rabbit and Deer to determine who was the fastest. They would race through a dense thicket and back again, and the victor would win a magnificent pair of antlers. On the day of the race, Rabbit … Read more

The eight day Sun Dance was held every summer before the Plains Indians began buffalo hunting. Most tribes of the plains held their own ceremonies, including the Lakotas, Cheyennes, Blackfeet, Shoshones, and Arapahos. In the Sun Dance, an individual made pledges. For example, if an illness was cured or an injury repaired during the year, … Read more

The Mayans were a Native American people whose culture flourished in Central America and Mexico from A.D. 300 to 900. They developed a sophisticated society with complex cities, writing, and a precise calendar. From A.D. 900 to 1200, the Mayan culture mysteriously declined so that when Spanish explorers arrived in the 1500s, they discovered several … Read more

American Indians settled in North America more than 20,000 years ago, after crossing a land bridge from Asia to Alaska. They spread out across the continent and established societies of individual tribes. Each tribe developed its own mythology, with its own heroes, villains, tricksters, and stories about how they came into the world. Native American … Read more

The varied climates, landscapes, and wildlife of North America influenced the myths American Indians told. Indians in the Eastern part of North America lived in dense forests scattered with lakes and rivers. Many of their myths speak of forest demons, spirits, and monsters. The Eastern Indians also believed the idea of an upper and lower … Read more

A long time ago, a race of gods and spirits lived beneath a giant tree. Clusters of lush fruit and fragrant blossoms hung in the tree’s branches. In the shade beneath the tree, the gods gathered for discussions. During one meeting, the Great Ruler told the gods that a dark and watery world full of … Read more

When the Creator finished making the world and animals, he believed something was missing. He decided to make creatures like himself, since his only companion was the tricky coyote. Using clay and water, he carefully fashioned a man, but while the Creator looked for wood to build a fire, Coyote sneaked over to the small … Read more

When people and animals first lived on the earth, they greeted each other and spoke together often. But when people began to kill animals for food, the animals grew angry. The bears gathered together to discuss the problem. Many of them wanted to make war on humans. Others disagreed, arguing that people had sharp knives … Read more

In the time before people, a young man emerged from the sea. He was created out of wind, water, and the warmth of sunlight. The man was joined by a woman, who was cre ated from a drop of dew that fell from a leaf. The man and woman had children, and the woman became … Read more

Feather woman’s son, Poia, grew up with a large scar on his head. The other children made fun of it and made him an outcast. When Poia became a young man, he asked a medicine woman how to remove his scar. She advised him to return to the world above the sky, where his father … Read more

On a hot, summer night, a woman named Feather-woman slept in the cool grass outside her village. When she awoke at dawn, she watched the Morning Star rise above the horizon, a brilliant, gleaming point of light. The star’s beauty made her gasp, and she quickly fell in love. Excited, she told her friends about … Read more

When the Indian warrior Glooskap walked through the world, all things bowed with respect. He had spent months fighting and defeating both animals and men in combat. Even the spirits dared not challenge his strength. When he had satisfied his quest for glory, Glooskap returned home. But his wife hardly noticed him when he strode … Read more

A strong tradition of women warriors existed in Celtic society, where women bore arms into battle as late as A.D. 700. Reflecting this reality, many of the fiercest Celtic gods were female. One Irish war goddess was named Macha. When Macha was on the verge of giving birth, her husband told the king of Ulster … Read more

Queen Maeve was the powerful warrior ruler of Connacht, a kingdom in Ireland. One night, she and her husband, Ailill, argued over who had finer possessions. They matched each other evenly except for one item, Ailill’s magnificent white-horned bull. Enraged at losing the argument, Maeve searched for an animal that would match Ailill’s. She learned … Read more

While Cuchulainn studied with Scathach in the Land of Shadows, he seduced her sister, Aoife. When Cuchulainn left Aoife, he gave her a gold ring, unaware that she was also pregnant with his son. Aoife named her son Conlai, and she raised him alone, teaching him to expertly wield the sword and spear. Years later, … Read more

With Cuchulainn dead, Maeve’s army seized the Brown Bull and sent it back to Connacht. When the White Horned Bull saw the Brown Bull entering his territory, he charged. The two bulls slammed together and locked horns. For hours, their immense bodies twisted, strained, and lurched all over the island of Ireland. As the next … Read more

Tristan and Iseult were two lovers in Arthurian legend whose tale ends in tragedy. Tristan went to Ireland to woo the beautiful Iseult on behalf of his friend and king, Mark of Cornwall. Tristan approached Iseult’s father, and he gave his blessing to the marriage. But Iseult was not enthusiastic about marrying King Mark. To … Read more

Lir, a king of the Tuatha De Dannann, married a woman named Aoife after his first wife died. While Aoife has the same name as the mother of Cuchulainn’s son, she is not the same woman. Aoife, the sister of Lir’s first wife, pledged herself to loving and raising Lir’s four children: Fionnuala, Aodh, and … Read more

Uther Pendragon was ruler of England and the father of King Arthur. At Uther’s coronation ceremony, he fell in love with Ygraine, the wife of Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall. His flirtation was so obvious that Gorlois left the coronation in a rage and prepared for war against Uther. Gorlois sent Ygraine to Tintagel, a … Read more

London often hosted exciting pageants and festivals full of jousts and merriment. Arthur, only a small boy, went with his foster-father, Sir Ector, and foster-brother, Kay, to the tournaments. As Kay prepared to take part in a game, he discovered that his sword was missing. Angry, he sent Arthur back to their lodgings to retrieve … Read more

After the death of King Uther, his knights argued among themselves over who should be the next king. Finally, the great wizard, Merlin, ordered the nobles and knights to gather in London. When they had all crowded into London’s main cathedral, Merlin revealed a mysterious stone with a sword embedded into it. Chiseled into the … Read more

Although Arthur had proved himself king, many knights and barons refused to respect his rule. Arthur had to lead his army through several battles to crush his enemies and establish his power. With Merlin’s aid, Arthur built a capital city at Camelot where he brought together the Knights of the Round Table. Only the bravest … Read more

Sir Lancelot was the most handsome, skilled, and bravest of the Knights of the Round Table. Serving faithfully by Arthur’s side, Lancelot protected his king from harm. But Lancelot had one deadly fault, he fell in love with Arthur’s queen, Guinevere. The two became lovers and despite their secrecy, Arthur’s other knights suspected treachery. To … Read more

With ranks formed and weapons drawn, King Arthur’s army and Mordred’s army tensely confronted each other across a large field. Before the battle, Arthur and Mordred came together for one last meeting. Neither leader trusted the other, so they ordered their knights to attack immediately if anyone pulled their sword. Surrounded by a small band … Read more

After driving out the Firbolg, the Tuatha De Danann faced a new enemy, the Fomorians. The Fomorians were an evil race of giants that lived both on Ireland and in the sea around it. The Fomorians were led by Balor, who had only one eyeball. His gaze was so deadly, he only opened his eye … Read more

The Tuatha De Danann were a race of Irish Celtic gods who arrived in Ireland after the Firbolg had already settled there. After a fierce battle, called the First Battle of Magh Tuireadh, the Tuatha De Danann defeated the Firbolg and drove them off the island. The Firbolg settled in the Aran Islands off the … Read more

Ethlinn was Balor’s daughter in Celtic mythology. It was prophesied that Ethlinn’s son would grow up to kill Balor. To prevent this, Balor locked Ethlinn in a crystal tower on a remote island off Ireland’s northern coast. But a god from the Tuatha De Danann managed to sneak into the princess’s chamber, and she later … Read more

The Irish Celts had many different gods and goddesses. Here are some of the most prominent. Dagda, which means “the good god,” was father of the Tuatha De Danann. Dagda carried a magical club so large that he hauled it behind him on two wheels. If he struck anything with one side of his club, … Read more

Ith was a man who lived in a giant tower in Spain. From the top of the tower, he could glimpse the distant shores of Ireland. Curious about the strange land, he assembled ninety followers and set sail for the island. He arrived just after the Tuatha De Danann had defeated the Fomorians. Believing that … Read more

Finn MacCool was the greatest leader of the Fianna in Celtic mythology. As a young boy, Finn was taught by the druid Finegas. One day, Finegas caught the Salmon of Knowledge. Whoever ate the magical salmon would receive incredible knowledge and wisdom. Delighted with his catch, Finegas gave the salmon to Finn and ordered him … Read more

The Fianna were a hardy band of warriors in Irish mythology who swore to protect the king of Ireland. To join the Fianna, a man stood in a hole up to his waist, armed only with his shield and a stick. Nine warriors circled around him and threw spears. If the man warded off the … Read more

Druids were the political and spiritual leaders in Celtic society in what is now Britain, Ireland, and parts of France. As priests and teachers, they conducted the religious ceremonies of the Celtic tribes and studied magic. They revered the oak tree and mistletoe and often held their ceremonies in oak forests. As leaders, they exercised … Read more

After being touched by the goddess of youth, Diarmuid spent much of his time resisting the advances of women. He avoided all of them except one, the beautiful Grainne, daughter of the king of the Fianna. Unfortunately for Diarmuid, Grainne was already engaged to Finn, the warrior leader of the Fianna. Grainne used her magic … Read more

Diarmuid was a handsome warrior who fought with the Fianna in Celtic mythology. After spending a day hunting in woods, Diarmuid and three companions found shelter in a hut. A beautiful woman owned the hut and received them warmly. However, of the four men, she chose Diarmuid to share her bed. While the other warriors … Read more

As Oisin hunted along a beach, he met a goddess mounted on a horse with silver hooves and a golden mane. Her name was Niamh, daughter of the sea god Manannan. Niamh invited Oisin to join her in the ageless golden realm of the gods. Oisin accepted, mounted her horse, and together they rode off. … Read more

Oisin was one of the sons of Finn MacCool in Irish mythology. While on a hunt with his companions, Finn and his dogs chased a deer through the woods, excited at the chance for a fresh meal. But when the deer finally collapsed in exhaustion, the dogs did not attack her. Instead, they playfully licked … Read more

Cuchulainn fell in love with a woman named Emer. But her father, Forgall, objected to the match, claiming that Cuchulainn had not yet proven himself as a warrior. Forgall suggested that Cuchulainn make the difficult journey to the Land of Shadows to study combat with Scathach, a warrior princess. Cuchulainn left immediately. With Scathach, Cuchulainn … Read more

Cuchulainn is Ireland’s greatest Celtic hero. When he was born, it was prophesied that he would live a glorious but short life. His father was Lugh, the god of light. As a young boy, Cuchulainn demonstrated his power and strength by killing an enormous hound with his bare hands, thus earning him his name, the … Read more

From 100 B.C. to A.D. 100, many of the Celtic tribes in Europe were conquered by Roman armies and became a part of the Roman Empire. Most of their myths are lost. However, other parts of the Celtic world, Ireland, Scotland, and parts of England, escaped Roman control. Their stories survived because Christian monks wrote … Read more

In Iron Age and Roman era Europe, the Celts, pronounced “Kelts”, were a band of tribes that dominated northwestern Europe, northern Spain, France, Great Britain, and Ireland. We call these tribes Celts because they spoke languages that stemmed from Celtic. However, these tribes only loosely shared a common culture, and they each developed their own … Read more

The Fir Bolg were a legendary race of people who lived in Ireland. Originally, they labored as slaves in a land near Greece. The Fir Bolg hauled bags of earth over their shoulders to cover rocky areas and make it suitable for farming, hence their name, which means “bag men”. After years of abuse, the … Read more

Ragnarok is the time of destruction for the world and the gods. Odin, who could see the future, knew that Ragnarok would come and that resistance was useless. However, Odin and the gods planned to battle to the end. This story reflects the Norse belief that despite death, a man could win honor by fighting … Read more

The gods realized that their toleration of Loki had allowed evil to grow in Asgard. They resolved to hunt him down and capture him. Loki knew that the gods would punish him severely, so when they approached, Loki changed himself into a salmon and jumped into a stream. A wise god named Kvasir fashioned a … Read more

Just before she is swallowed, the sun will give birth to a daughter, who will light the sky as a new sun. Under her warmth, a new world is destined to flourish. One man and one woman will escape the disaster, and together will repopulate the earth. The children of the gods will survive and … Read more

Valhalla in Norse mythology was an enormous hall that housed the Einherjar, warriors who had died heroically in battle. More than five hundred doors opened into the hall, allowing more than eight hundred warriors to march through each door at once. Odin himself sat at the head of the hall with his two wolves and … Read more

Loki had three monstrous children, the wolf Fenrir, the fearful goddess Hel, and Jormungand, a giant serpent. When Odin saw the serpent, he was filled with fear and disgust, and he cast the serpent from Asgard into the ocean. There it grew so large that it encircled the entire world and became known as the … Read more

One day, Thor was shocked to discover that his hammer was missing. Desperate, he asked Loki to find it. Loki turned himself into a falcon and soared above the earth, searching for clues to the hammer’s disappearance. Finally, Loki learned that a frost giant named Thrym had stolen the hammer and hidden it deep beneath … Read more

In the icy land of Jotunheim, the frost giants built a fortress called Utgard. Thor decided to journey to Utgard and do battle with the giants who lived there. To help him, Thor brought Loki and two human servants called Thialfi and Roskva. While traveling to Utgard, Thor and his three companions sought shelter for … Read more

Thor, who often sought out challenges to his strength, decided to slay the Midgard Serpent. According to one story, Thor disguised himself as a young boy and journeyed to the oceanside home of a giant called Hymir. Thor asked if he could join the giant on his next fishing trip. Hymir did not like the … Read more

Who Was Andvari In Norse Mythology and How Did Loki Steal Andvari’s Treasure? Andvari was a craftsman dwarf whose treasure was seized by Loki. Once, while traveling through Midgard with Odin and Honir, Loki killed an otter for dinner. They traveled on to a farmhouse and offered to share the otter with the farmer Hreidmar. … Read more

The giant Geirrod was Thor’s fiercest enemy. One day, Geirrod captured Loki. In exchange for his life, the god promised to bring Thor to Gerriod’s hall, without his mighty hammer. Gerriod was thrilled with the idea of defeating Thor at last. Loki convinced Thor to go to Gerriod’s hall without his hammer. Along the way, … Read more

Fafnir was one of Hreidmar’s sons in Norse mythology. When he saw Andvari’s fabulous treasure, he fell under the curse of the ring and plotted to murder his father for it. Helped by his brother, Regin, Fafnir carried out his deed. The greed and evil of the murder transformed Fafnir from a man into a … Read more

Sigurd was the greatest hero of Norse mythology. Like many other ambitious men, Sigurd hoped to slay Fafnir and take his treasure. Accompanied by Fafnir’s brother, Regin, Sigurd searched for the dragon. Finally, they found the tracks it made as it traveled from its lair to drink at a river. Regin suggested to Sigurd that … Read more

Brynhild was a Valkyrie who disobeyed Odin’s orders. As punishment, he condemned her to endless sleep in a bed surrounded by a ring of fire. Only the bravest warrior could pass through the ring and wake her. Sigurd saw the blazing ring from a distant hill and rode his horse unharmed through the flames. The … Read more

The Valkyries were female demigoddesses in Norse mythology who roamed over bloody battlefields in search of brave warriors. A demigod or demigoddess was stronger than a mortal but not as powerful as god. When they found a truly brave warrior, the Valkyries would take them to Odin, who welcomed him into paradise at Valhalla. The … Read more

The Berserkers were warriors inspired to madness by Odin’s sorcery. They charged into battle without armor, heedless of pain or danger. Given extraordinary strength by their madness, they savagely attacked their opponents in the frenzy of combat. We still use the expression “They went berserk” to describe people who lose control in rage and anger. … Read more

In Norse mythology, Balder’s death plunged all of Asgard into grief. Haider, Odin’s son, agreed to ride down to Hel and bring Balder back to life. Riding Sleipnir, Odin’s eight-legged horse, Haider galloped swiftly down the dark road that led to the walls of Hel. Urged by Haider, Sleipner leaped over the walls and into … Read more

One night, Balder’s sleep was disturbed by horrible dreams that predicted his death. The next morning, the other gods heard about Balder’s dreams and feared for his safety. To protect Balder, Frigga traveled through the world and demanded that everything vow never to harm Balder. Soon, all things, stones and trees, metal and animals, took … Read more

Odin, Vili, and Ve created a race of dwarves from the worms and maggots eating Ymir’s body. Like worms, the dwarves live and breed below the ground’s surface. The dwarves became expert craftsmen, and the gods relied upon their skill to create weapons and sparkling treasures. If the dwarves ventured into sunlight, they turned to … Read more

In Norse Mythology, the gods took blazing sparks from Muspell and set them into the sky to fashion the stars. To give the world light and warmth, they created a girl called Sun and a boy called Moon and set them in their paths across the heavens. Both Sun and Moon had to travel quickly, … Read more

In the beginning, two worlds existed, separated by an empty void called Ginnungagap. The northern world, called Niflheim, was locked in snow and ice. The southern world, Muspell, blazed with red-hot sparks and fire. From Niflheim, twelve rivers of freezing water flowed into Ginnungagap and filled it with ice. Flames from Muspell melted some of … Read more

According to Norse mythology, at the center of the universe stood a mighty tree, called Yggdrasill. The branches of Yggdrasill stretched into the heavens and three giant roots supported its trunk from below. Entwined within Yggdrasill’s roots and branches stood nine separate worlds, each with its own race of beings. Beside one root lay Urd’s … Read more

While walking together on a beach, Odin, Vili, and Ve discovered two logs washed in from the sea. They picked them up and from them fashioned the first man and woman, Ask and Embla. Each god gave gifts to the humans. Odin gave them life; Vili gave them understanding and the ability to move; and … Read more

After escaping the flood of Ymir’s blood that drowned the other giants, the giant Bergelmir and his wife sailed to a far land and gave birth to a new race of frost and mountain giants. The land, Jotunheim, existed in the mountainous and icy regions of the North, where snowstorms howled throughout the year. The … Read more

A Norse tapesty, woven in the 1100s, depicts three important Norse gods. Odin, missing an eye, stands on the left and carries an axe. Thor stands next to him, holding his mighty hammer. Frey, god of the harvest and fertility, stands on the right and holds an ear of corn. Odin ruled a race of … Read more

Asgard was home to the race of Norse gods called the Aesir. Surrounded by a mighty wall that protected them from enemies, each god and goddess lived in a spectacular hall. Odin dwelled in a silver roofed hall supported by gold pillars. From his throne, he could observe all the other worlds at once. At … Read more

Niflheim was a dark, frozen, fog filled land that was home to all humans who died of disease or old age. A hideous dragon called Nidhogg survived in Niflheim by eating the flesh of human corpses. Nidhogg also gnawed at Yggdrasill’s main root, hoping to bring the tree and the entire world crashing down. As … Read more

Loki’s tricks could be amusing, but other times they almost led to his, or someone else’s, destruction. One day, Loki cut off the shimmering golden hair of Sif, Thor’s wife. When Thor saw his bald wife, he angrily caught Loki and raised his hammer threateningly. Loki pleaded for his life and promised Thor that he … Read more

After the magnificent halls of Asgard were complete, a mysterious stranger offered to surround Asgard with a stone wall to protect the gods against their enemies. The man claimed to be a great stonemason, so Loki suggested that he complete the task in six months. The man agreed, and for payment he asked for the … Read more

Odin loved the clash of arms in battle, but he also tirelessly sought wisdom and knowledge. While the other gods feasted and joked, Odin sat quietly on his throne, listening intently as his two ravens whispered the day’s events into his ear. After the ravens left, he spent his time sipping mead and pondering what … Read more

The Vanir were an older race of Norse gods who warred with the Aesir for control of the world. Finally, both sides concluded that the war was ruinous and agreed to peace. To seal the agreement, the Vanir sent three gods, Frey, Freyja, and Njord, to live with the Aesir in Asgard. To Vanaheim, the … Read more

Idun was the goddess of spring and protector of a magical tree filled with golden apples that restored youth to whoever ate them. Every year, Idun picked the apples and carried them to Asgard, where the gods feasted on them and thus stayed young forever. Other creatures eagerly sought the magical apples. Once, a giant … Read more

On a lonely island off the coast of Japan, a white rabbit looked longingly at the mainland. But he couldn’t swim, and there was no bridge. The cunning rabbit thought of a plan to escape the island. He asked a crocodile if there were more crocodiles or rabbits on the lonely island. He persuaded the … Read more

According to Japanese mythology, Okuninushi’s eighty brothers were furious when they heard of the white rabbit’s promise. They resolved to murder Okuninushi by rolling a heated boulder down a hill onto him. Okuninushi, believing it was a wild boar, leaped out to capture it. As he seized the boulder, the rock burned through his flesh … Read more

One day, a young man named Okuninushi and his eighty brothers all journeyed to a beautiful princess’s palace. Each brother hoped to win her love. Since Okuninushi was the youngest, he traveled at the back of the wagon train. The band came upon the hairless rabbit, lying beside the road in great pain. Okuninushi’s brothers … Read more