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Darkened Angels > Daemon's > The Tale of the Oki Islands |
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Marquise 
 Posts: 16 (8/2/02 9:26 am) Reply |
The Tale of the Oki Islands A traditional, legendary Japanese story in which the loving and loyal daughter of a samurai overcomes great odds in order to see justice prevail. Many hundreds of years ago, about the year 1320 to be exact, the Emperor Hojo Takatoki ruled Japan with absolute power. A samurai, a noble soldier by the name Oribe Shima, accidentally displeased the ruler and was banished from he land. Oribe was sent to a wild rocky groups of islands off the coast of Japan called the Oki Islands. There he led a lonely, miserable life, for he had left behind his beautiful young daughter Tokoyo. She too felt unbearable sadness and at lat, unable to stand the separation any longer, decided to reach her father or die in the attempt. She was a brave girl and knew no fear. As a child she had loved diving with the women who collected oysters deep down under the sea. She risked her life as they did, though she was of higher birth and frailer body. After selling off all her property, Tokoyo set out for the coast and at last reached a place called Akasaki, from where on clear days the Oki Islands could be seen. She tried to persuade the fishermen to take her to the islands, but no one was willing, as it was a long and difficult journey. Besides, no one was allowed to visit those that had been banished there. Although discouraged, Tokoyo refused to give up. With what money she had left she bought some food. Then under the cover of darkness she went to the sea and found a light boat, setting sail alone for the islands. Fortune sent her a strong breeze and the current also helped her. The following night, chilled and exhausted she arrived on the rocky shore of one of the islands. She scrambled from the boat and made her way up the beach to a sheltered spot and lay down to sleep for the night. She awoke refreshed, ate and set off in search for her father. On the road she met a fisherman. She asked if he knew her father and told him her story. The fisherman said he didn’t know Oribe Shima and cautioned the girl to not ask for her father by name, that it could get her in trouble or her father killed. After that, Tokoyo wandered from place to place, hoping to hear word of her father, but fearful of asking about him. She managed to survive by begging food along the way. One evening she came to a shrine that stood on a rocky ledge. After praying to Buddha to help her in her search she lay down in a small grove nearby and went to sleep. In a short time the sound of a girl crying and a curious clapping of hands awakened her. She looked up into the bright moonlight and was startled to see a beautiful girl, about fifteen, crying bitterly. Beside her stood a preist, who clapped his hands and murmured over and over, “Namu Amida Butsu’s.” Both were dressed in white gowns. After the prayer the priest led the girl to the rocks and was about to push her into the sea when Tokoyo ran out and caught hold of her just in time to save her from falling off the cliff. The priest was astonished but not angered. “I judge from this action that you are a stranger to this land. Otherwise you would know that this ceremony is not to my liking. Unfortunately on this island we are curse by an evil god called Yofune-Nushi. He lives at the bottom of the sea and each year demands that we sacrifice one girl under 15 years of age to his kingdom. We make this offering on June 13, the Day of the Dog, between 8 and 9 o’clock at night. If we do not appease him, the evil one becomes angry and causes great storms at sea and many of our fishermen drown,” he said. Tokoyo listened gravely then offered to take the girl’s place. She told the holy monk of her father Oribe Shima, her failed quest to find him and how she no longer wished to live. She then asked the month to deliver a letter to her father, if he should be found. After she had finished speaking, Tokoyo removed the white robe from the girl and put it on herself. She then knelt at the shrine and prayed for the courage to kill the evil one, Yofune-Nushi. Upon rising she drew from within her clothes a beautiful dagger that belonged to her family and placing it between her teeth she dove into the roaring sea and disappeared. The priest and girl stood watching after her, over come with her courage. Tokoyo headed straight down through the clear water that was illuminated by the bright moonlight. Down, down she swam, passing silvery schools of fish until she reached the very bottom. There she found herself opposite an enormous cave that glittered with marvelous shells. Peering in she thought she saw a man seated in the cave. She grasped her dagger and entered the cave planning to kill the evil god. When she got close she was surprised to discover that what she thought to be a man was really a wooden statue of Hojo Takatoki, the Emperor who exiled her father. Angry and disappointed she began to strike at the statue but then changed her mind. Deciding to do good instead of evil, she opted to rescue the statue. Tokoyo undid her sash and tied the statue to herself then began swimming upward. As she came out of the cave, an enormous glowing snakelike creature covered with horrible scales and waving tiny legs swam p in front of her. Its fiery eyes convinced Tokoyo that she was face to face with Yofune-Nushi. Tokoy swam close and with her dagger struck out its right eye. Surprised with pain, the evil one tried to enter his cave, but couldn’t find his way. Swiftly Tokoyo struck him in the heart and the evil beast slowly died with monstrous gasps and heavings. Tokoyo, happy to rid the islands of the evil one, decided that she must raise the monster to the surface so the islanders would know it was dead. Struggling she managed to drag both the monster and the statue to the surface. The priest and girl were astonished to see Tokoyo emerge from the water. Rushing down to greet her they cried out in amazement when they saw what she had. Carefully they led the exhausted Tokoyo to a dry spot of beach to rest. When assistance came, everything was carried into town, the body of the evil god, the wooden statue of the emperor and Tokoyo. There were many ceremonies celebrating her extraordinary courage. The lord who ruled the island informed the Emperor Takatoki of what had passed. The Emperor, who had been long suffering from an unknown disease, suddenly found himself well again. It was clear to him that he had been laboring under the curse of someone to whom he had behaved unjustly – someone who carved his figures, cursed it and sunk it into the sea. Now that the statue was raised the curse was broken. When he found that the person who freed him was none other than the daughter of Oribe Shima, he immediately ordered the noble samurai freed from the island prison. On he Islands of Oki a shrine was built to commemorate the wonderful event and all across Japan the name of Tokoyo became forever famous. (I put this up because there are some interesting elements to the story) =^..^= |
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NightAngel of Darkness 
Daemonic Lover Posts: 1379 (8/5/02 4:23 pm) Reply |
RE:
Indeed there are some intriguing elements.
Thank you for the insightful post Marquise. |
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