Okuninushi and the Hare of Inaba
A flayed hare tricked by sharks meets Okuninushi’s cruel brothers, then Okuninushi himself, who heals it. The hare prophesies his future marriage and destiny, rewarding kindness over cruelty.
Story beats
- 1) The hare deceives sharks to cross the sea; angered, they strip its skin.
- 2) Okuninushi’s brothers tell the hare to bathe in salt and wind—doubling its pain.
- 3) Okuninushi advises fresh water and cattail pollen; the hare heals.
- 4) Grateful, the hare foretells Okuninushi will win Princess Yakami, not his brothers.
- 5) The tale sets Okuninushi apart as compassionate, foreshadowing his role as land-shaper and protector.
Context & symbolism
The story contrasts cruelty and empathy. Healing knowledge, not power, wins favor. The hare’s prophecy ties compassion to destiny. Shark trick shows consequences of deceit; proper remedy shows harmony with nature.
Okuninushi’s caring nature underpins his later status as a benevolent kami of nation-building and medicine.
Motifs
- Animal trickster punished and redeemed
- Siblings’ cruelty vs. youngest’s kindness
- Healing through natural remedies
- Prophecy as reward for compassion
Use it in play
- Healed creature grants prophecy/aid later.
- Bros give harmful advice; players must discern right healing.
- Crossing a sea via trickery backfires; penance/repair quest follows.
- A flayed NPC needs gentle remedies, not brute magic.
Comparative threads
- Kind youngest sibling: Common fairy-tale pattern (Cinderella’s kindness rewarded).
- Healing as virtue: Echoes folk tales where compassion earns guidance.
Hooks and campaign seeds
- Heal a “trickster victim” correctly to earn a prophecy.
- Compete with cruel siblings for a prize; kindness sways fate.
- Navigate a crossing challenge without angering guardians.