Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology Part B

The Labors of Yamato- The Grotto of Love

This was an interesting story to read, but one that I have heard multiple that are similar. I think for a rewrite it might be entertaining to write about a wife that was tired of her husband's devotion, instead of the way that it is the other way around in the original version. Writing it this way would add a level of modernity and difference in the new version that would be unparalleled. 

The Labors of Yamato- The Golden Apple

I enjoyed this Golden Apple segment. Thinking about how to do a rewrite, I like the idea of putting a little bit of a Snow White spin on it and making it centered around one character's journey to find the apple and to figure out what it does. I might also even change up my rewrite to change what the golden apple is able to do that makes it so special.

The Labors of Yamato- The Demon Boar

This story was different than many of the others in the collection even. For a rewrite, I would want to use the letter writing or journal entry format to write mine in which I can tell the feelings of the Demon and the other characters surrounding. This would add a certain level of feeling and accountability to make it more believable and personal.

The Labors of Yamato- The Grass-Cleaving Sword

In order to rewrite this story, I think I would want to more closely focus on the disaster that is at hand with the grass-cleaving sword. Somehow, I would add more details so that there was a more thorough background provided to explain exactly what happened when the grass was mowed down and made into a flame and consuming the people. It would also be fun to rewrite a segment of it that showed how the people might rebuild their city after the fact. 

The Labors of Yamato- The Sacred Sword

I think that for this story, I would want to change the point of view for the rewrite. Maybe I could even write it from the perspective of the princess and what she is seeing her husband go through. I also think that it would be fun to incorporate an adventure of some sort that shows what they endured to get to the sacred sword. 

The Labors of Yamato- The Dragon

I enjoyed this story as it was and the way that it was unique in that it included a dragon. I think it would be fun to rewrite such a story by incorporating the aspect of point of view from the dragon to give it a more mystical touch and to enhance the magical feelings in it.

For this story, I would want to focus from the perspective of the dragon.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Faery Robe

I had a harder time getting into this one and reading it, especially considering the way that it was written in the form of a poem. However, I think that for a rewrite, I might would give the robe more of a back ground and dive into where it came from and how it's owner came to possess it. 

The Jewel of Heart's Desire: The Land of Morning Calm

While reading this part of the storybook collection, it felt as if something were missing. The details that were included were great, but it almost felt as if there were chunks of information missing from the story itself. For a rewrite, I want to focus in on the part where the jewel itself is being fought over, giving more of a backstory to that part of the story and explaining exactly what happened in greater detail. 

The Quest of the Jewel

This is a cool piece to work in correspondence with the one before it that is also about a jewel. Because of the fact that it is about a journey, I think a rewrite in the form of letters would be a cool way to go. The idea of a journey usually means that there is some degree of separation between the characters and I think that that would be a cool thing to express. 

Bibliography

E.W. Champney and F. Champney's Japanese Mythology Unit