O-Kuni-Nushi
O-Kuni-nushi cured a skinless hare who rewarded him by giving him a princess who had been promised to all eighty of his brothers. The eighty brothers plotted against and killed O-Kuni-Nushi.
He was then resurrected by the goddess Kami-Masubi and he hid in the Underworld. Here he fell in love with and married his own half sister, Susanoo's daughter, Suseri-Hime.
Susanoo was angered by the marriage and sent O-Kuni-Nushi to sleep in a room full of snakes. He was protected however by a charm which his wife had given him. Susanoo moved him to a room full of poisonous insects, wasps and centipedes and, yet again, he was saved by a charm made by Suseri-Hime.
Susanoo then sent his son to look for an arrow in a plain of dry grass. When O-Kuni-Nushi was surrounded by the dry grass Susanoo set fire to it and the god was surrounded by flames. He was led to safety by a mouse who also bought him the missing arrow. O-Kuni-Nushi emerged unscathed and returned the arrow to Susanoo who then decided to trust his son.
When Susanoo was asleep O-Kuni-Nushi and his wife tied his hair to the rafters of the house and then, taking their treasures with then, they tried to escape. As they passed a tree Susanoo awoke and leapt up, pulling the whole house down on top of him. The two lovers had escaped by the time he disentangled himself and he had to admit defeat. He made O-Kuni-Nushi promise to make Suseri-Hime his Number One wife and instructed him on how to keep his supremacy over the eighty brothers.
O-Kuni-Nushi returened to Earth and became it's overlord.
Adapted from 'A guide to the Gods' by Richard Carlyon
