User:Johnathon Hawk/Sephtis Zaiyan/Orochi

After being driven out of Takamagahara, Susano-o arrived at the upper part of the Hii River in the land of Izumo, and as he did, he saw some chopsticks come floating downstream. Guessing that this meant someone lived further upstream, he followed the river until he came upon an elderly couple and their daughter, Kushinada-hime. All three were crying sadly, and Susano-o asked them what was wrong. They told him that Kushinada-hime was to be sacrificed to the monster known as Yamata-no-Orochi, a gigantic serpent with eight heads and eight tails. Its body was long enough to cover eight peaks and valleys, and it was covered with moss and trees. Its belly was inflamed and smeared with blood.

The elderly couple had originally had eight daughters, but each year the Yamata-no-Orochi came and devoured one, until only Kushinada-hime was left. The couple lamented that there was nothing they could do to save their only remaining daughter. Susano-o told them that if they would grant him their daughter’s hand in marriage in return, he would slay the serpent. They happily agreed.

First, Susano-o turned Kushinada-hime into a comb and placed her in his hair. Then he instructed the elderly couple to brew very strong sake, and then build a fence around their house with eight gates. He then had them build a platform and place a vat for holding the sake just inside each gate. Then, after pouring the sake in the vats, he told them to hide and wait.

With the preparations completed, they all waited. Then, just as the couple had said, the Yamata-no-Orochi appeared. All serpents love sake, and the Yamata-no-Orochi was no different. Each of its eight heads dove into a vat and drank deeply of the sake contained within. After gulping it all down, it became very drunk, so much that it passed out.