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Ichijyuu's Sumo Match
Kumamoto Prefecture |
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It happened one night that Ichijyuu was walking along a road that was on the edge of some rice patty fields, when a group of about ten kappa appeared on the road. Much to his surprise, the creatures wanted to have a sumo match.
Ichijyuu explained that he had to patrol the fields first, but that he would be back shortly; then he ran to a nearby meeting house that he knew of, where he could find some rice that had been offered to Buddha. He ate most of it, rubbed what was left on his forehead, and then returned to the road to meet the kappa.
"I'm back... let's wrestle!", Ichijyuu announced. The kappa took one look at him, and ran away confused. "Your eyes are glowing frightfully," one yelled.
Ichijyuu had been clever enough to realize that the Buddha's sacred rice would protect him; it is what made his eyes glow.
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Sources:Kappa, Tengu, Oni Zorozoro HYAKKA (Kappa, Tengu, Oni Encyclopedia)1985 Gakken, pg. 46
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