Then said Susa, the Impetuous, “What is the likeness of this monster?”
And the deities of the mountain made answer: “His eyes are fiery and red as the _akakagachi_ (that is, the winter cherry). He has but one body, with eight heads and eight scaly tails. Moreover, on his body grows moss, together with the fir and the cryptomeria of the forest. In his going he covers eight valleys and eight hills, and upon his under side he is red and gory.”
Then the Lord Susa, the Impetuous, cried, “My lord, give me thy daughter.”
And the earthly deity, seeing his strength and great beauty and the brightness of his countenance, knew that he was a god, and answered, “With all reverence do I offer her unto thee. Howbeit, I know not thine august name.”
And Susa said, “I am Susa, the Sea God, the exile of High Heaven.”
[Illustration: The Story of Susa, the Impetuous.--_P. 99._]
And the mountain deity and also his fair wife spoke, saying, “So be it, Thine Augustness, take the young maid.”
And immediately Susa flung away the veil and saw the face of his bride, pale as the moon in winter. And he touched her on the forehead, and said, “Fair and beloved, fair and beloved....”
And the maid flushed faintly to stand thus barefaced. Howbeit, she had little need, for the tears that stood in my lord Susa’s eyes were veil enough for her modesty. And he said again, “Dear and beautiful, our pleasure shall be hereafter, now we may not tarry.”
So he took the young maid at once, and changed her into a crown for his head. And Susa wore the crown gallantly. And he instructed the earthly deity, and together they brewed _saké_, refined eight-fold; and with the _saké_ they filled eight vats and set them in readiness; and when all was prepared they waited. And presently there was a mighty noise, like the sound of an earthquake, and the hills and valleys shook. And the serpent crawled in sight, huge and horrible, so that the earthly deities hid their faces for fear. But Susa, the Impetuous, gazed upon the serpent with his sword drawn.
Now the serpent had eight heads, and immediately he dipped a head into each vat of _saké_ and drank long. Thereupon he became drunken with the distilled liquor, and all the heads lay down and slept.