Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology, Part A

The story I found most interesting in this reading section was The Eight-Forked Serpent of Koshi. I like the idea of this creature, but I want to give him a backstory. Tell the story from his perspective, rather than from the humans' perspective. 

Examples:

Why did he eat the other daughters? Why so many? Perhaps he has a spell put on him and he needs to eat ten people to have it broken. Is that worth it? Is there more motivation behind doing something so bad? Maybe his family is involved somehow. How did the spell come about?

Can he be painted in a good light, or at least a sympathetic one? 

Tell the existing plot points but from his perspective. Does he overhear their conversations? Does he know what is going to happen when Susa-no-wo shows up? Does he have a plan to avoid getting killed?

Is there another ending that the story can have? Can he get away in time to keep his life and return to his original form? Or, does he die as in the story, and not continue on to change his fate?

In general, keep some of the structure the same, but play with the perspectives and emotion of the story. Make the serpent the unlikely hero. 

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Bibliography: The Eight-Forked Serpent of Koshi by E.W. Champney and F. Champney (1917)

Image: Slaying the Eight-Headed Beast by Toyohara Chikanobu, Source: Wikimedia Commons