Onamuji—later Okuninushi—a descendant of Susanoo, trudged behind his many spiteful brothers, made to carry all their baggage. On the way he found a white hare, skinned raw and weeping.
The hare had tricked the sea-beasts (wani) into forming a bridge to cross the sea, and at the last had its fur torn off. The cruel brothers had told it to bathe in salt water, which only made it worse. Onamuji taught it to wash in fresh water and roll in the pollen of cattails.
Healed, the hare foretold: ‘Not those brothers, but you, will win the princess Yagami-hime.’ And so it came to pass—kindness to a small life setting Onamuji on the road to greatness.
