唐澤山神社 [伝説] - 栃木県佐野市唐沢山神社

蜈蚣(むかで)退治　秀郷公は幼時、京都近郊田原の里に住んでおられましたが、元服（ういこうぶりといって今の成人式にあたるが二十才前に行うことが普通であった。）の時、御父村雄公より三尺余りの立派な太刀を一振り賜わり益々文武の道に励むようにさとされました。

間もなくして、朝廷の命により下野国の押領使として関東に下る時、近江国瀬多の唐橋にさしかかったところ身のたけ六十米もある大蛇が横になっていて、人々が大変こまっていました。しかし公は唯一人この背中を悠々と渡りました。

その夜半宿に、この世のものとは思われぬ程美しい女性が公をたずねて参りました。その女性が「私は琵琶湖に住む龍女です。毎年、私は子を産みますが一人として満足に育ったものがおりません。それというのも琵琶湖のほとりの三上山に住みついて、善良な人々を苦しめている大蜈蚣のせいであります。毎年、子供が生贄になるので育てられないのです。そこで、之を退治する武将をさがすために大蛇に変化しておりました。あなた様は日本一の武人と誉の高いお方です。どうか、乱暴な大蜈蚣を退治していただきたくお願いに参ったしだいでございます。」と、切々と訴えました。

秀郷公は武勇に勝れ、いつくしみ深いお方でありましたので、この願いを快く引受けて蜈蚣退治に出かけることになりました。公は父より頂いた刀と五人張りの重藤の弓と大矢三本を持ち、さきの女性を道案内に勇ましく三上山へ向われました。

山も奥を極めんとするあたりまでくると、にわかに明るくなりました。見るとそこには、大蜈蚣がランランと目を光らせ、電光を放ち嵐のような風雨をふかせてあれくるっていました。すかさず公は、重藤の弓に矢をつがえてきりきりと弦を絞ると狙いを定めてパッと矢を放ちました。一本目二本目とも蜈蚣に当たってもはじき返されてしまい、残る一本の矢の先端に唾をつけて天地神明に祈り射ったところ見事蜈蚣に突き刺さり、二度三度大きないかつい体を震わしたかと思うと息が途絶えてしまいました。するとさきほどまでの嵐も天地雷鳴とともに治まり平和になりました。

この御礼として龍神より黄金作りの太刀と鎧、使っても尽きない巻絹と米俵、そして大きな釣鐘を戴きました。鎧は避来矢の鎧と称し当神社に、太刀は伊勢神宮に、大釣鐘は三井寺にそれぞれ伝えられています。

（三井寺物語より）　この後の歴史は、沿革ページでご覧いただけます。

Legend

Killing of Centipede

At the ceremony of "Uikoburi"( a ceremony equivalent to "Coming-of-age-Day" of modern days,but,usually a boy was to be celebrated in his teens,not at twenty years old.),the father of Lord Hidesato,Lord Murao,gave his son a fine sword of about 1m long and persuaded him to brush up further both literary and military arts.

Soon he was assigned Ohryoshi of Shimotsuke-no-Kuni,and on his way to Kyoto, at Seta ,Ohmi-no-Kuni,the lord encoutered people troubled very much by a 60m long monster serpent lying on the bridge of Seta-no-Karahashi.The lord,by himself, walked through quietly on this giant snake.At midnight on that day,a lady of unearthly beauty visited the lord at the lodging house and told him the following tale :

I am a dragoness living in Lake Biwa.Every year I give birth to a child, but none of them can not grow up because of giant centipede living in a hill of Mikamiyama by the side of the lake.This centipede is harassing the good people with requests of children including mine as a sacrificial offering.So,I changed myself into the snake in order to find a warlord who could subjugate the centipede.

Upon listening to her petition, the lord ,being a brave and a affectionate worlord, readily accepted her solicitation and headed for the hill with the sword given by his father and with a very powerful bow of Shigetou and three big arrows.

By the guide of the lady, they went up deep into the hill of Mikamiyama and all of a sudden ,the spot was brightened.They saw a giant centipede was emitting electric light,blowing out the wing and rain like a storm with his eyes glaring.

Immediatly the lord aimed at the monster and shot the first arrow and the second.Both arrows hit the giant centipede,but were rejected.The lord put his saliva on the tip of the third and the last arrow and prayed the God, then let it off. The arrow hit and thrusted into the monster and he trembled several times and breathed his last.The storm calmed down with thunders ,leaving peacefulness.

In expressing his gratitude,the dragon God gave the lord a golden armor "Hiraishi"and a golden sword ,together with a roll of silk and a straw rice-bag which were inexhausible,and a big hanging bell.The armor "Hiraishi-no-Yoroi"has been kept at Karasawayama Jinjya while the sword and the big hanging bell have been preserved at the Grand Shrine of Ise (Ise Jingu) and the Miidera Temple respectively.

( from the Tale of Miidera Temple)

Tale of washing of horse with rice

During the age of civil wars,in the middle of 16th century,Karasawa Castle was at a crisis because of the invasions by other warlords like Uesugi Kenshin,HojyoUjimasa. Though famed for an impregnable fortress,being on the top of the hill,the castle always had an only one weakpoint, that is, the possibility of a shortage of water.

During the years of Tensho(1573-91),the castle suffered water torture as the castle was surrounded by enemies and the main roads were blocked,the water and food famine was imminent.But enemy was just waiting for this crisis,you could not show the weakness.

In order to make a reverse use of reconnaissance of the enemy,a plan was thought out.First ,a big water pale was filled with rice,then the rice was poured over the back of a horse,thus a mock washing of body of the horse was played.

As expected,the enemy reconnaissance patrols reported of an abundance of water,and the enemy were so surprised ,dissapointed and their morale suffered. Finally,they retreated.

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［伝統と格式の唐澤山神社］ 初詣・祈祷・祭事・ハイキング・松茸狩り・お食事 - 栃木県佐野市 唐沢山神社

［伝統と格式の唐澤山神社］　初詣・祈祷・祭事・ハイキング・松茸狩り・お食事 - 栃木県佐野市唐沢山神社