O is for Outwitting Ogres – A to Z Blog Challenge

We are pleased to participate in the A to Z Blog Challenge (http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/). The Story Crossroads theme for this year is Beating the Odds…Lucky Folktales Around the World to Brighten Your Day. Each post highlights that the stars aligned and what would have normally been…bad…turned out after all. Considering what we – as humankind – have experienced the past year, how nice is it to remember that all of us can “beat the odds” to some level in our lives.

And we’ll admit now…some are actually myths, legends, or epics rather than only limited to folktales. So is that a type of “loading the dice”? Ah, but the stories were too wonderful to pass by.

OGRES-

From Japan

The story mentions “ogre” though sometimes ogres and oni can be confusing for people. An ogre for Japanese lore if much like a big hairy giant that eats humans and other creatures. An oni is a demon and still something to avoid.

What makes ogres dangerous?

Well, as ogres in Japan like to eat humans…yes, that would be dangerous. The ogre in this story has shape-shifting abilities to then better hunt whoever they are after.

50-words-or-less summary:

Ogres thought to be gone. Then ogre discovered. Watanabe rides to face it. Fights. Cuts ogre’s arm. Watanabe placed in box. Old woman came who knew Watanabe. She wished to see arm. She took it, transformed into same ogre, put arm on. Watanabe fought ogre. Watanabe won! Ogre never returned.

That Watanabe was lucky to fight along five others to protect the people from ogres. Then lucky against this one ogre. And then again in another fight. Watanabe was seen as a hero before and now? That admiration and love will continue for generations now.

Finding the Story or about Ogres:

https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/1999/09-19/0016_tell_me_a_story__the_ogre_s_arm__.html

https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Ogre

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/59737/10-horrifying-demons-and-spirits-japanese-folklore (mentions a mountain ogress)

Please share in the comments…or anything on your mind. While you enjoy this blog, Story Crossroads has year-round offerings with virtual as well as proper-distanced/masked/outdoors.

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See a teaser of our Story Crossroads Academy. While the video has closed captioning, the “Storytelling Basics in 8 Hours” is free and includes American Sign Language.