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KUSANAGI / after 'Sloth' & 'Rubiks Snake'

from Three​-​Crossing River (after YOKAI) by Laura Sampson

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about

This track, inspired by looking at Maurer & Moore's 'Sloth' and Rubiks Snake' retells the story of noh Orochi, which dramatises the Japanese myth of the Kusanagi Sword. The text explores the relationship between water and mirrors, reflections and transformation.

View these and the other images from YŌKAI at White Conduit Projects gallery, London (until 27/2/22) and at www.maurer-moore.com.

lyrics

Once there was a god who travelled by rowing boat from the heavens to the earth. There, he met an old couple, gods of the land, drowning in grief for seven of their eight daughters, devoured by a eight-headed serpent who rides the Hii river like its personal merry-go-round.

I’ll save her, said the god - with a trick. I’ll fill eight boats with wine, and use the surface as a mirror to reflect your very beautiful eighth daughter. In his attempts to devour her, he’ll drink the wine - then he’ll be easy prey.

The eighth daughter - now betrothed to the god - became a comb, and kept the god’s hair out of his eyes while he did his work. On a mountain above the river, at its source, she became woman again, and her form was reflected in the face of the liquids below. It worked. The serpent got drunk, and in the following, flailing fight, its heads became the god’s property. So did its tail and that’s where the true treasure was - nestling inside, beautiful as a solved equation - the sword which cuts open grass and clouds and reality itself.

Beams of coloured light on dark sand, searchlight-sharp, like truth’s supposed to be - Kusanagi no Tsurugi - one sword to protect them all - won by the god of storms for the life of the earth’s eighth daughter.

Deeds cast long shadows on the beach of the earthly realm.

credits

from Three​-​Crossing River (after YOKAI), released February 15, 2022
Laura Sampson: Words, vocals
Sam Enthoven: Sounds, mixing
Stephan Barrett: Sounds

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about

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wordbird London, UK

Laura Sampson is a storyteller and writer from London, UK, inspired by world myth and folklore.

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