''Yofune-nushi'' is a Japanese

sea monster Sea monsters are beings from folklore believed to dwell in the sea and often imagined to be of immense size. Marine monsters can take many forms, including sea dragons, sea serpents, or tentacled beasts. They can be slimy and scaly and are ofte ...

. The story of the Yofune-nushi was recorded by Richard Gordon Smith in the book ''Ancient Tales and Folk-Lore of Japan'', published in 1918. In the story, Yofune-nushi is a

monster A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...

, living in the sea near the coast of one of the Oki Islands. It demanded a tribute of a virgin once a year. A brave girl, called

Tokoyo Tokoyo or O-Tokoyo is the female protagonist of a supposed Japanese folk story found in Richard Gordon Smith's 1918 book ''Ancient Tales and Folk-Lore of Japan''. Set in the Oki Islands located in the Sea of Japan, the story portrays Tokoyo as ...

, dives into the sea instead of the girl intended as an offering and defeats the unsuspecting monster. She also finds a cursed wooden idol that was causing a nobleman grief, thereby lifting the curse.

Authenticity of the story

The Yofune-nushi and his requests for virgins, the slaying of the monster in its lair, and the recovery of a treasure are reminiscent of European dragons or

Beowulf ''Beowulf'' (; ang, Bēowulf ) is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. The ...

more than any Japanese counterpart. There seem to be no Japanese sources confirming the story, and Richard Gordon Smith himself points out in the preface of the story that he did not verify it and does not vouch for its authenticity.

References

A Story of Oki Islands
– the full text of the story Japanese legendary creatures Japanese folklore Mythological aquatic creatures Sea monsters Japanese dragons {{character-stub