Cover of The Grass-Cutting Sword, first edition
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Author | Catherynne M. Valente |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Genre | Postmodern novella |
Publisher | Prime Books |
Publication date
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December 1, 2006 |
Media type | Paperback |
Pages | 127 pp |
ISBN | |
OCLC | 71827154 |
The Grass-Cutting Sword is a novella by Catherynne M. Valente. It was published by Prime Books in 2006.
The tale is a postmodern interpretation of the Japanese folk-tale of Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi ("Heaven's Cloud-Gathering Sword"), which is taken from the collection of folk-lore in the Kojiki. The action shifts between the journey of the storm-god Susanoo who has been banished to earth in human form by his sister, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, as he attempts to slay the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi. Valente also portrays the serpent's side of the story with a twist; the tale told by Orochi is intercut or added to by the seven maidens who have been sacrificed to the monster.