 |
 Cover of The Grass-Cutting Sword, first edition | |
| Author | Catherynne M. Valente |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Postmodern novella |
| Publisher | Prime Books |
Publication date | December 1, 2006 |
| Media type | Paperback |
| Pages | 127 pp |
| ISBN | 0-8095-6230-8 |
| 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. [1]
Yamata no Orochi, or simply Orochi (大蛇), is a legendary eight-headed and eight-tailed Japanese dragon/serpent.
Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi is a legendary Japanese sword and one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was originally called Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, but its name was later changed to the more popular Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. In folklore, the sword represents the virtue of valor.
Orochimaru (大蛇丸), featured in the Japanese folktale Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari, is the archenemy of the ninja Jiraiya. He was once named Yashagorō (夜叉五郎) and was one of Jiraiya's followers but was overtaken by serpent magic. Having changed his name to Orochimaru, he gained the ability to turn himself into a giant serpent. He poisoned Jiraiya and Tsunade the slug princess by pouring his venom on them as they slept, only for another follower to save the couple's lives afterwards. "The story, first recorded in 1806, was adapted into a mid-19th-century serialized novel and a kabuki drama, based on the first 10 installments, by Kawatake Mokuami, in 1852. In the 20th-century, the story was adapted in several films, in video games, and in a manga."
In the Dove Book and other medieval Russian books, Buyan is described as a mysterious island in the ocean with the ability to appear and disappear with the tide. Three brothers—Northern, Western, and Eastern Winds—live there, and also the Zoryas, solar goddesses who are servants or daughters of the solar god Dazhbog.
Catherynne M. Valente is an American fiction writer, poet, and literary critic. For her speculative fiction novels she has won the annual James Tiptree, Andre Norton, and Mythopoeic Fantasy awards. Her short fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld Magazine, the World Fantasy Award–winning anthologies Salon Fantastique and Paper Cities, along with numerous "Year's Best" volumes. Her critical work has appeared in the International Journal of the Humanities as well as in numerous essay collections.
Eglė the Queen of Serpents, alternatively Eglė the Queen of Grass Snakes, is a Lithuanian folk tale, first published by M. Jasewicz in 1837.
Norilana Books is an independent publishing company, founded in August 2006 and based in the United States. It is operated and owned by Vera Nazarian. Norilana publishes reprints of previously published Science Fiction and Fantasy works, including the novels of Modean Moon. More recently, Norilana has been publishing several series of original anthologies, including Clockwork Phoenix, edited by Mike Allen, Warrior Wisewoman, edited by Roby James, and Lace and Blade edited by Deborah J. Ross. The company was selected to continue the publication of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress series of short story anthologies, edited by Elisabeth Waters. Norilana Books also publishes classics of world literature under the Norilana Books Classics imprint and works of genre fiction including young adult fantasy under the YA Angst imprint. Other imprints include: Curiosities, Leda, and TaLeKa, which is dedicated to author Tanith Lee.
S. J. Tucker is an Arkansas-born North American female singer-songwriter. Originally inspired by alternative folk rock artists like Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley and Ani DiFranco, Tucker – also called "Sooj" or "Skinny White Chick" – soon branched out to assume a more diverse identity. Like The Beatles – another cited influence – Tucker prefers an eclectic approach to songcraft. Since her debut album in 2004, Tucker's work has integrated elements of electronica, filk, spoken word, world music, industrial metal, and – with the troupe Fire & Strings – fire-spinning.
Orochi is a 1925 black and white Japanese silent film with benshi accompaniment directed by Buntarō Futagawa. It is the most popular and beloved film of Tsumasaburō Bandō, featuring the star at the height of his fame.
Yume No Hon: The Book of Dreams (2005) is a novel about a woman living as a hermit in ancient Japan written by Catherynne M. Valente.
Palimpsest is a novel by Catherynne M. Valente, published in March 2009. It follows four separate characters as they discover and explore a mysterious city accessed only at night.
Totsuka-no-Tsurugi is not a specific sword, but a common noun for any sword of this length. In Japanese mythology, numerous deities own a sword of this kind. Some examples of well-known Totsuka-no-Tsurugi:
Fairyland is a series of fantasy novels by Catherynne M. Valente. The novels follow a 12-year-old girl named September as she is spirited away from her average life to Fairyland.
Warriors Orochi 3, originally released as Musō Orochi 2 in Japan, is a 2011 hack and slash video game developed by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This is the fourth installment of the crossover series Warriors Orochi, a combination of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. This installment serves as a sequel to Warriors Orochi 2. The game was released in Japan in 2011, in Europe in 2012, and in North America in 2012.
Deathless is an alternate history novel by American writer Catherynne M. Valente, combining the Russian fairy tale The Death of Koschei the Deathless with the events and aftermath of the Russian Revolution. The novel follows the life of Marya Morevna as she transforms from a young child witnessing the revolution to her newfound position as bride after her marriage with Koschei, Tsar of Life. The book is divided into six parts and is told primarily through the third person perspective of Marya Morevna, however, it does feature other characters such as Ivan Tsarevich.
The Refrigerator Monologues is a 2017 superhero fiction novel by Catherynne Valente, with art by Annie Wu, exploring the lives - and deaths - of superheroines, and of the girlfriends of superheroes; the title refers to "Women in Refrigerators", and to The Vagina Monologues. It was published by Saga Press.
Six-Gun Snow White is a 2013 fantasy novella by Catherynne M. Valente, retelling the story of Snow White in a mythical version of the Old West. It was published by Subterranean Press.
Space Opera is a 2018 science fiction novel by Catherynne Valente, about a galactic version of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was first published by Saga Press.
Heike Tsuruginomaki, also called Heike Monogatari Tsuruginomaki (平家物語剣巻) is a Japanese gunki monogatari.
"Li Ji Slays the Giant Serpent" is a Chinese tale first published in the 4th-century compilation Soushen Ji attributed to the Jin-dynasty official Gan Bao. The story concerns a young heroine named Li Ji who bravely rids her village of a terrible snake.
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