The Origin of Horses

Summary

Oryu/Oriu was walking around Japan during the Jomon period in his human disguise when he met a woman. Oryu had fallen deeply in love with the woman despite his real form and made an advance on her, she said yes and the two began dating, much to the dismay of the other great beasts still within the Northern Ocean. It was said that they had a child together, who had come out a human but under the stress, the woman reverted back into her true form...a cow. Oryu out of fear reverted back into his dragon form and was chased out with the cow and the child. The Child when on an isolated island Oryu created turned into a strong, muscular, elegant and long-snouted version of the cow...a horse. After a subsequent laughing by the other beasts, Oryu decided to keep the cow and the horse repopulated itself among the The Archipelago of Seasons and Asia, which is why it holds a great significance within the Archipeligo.

Historical Basis

No. Horses had already existed and Oryu had no lovers. He did own a cow but that was because it had interested him in a more curious sense. Oryu had tried to remove the myth from his name but it still stuck, and the other beasts laugh at him about it. It was however disputed when other areas like Europe had horses too, and had famous horse riders like the Winged Hussars.

Variations & Mutation

Some believe that Oryu did not fall in love with a cow, but with a bull instead, but that felt a bit to ridiculous and considering the belief that the horses were important and elegant, a cow made more sense because it could produce milk for the children.

Cultural Reception

This myth is widely regarded as one of the reasons horses are also important in the The Archipelago of Seasons. Being able to tame a child of a high god is incredible, and riding them was said to give them good fortune in a battle, which inspired the T'eintsa Dahazhin/Horses of Steel, a group of highly armoured but mobile horse riders.

Date of First Recording

795

Date of Setting

Unspecified, assumed to be around the Jomon Period

Related Ethnicities