Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Fish, Yokai, Mackerel
The Myth
Among the sayings of the townspeople there was one about mackerel: that it rots while still alive. From this saying arose the strange creature known as Saba-i-gusa.
Saba-i-gusa has the head of a fish, the body of a man, and three legs. Thanks to these three legs, it is said to be a fast runner. One illustration shows it sprinting down the road, sweat pouring from its body, muttering to itself as it runs toward Osaka.
It complains bitterly of its fate. People praised it for being quick, urging it to hurry without rest, so it has been running day and night on all three legs. In its haste, its insides have turned inside out and begun to rot, even though it is still alive. Exhausted and foul-smelling, it worries that no one will hire it if they see its condition, yet it forces itself onward, trying to look lively and useful.
Despite its speed, Saba-i-gusa never reaches its destination in good condition. Its body decays as it runs, proving the truth of the saying that mackerel spoil even before their journey is done.
Thus Saba-i-gusa became a living joke: a creature born from words, embodying haste, overwork, and the misfortune of being praised for speed when speed itself leads to ruin.
Gallery
Sources
TYZ-Yokai Blog contributors. (n.d.). サバイグサ (Saba-i-gusa). In TYZ-Yokai Blog, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1071801435.html
Interpretive Lenses
Religious Readings
- Christian Ascetic Deep Dive
Philosophical Readings
- Nietzschean Deep Dive
Psychological Readings
- Jungian Deep Dive
Esoteric Deep Dive
- Hermetic Deep Dive
Political / Social Readings
- Marxist Deep Dive
Other
- How to Invite The Saba-i-gusa