Microfiction EC: Creation Myths

Both creation stories have calm waters at the beginning. 

Creation Myth: Shintoism

Izanagi and Izanami stretched their jeweled spear down from the heavens and stirred to calm ocean water. Suddenly all the islands of Japan sprang into existence. From the couple’s marriage  were born every human being and kami.  The two were very happy together, until one day when Izanami perished giving birth. Distraught, her husband Izanagi followed her to the underworld to get her back. But since she had eaten the food from the underworld, she was forbidden to return. Purifying himself before his return to heavens, Izanagi accidentally created three new kami by washing his face: Susanoo, Tsukoyomi, and Amaterasu. 

Creation Myth: Judaism

The waters were calm when God first spoke. Suddenly light, air, and earth leapt into existence. Not finished yet, God created the first man and woman - Adam and Eve. The couple was very happy together in the garden God made for them until one day when Eve was tempted by the forbidden fruit. It was the only rule God had given the couple: don't eat from the tree. But Eve couldn't help herself, and Adam ate too. They could no longer live in the garden and were cast out of paradise. However, God had not given up on them yet. 

Author's note: I was writing about the creation myth of Shintoism for my Storybook project this week, and I noticed certain similarities between it and the other creation story I am most familiar with (the water being present before creation occurs is really interesting). I wrote two 100 word stories about both so that the similarities were more apparent! 

Bibliography: "Izanagi and Izanami,"  Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).