Yamamba. . .
The Yamamba look like harmless old women, but are actually terrifying mountain yokai that consume human flesh. One of their oldest legends is from the Konjaku Monogatari:
Once upon a time, a Buddhist priest was caught out in a storm but luckily passed by a lonely hut. A kind old woman invited him inside, welcoming him with food and a warm fire. As welcoming as she was, she gave the priest a strange warning: “No matter what, do not look in the back room.”
Unable to overcome his curiosity, the priest failed to heed the old woman’s warning. As soon as she stepped out to gather more firewood, the priest peeped through a crack in the door. To his horror, he discovered the room filled with half-eaten corpses. The priest realized that the old woman was a Yamamba, luring unsuspecting travelers into her home only to shred them to pieces for her next meal. He fled from the hut as fast as he could and never looked back.
Kindness is beautiful and treasured, but also the lure and fodder of many an evil spirit. With clarity the Yamamba is always exposed.
Peace and Love, Jim
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