| In the "Ehon Hyaku Monogatari" from the Edo period, a yōkai called
"Oniguma" is introduced, which boasts the superhuman strength
and gigantic body that can easily carry a horse. According to it, it was
believed that a large old bear would later become a 'demon bear', standing
on its hind legs and walking like a human being. It is said that the 'demon
bear' comes down to the village late at night and drags out the cows and
horses to eat it. Its strength is many times that of a human, and it is
said that it was once witnessed to throw down a rock with a width (about
1.8 to 2 meters). Even in Hokkaido, brown bears that attack people are
called demon bears by another name, and the Ainu people worship bears that
are much larger and stronger than humans as ``kimun kamuy (mountain gods),''
which they fear to harm humans. It is said that they were afraid of bears,
calling them ``Nuprikesunpriwenkul'' (villains at the foot of the mountain). |
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