SHODO SHONIN

[Japanese] A famous Japanese saint, founder of the temple at Nikko. One day while walking a mountain path, Shodo noticed that his way was blocked by a raging river. He prayed for a bridge and suddenly a giant appeared, dressed in blue robes with a garland of skulls around his neck. 'Here is your bridge,' the god roared, and threw two snakes, one blue and one green, across the river. The saint, unafraid, walked along the snakes' back across the river. The moment he set foot on the other side, the god and the snakes disappeared.