Zylla

First Published: February 1988 by Fantagraphics Books

• Miyamoto Usagi
• FIXME char-zylla
• Murakami Gennosuke

A woodcutter and his wife stumble upon an egg, half- buried in the ground. The egg is larger than any egg they had thought possible, nonetheless they decide to take it to the nearby hot springs to boil it.

Not far away, Usagi enjoys a meal at an inn, paying for it with the reward money he and Gen earned during their last meeting. Looking on are a group of men who seem very interested in his purse. The innkeeper, seeing Usagi suffering from a sore back suggests he take the time to soak in the hot springs nearby. He takes him up on the offer, but is followed at a distance by the men who were watching him earlier.

Back at the springs, the woodcutter and his wife retrieve the egg and begin to crack it open. All goes well until they notice that the egg is actually opening itself. Seeing something living emerge, the two take to their heels and flee.

Usagi passes two fleeing woodcutters on his way to the springs. Upon arriving there, he notices something in the underbrush. A tokage? - it says 'Zylla' several times then munches on the riceball that Usagi lobs toward it. Usagi then undresses and slides into the water.

Not long there, Usagi's relaxation is interrupted by voices behind him. Some men have come to relieve him of his coin purse. Usagi is unable to reach his weapons and one of the men attacks him. Usagi drags him into the water, killing him with his own blade. At that moment more noise from the underbrush is heard by the would-be robbers and they demand that whoever is there show themself.

Zylla emerges from the bushes, astounding all who see him. The robbers describe him alternately as a strange tokage or a giant frog. They decide to ignore Zylla and attack Usagi. A jet of flame makes them think again (or rather it would wouldn't they have burned to a crisp in an instant). The flame emanated from the mouth of Zylla, Usagi suspect that the strange being is a god. Zylla seems more interested with Usagi's last rice ball. Usagi is quite happy to let Zylla have it and journeys on, wondering if the two shall meet again.

Last change: 19. May 2003

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Usagi Yojimbo, including all prominent characters featured in the stories and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Stan Sakai and Usagi Studios. Usagi Yojimbo is a registered trademark of Stan Sakai. Names, characters, places, and incidents featured in this publication either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), events, institutions, or locales, without satiric content, is coincidental.