One of the offensive acts Susanoo committed during his rampage was 'skinning backward' (逆剥, sakahagi) the Ame-no-Fuchikoma (Japanese: 天の斑駒, "Heavenly-Piebald Horse"). Regarding this, William George Aston observed, "Indian myth has a piebald or spotted deer or cow among celestial objects. The idea is probably suggested by the appearance of the stars." Nelly Naumann (1982) meanwhile interpreted the spotted horse as a lunar symbol, with Susanoo's action being equivalent to the devouring or killing of the moon. To Naumann, the act of flaying itself, because it is performed in reverse, is intended to be a magical act that caused death. Indeed, in the Kojiki when Susanoo throws the flayed horse (or its hide) to Amaterasu's weaving hall, one of the weaving maidens injures herself and dies. (In the Shoki, it is Amaterasu herself who is alarmed and injured.) Emilia Gadeleva meanwhile connects Susanoo's act of skinning and flinging the horse with ancient Korean rainmaking rituals, which involved animal sacrifice.Gadeleva (2000). p. 190-191.
One of the offensive acts Susanoo committed during his rampage was 'skinning backward' (逆剥 sakahagi) the Ame-no-Fuchikoma (Japanese 天の斑駒 "Heavenly-Piebald Horse") Regarding this William George Aston observed "Indian myth has a piebald or spotted deer or cow among celestial objects The idea is probably suggested by the appearance of the stars" Nelly Naumann (1982) meanwhile interpreted the spotted horse as a lunar symbol with Susanoo's action being equivalent to the devouring or killing of the moon To Naumann the act of flaying itself because it is performed in reverse is intended to be a magical act that caused death Indeed in the Kojiki when Susanoo throws the flayed horse (or its hide) to Amaterasu's weaving hall one of the weaving maidens injures herself and dies (In the Shoki it is Amaterasu herself who is alarmed and injured) Emilia Gadeleva meanwhile connects Susanoo's act of skinning and flinging the horse with ancient Korean rainmaking rituals which involved animal sacrificeGadeleva (2000) p 190-191