Our motorboat skimmed over the smooth water of the Seto Inland Sea. We were on our way to the mainland and I was attempting to apply last-minute beauty aids — nail polish to my fingers and toes. That's 20 appendages and, on a motorboat occasionally met by waves from passing cargo ships, that means 20 distinct possibilities for a nail polish disaster. But I was determined; I had a speech to give that day. I didn't want to look like I had just been swept in from the sea.
As we passed Benten Island, I caught a glimpse of the Goddess of the Sea laughing at me. Benten lives on her own island and sports long, flowing locks of hair and eight arms which hold an bow, arrow, sword, ax, spear, pestle, iron wheel and a silk rope. Do you realize that's 40 fingernails to paint? Well, I suppose she has to do something all day on that island. And at this point, I envied her.
It did make me wonder though, how does Benten do it? How does the Goddess of the Sea manage to maintain her beauty despite the hardships of sea life?