answered and said:—‘‘ From the beginning my heart has no been, black. But as in obedience to the stern behest of our parents, I am about to proceed for ever to the Nether Land, how could I bear to depart without having seen face to face thee my elder sister? It is for this reason that I have traversed on foot the:clouds and mists and have come hither from afar. I am surprised that my elder sister should, on the contrary, put on so stern a countenance.”
Then Ama-terasu no Oho-kami again asked him, saying:— ‘If this be so, how wilt thou make evident the redness of thy heart?”?? He answered and said:—‘ Let us, I pray thee, make an oath together. While bound by this oath, we shall surely produce children. If the children which I produce are females, then it may be taken that I have an impure heart. But if the ees are males, then it must be considered that my heart is pure.”
Upon this Ama-terasu no Oho-kami asked for oe no wo no Mikoto’s ten-span sword, which she broke into three pieces, and rinsed in the true-well of Heaven. Then chewing them with a crunching noise, she blew them away, and from the true-mist of her breath Gods were born.” The first was named Ta-gori-bime, the next Tagi-tsu-bime, and the next Ichiki- shima-bime,® three daughters in all.
After this Sosa no wo no Mikoto begged from Ama-terasu no Oho-kami the august string of 500 Yasaka jewels which was entwined in her hair and round her wrists, and rinsed it in the true-well of Heaven. Then chewing it with a crunching noise, he blew it away, and from the true-mist of his breath there were Gods produced. The first was called Masa-ya-a-katsu- 1 i.e. snow of as little consistence as foam. 2 i.e. The purity of thine intentions. 2 3 The first two of these three names are of doubtful meaning. The third is the name of a sacred island in the Inland eed near Hiroshima, Reve known as Miya-jima. Cf. Ch. K., p. 48.: a “ Dp 2 1G Si Ee Re 25 36 ') - NrHonci.
kachi-hayabi-ama no oshi-ho-mimi no Mikoto,’ and the next Ama no ho-hi no Mikoto.?. This is the ancestor of the Idzumo no Omi, and of the Hashi no Muraji® The next was Ama-tsu hiko-ne no Mikoto.t He was the ancestor of the Ohoshi- kafuchi no Atahe, and of the Yamashiro no Atahe.’ The next was Iku-tsu-hiko-ne no Mikoto,® and the next Kumano no kusu-bi? no Mikoto—in all five males.* Then Ama-terasu no Oho-kami said:—‘‘ Their seed was in the beginning the august necklace of 500 Yasaka jewels which belonged to me. Therefore these five male Deities are all my children.” So she took these children and brought them up. Moreover she said:—‘‘ The ten-span sword belonged to thee, Sosa no wo no Mikoto. Therefore these three female Deities are all thy children.” So she delivered them to Sosa no wo no Mikoto. These are the deities which are worshipped by the Munagata no Kimi of Tsukushi.
In one writing it is said:—‘*t The Sun-Goddess, aware from the beginning of the fierce and relentless purpose of Sosa no wo no Mikoto, said (to herself) when he ascended: ‘The coming of my younger brother is not for a good object. He surely means to rob me of my Plain of Heaven.’ So she made manly warlike preparation, girding upon her a ten-span sword, a nine-span sword, and an eight-span ‘sword. Moreover, on her back she slung a quiver, and on her fore-arm drew a dread loud-sounding elbow-pad. In - ‘Tyuly-I-conquer-conquer-swiftness - heaven- of-great-great-august-person. Cf. Ch. K., p. 48. I take mimi to be composed of mi the honorific, and mi, body, person, which is also the termination of abstract nouns, as fukami, depth, and in this meaning frequently becomes 4, as in several names of * Deities.
2 Heaven-great-sun?
2 Heaven-great-sun?
3 Idzumo no Omi. Omiis a title of rank, probably derived from 0, for oho, great, and mi, person. The Chinese character w ith which it is written means minister or-vassal.. Hashi no Muraji. Muraji is explained above, p. 27. Hashi, which is also read Hanishi, Hase, or Haji, means clay-worker. For the origin of this title see below, reign of Suinin, 32nd year.
4 Heaven prince—honorific particle.
5 Atahe is a title of nobility, like Omi, Muraji, etc., but lower.
8 These five, with the three female children mentioned above, are now worshipped under the name of Hachi-6-ji, or the Eight Princes.
Tue AGE oF THE GODS. 37 her hand she took a bow and arrow, and going forth to meet him in person, stood on her defence. Then Sosa no wo no Mikoto declared to her, saying:—‘ From the be- ginning I have had no evil intentions. All that I wished was to see thee, my elder sister, face to face. It is only for a brief space that I have come.’ Thereupon the Sun- Goddess, standing opposite to Sosa no wo no Mikoto, swore an oath, saying:—‘If thy heart is pure, and thou hast no purpose of relentless robbery, the children born to thee will surely be males.’ When she had finished speak- ing, she ate first the ten-span sword which she had girded on, and produced a child which was called Oki-tsu-shima- bime.’ Moreover she ate the nine-span sword, and pro- duced a child which was called Tagi-tsu-hime. Moreover she ate the eight-span sword, and produced a child which was called Tagori-hime—in all three female Deities. After this Sosa no wo no Mikoto took the august five-hundred string of jewels which hung upon his neck, and having rinsed them in the Nuna? well of Heaven, another name for which is the true-well of Isa, and ate them. So he produced a child, which.was called Masa-ya-a-katsu-kachi- haya-bi-ame no oshi-ho-ne no Mikoto. Next he produced Ama-tsu-hiko-ne no Mikoto, next Iku-tsu-hiko-ne no Mikoto, next Ama no ho-hi no Mikoto, and next Kumano ~no oshi homi no Mikoto—in all five male Deities. There- fore as Sosa no wo no Mikoto had thus acquired proof of his victory, the Sun-Goddess learnt exactly that his inten- tions were wholly free from guilt. The three female Deities which the Sun-Goddess had produced were accord- ingly sent down to the Land of Tsukushi. She therefore instructed them, saying:—‘ Do ye, three Deities, go down and dwell in the centre of the province, where you will assist the descendants of Heaven,? and receive worship from them.’”’ In one writing it is said:—‘‘ When Sosa no wo no Mikoto was about to ascend to Heaven, there was a Deity whose name was Ha-akaru-tama.* This Deity came to } Lady of the island of the offing. * Nuna-wi,—perhaps for mana-wi, i.e. true well. * i.e, the Emperors. 4 Feather-bright-gem.
38 ‘ NIHONGI..
meet him and presented to him beautiful maga-tama’ of Yasaka jewels. So Sosa no wo no Mikoto took these gems and went up to Heaven. At this time Ama-terasu Magatama.
Magatama.
_ no Oho-kami, suspecting that the intentions of her younger brother were evil, prepared war and questioned him. Sosa -no wo no Mikoto answered and said:—‘ Truly the sole reason of my coming is that I wished to see my elder sister face to face, and moreover to present to her these - beautiful curved jewels of Yasaka-gem. I dare not have any other purpose.’ Then Ama-terasu no Oho-kami asked him again, saying:—‘ Wherewithal wilt thou prove to me whether thy words are true or false?’ He answered and said:—‘ Let thee and me bind ourselves by an oath. If while we are bound by this oath, the children produced are females, my heart is to be accounted black, but if they are males, itis to be thought red.’_ So they dug. three true- wells of Heaven and stood opposite to one another. Then Ama-terasu no Oho-kami spoke to Sosa no wo no Mikoto and said:—‘ I am now about to give thee the sword which is in my girdle; do thou give me‘ the curved jewels of Yasaka gem which thou hast.’ Having thus covenanted they made a mutual exchange. Then Ama-téerasu no ~ Oho-kami took the curved jewels of Yasaka gem, and having made them float on the true-well of Heaven, bit off the heads of the jewels and blew them away. The _ Deity which was produced from amidst her breath was - called Ichiki-shima-hime no Mikoto. This is the Goddess who dwells in Oki-tsu miya. Again, a Deity was produced 1 Maga-tama, curved jewels, are the comma-shaped gems of cornelian or other stones frequently seen in museums in Japan.
Tue AGE OF THE GoDs. 39 from amidst her breath when she bit through and blew away the middle parts of the jewels. This Deity was called Ta-gori-hime no Mikoto. It is she who dwells in Naka-tsu:miya. Again a Deity was produced from amidst her breath when she bit through and blew away the tails of the jewels. This Deity was called Tagi-tsu-hime no Mikoto. It is she who dwells in He-tsu miya.’ In all there were three female Deities: 7 Upon this Sosa no wo no Mikoto, taking the sword which he held, and having made it to float on the surface of the True-Well of Heaven, bit off the end of the sword and blew it away. The Deities which were produced from amidst his breath were called Ama no ho-hi no Mikoto, next Masa-ya-a katsu-katsu-no-haya-hi-ama-no oshi-ho-ne- no Mikoto, next Ama-tsu hiko-ne no Mikoto, next Iku- tsu hiko-ne no Mikoto, and next Kumano no kusu-hi no Mikoto. In/‘all there were five male Deities. Such is the story.” Ly ees In one writing it is said:—‘‘ The Sun-Goddess. stood opposite to Sosa no wo no Mikoto, separated from him by the Tranquil River of Heaven,’ and established a covenant with him, saying, ‘ If thou hast not a traitorous heart, the children which thou wilt produce will surely be males, and if they are males, I will consider them my children, and |; * will cause them to govern the Plain of Heaven.’ Hereupon the Sun-Goddess first ate her ten-span sword, which became converted into a child, the Goddess Oki-tsu-shima hime no. Mikoto, also called Ichiki-shima hime no Mikoto. Next she ate her nine-span sword, which became converted into a child, the Goddess Tagi-tsu hime no Mikoto. Again she ate her eight-span sword, which became converted into.a child, the Goddess Ta-giri hime no Mikoto. Upon this, Sosa no wo no Mikoto took in his mouth the string of 500 jewels which was entwined in the left knot of his hair, and placed it on the palm of his left hand, whereupon it became converted into a male child. He then said:—‘ Truly 1 Oki-tsu miya means the “shrine of the offing;” Naka-tsu miya, the “middle shrine;” He-tsu miya, the “shrine of the shore.” —Ichiki-shima is the same as [tsuku shima, the sacred island near Hiroshima in the Inland Sea.
2 The Milky Way.
40 Jie! 5 NEOnGEr I have won.’ And the child was therefore called Katsu no haya-hi ama no oshi-ho-mimi no Mikoto. After that he took in his mouth the jewels of the right knot of his hair, and placed them on the palm of his right hand, when they became changed and produced the God Ama no ho-hi no Mikoto. After that he took in his mouth the jewels which hung round his neck and laid them on his left fore-arm, when they became changed and produced the God Ama- tsu hiko-ne no Mikoto. Moreover, from his right fore-arm there was produced the God Iku-tsu hiko-ne no Mikoto. Again from his left foot was produced the God Hi no _haya-hi no Mikoto. Again from his right leg was produced Kumano no oshi-homi-no Mikoto, also called Kumano no oshi-sumi no Mikoto. The children produced by Sosa no wo no Mikoto were all male children. Therefore the Sun- Goddess knew exactly that Sosa no wo no Mikoto’s inten- tions had been from the first honest. So these six male children were taken and made the children of the Sun- Goddess, and were caused to govern the Plain of Heaven. The three female Deities born of the Sun-Goddess were made to descend and dwell at Usa-shima in the Reed-plain Central Land.’ They are now in the middle of the Northern Sea province, and are styled the Michi-nushi no Muchi.* These are the Deities which are worshipped by the Kimi of Minuma in Tsukushi.”
After this Sosa no wo no Mikoto’s behaviour was exceedingly rude. In what way? Ama-terasu no Oho-kami had made august rice-fields of Heavenly narrow rice-fields and Heavenly long rice-fields.) Then Sosa no wo no Mikoto, when the seed was sown in spring, broke down the divisions between the plots of rice, and in autumn let loose the Heavenly piebald colts,* and made them lie down in the midst of the rice-fields. Again, when he saw that Ama-terasu no Oho-kami was about to celebrate the feast of first-fruits, he secretly voided excrement t Ashihara no Naka tsu kuni, i.e. Japan. The phrase Central Land is suspiciously like Chinese.
* Province-master—honoured ones or possessors.
3 Indian myth has a piebald or spotted deer or cow among celestial objects. The idea is probably suggested by the appearance of the stars. It is doubt- ful whether colt should be singular or plural.
Tue AGE oF THE Gops. AI in the New! Palace. Moreover, when he saw that Ama-terasu no Oho-kami was in her sacred’ weaving hall, engaged in weaving the garments of the Gods, he flayed a piebald colt of Heaven, and breaking a hole in the roof-tiles of the hall, flung itin. Then Ama-terasu no Oho-kami started with alarm, and wounded herself with the shuttle. Indignant at this, she straightway entered the Rock-cave of Heaven, and having fastened the Rock-door, dwelt there in seclusion. Therefore ‘constant darkness prevailed on all sides, and the alternation of night and day was unknown.’
* For the sake of greater purity in celebrating the festival.
® The Chinese character here translated sacred is #F, the primary meaning of which is abstinence, fasting. In the ‘ Nihongi,” however, it represents the Japanese word ihahi (pronounced iwai). According to Hirata this contains the same root as imi, avoidance, especially religious avoidance of impurity, and had originally the same meaning. The yu of yu-niha, or sacred plot of ground where rice for the festival of first-fruits was grown, is the same root. But asa strict observance of conditions of cere- monial purity was a chief feature of the Shinto services, this word came to ‘be put for religious rites generally, and the Chinese character is even used, if we may believe the interlinear gloss which renders it by ogami, for Buddhist celebrations. The usual modern meaning of ihahi is blessing, well-wishing, congratulation, where we have got a long way from the original sense of tabu, avoidance.
Ritual purity is of the very essence of Shinto. It applies to food, clothing, and language. There was in later times a special set of terms for certain Buddhist objects and ideas. It was probably to avoid contamination to the ordinary dwelling that special huts were erected for the consummation of marriage, and for childbirth. Death contaminated a house, and therefore a new one had to be erected on the decease of the owner, a practice which was long continued in the case of Imperial Palaces.
* Ama-terasu no Oho-kami is throughout the greater part of this narrative an anthropomorphic Deity, with little that is specially characteristic of her solar functions. Here, however, it is plainly the sun itself which withholds its light and leaves the world to darkness. This inconsistency, which has greatly exercised the native theologians (see Satow’s “Revival of Pure Shinto,” p. 50, reprint), is not peculiar to Japanese myth. Muir, in the introduction to Vol. V. of his “Sanskrit Texts,” says:—‘ The same visible object was at different times regarded diversely as being either a portion of the inanimate universe, or an animated being and a cosmical power. Thus in the Vedic hymns, the sun, the sky, and the earth are severally considered, sometimes as natural objects governed by particular gods, and sometimes as themselves gods who generate and control other beings.” But this difficulty is inherent in all mythologies.
42 NIHONGI.
Then the eighty myriads of Gods met on the bank of the Tranquil River of Heaven, and considered in what manner they | should supplicate her. Accordingly Omohi-kane’ no Kami, with profound device and far-reaching thought, at length gathered long-singing birds? of the Eternal Land and made them utter their prolonged cry to one another. Moreover he made Ta-jikara-wo* no Kami to stand beside the Rock-door. Then Ame no Koyane‘ no Mikoto, ancestor of the Nakatomi no Muraji,® and Futo-dama no Mikoto,® ancestor of the Imibe ’ * The cock is meant. 3 Hand-strength-male.
4 Ko-yane is written with two characters which mean child and roof. Hirata (“ Koshiden,” Vol. XIII., p. 1) identifies this Deity with Omohi-kane no Mikoto, and endeavours to show that ko is for kokoro, heart. Ya, he thinks, is many, and ne a honorific. See also Ch. K., p. 56. I agree with Ch, that the meaning is obscure.
’ Hirata and Motowori. have written many pages on the hams of Nakatomi. The former takes it to be for Naka-tori-mochi, which would give the meaning mediator, these officials being regarded as go-betweens for the Kimi, or sovereign, in his intercourse with the Kami. Perhaps it is safest to follow the Chinese characters which mean “ middle-minister,” in Japanese Naka-tsu-omi, tsu being a genitive particle. The Nakatomi would then be the ministers of middle rank, as opposed to Prime Ministers on the one hand, and underlings on the other. In historical times their duties were of a priestly character. Worship and government were closely associated in ancient times in more countries than Japan. Matsurigoto, government, is derived from matsuri, worship. It was they who recited the Harahi or purification rituals..
7 Imi-be or imbe is derived from imi, root of imu, to avoid, to shun, to practise religious abstinence, and Jée, a hereditary corporation. The original function of the Imibe will be understood from thé follow- ‘ing extract from’ a Chinese book written not long after the Christian Epoch:—“ They (i.e. the Japanese) appoint a man whom they call an ‘abstainer.’ He is not allowed to comb his hair, to wash, to. eat meat, or to approach women. When they are fortunate they make him presents, but if they fall ill, or meet with disaster, they set it down to the “abstainer’s’ failure to keep his vows, and together they put him to death.” Compare with this the following paragraph from a recent American newspaper.: . “An UNLUCKY MEDICINE MAN.
Big Bob was a prominent member of the tribe, and claimed to be a “tenanimous ” man, which, translated from the Chinook, means an Indian doctor. By Indian superstition a ‘‘ tenanimous” man ‘is held responsible if THe AGE OF THE Gops. 4:3 no Obito, dug up a five-hundred branched True Sakaki! tree of the Heavenly Mt. Kagu.?. On its upper branches they hung an august five-hundred string of Yasaka jewels. On the middle branches they hung an eight-hand * mirror.
any general calamity befalls the tribe. Things had not been going well with the Swinomish Indians for some time. There was much sickness among them, and Big Bob was regarded as responsible for it. So at a meeting of the tribe four Indians were appointed to execute him. The day upon which the murder took place Big Bob was waylaid by four assassins, who seized him, held him, and cut his throat from ear to ear. The red men were arrested and bound over for murder by the Justice of the Peace of Laconner.”
In the “ Nihongi” times the Imibe occupied a subordinate position in performing the ceremonies of Shinto, and at a still later period this term became a mere surname. Vde Satow, “Ancient Rituals,” in oe ies Vol. Vibe Pt. bE. pe 120) The Be, or erenany corporations, were a peeulen institution af Old Japan. This term-has been rather inadequately rendered by clan, tribe, or guild. But they differed from clans, as it was not even supposed that there was any tie of blood-relationship between the various classes of members. And if we call them guilds we lose sight of their hereditary character, and of the fact that they were essentially branches of the Government. Perhaps if we imagine the staff of one of our dockyards in which the director and officials should be drawn from the governing class, the artisans being serfs, and the whole having a more or less hereditary character, we:shall have a tolerable idea of a Be. ~The origin of some, as of the Imibe, is lost in antiquity, but many were instituted in historical times, and for all manner of objects. There were. Be of weavers.(Oribe), of figured- stuff weavers (Ayabe), of executioners (Osakabe), of fishers (Amabe), of farmers (Tanabe), of clay- workers (Hasebe or Hashibe), and many more. The sole function of some was to perpetuate the name of a childless Emperor or Empress. ‘The local habitation of these corporations was also called Be, just as our word admiralty may mean either a body of officials or the building where they discharge their duties. This accounts for the frequency with which this termination occurs in names of places. A familiar example is Kobe, the open port in the Inland Sea. Kobe is for Kami-be, and meant originally the group of peasants allotted to the service of a Deity (of Ikuta?), and hence the village where they lived. A good number of Japanese surnames contain the same termination.
O-bito is a title of nobility, perhaps for Oho-bito, great man. It is represented by a Chinese character which means head or chief.
* The Sakaki or Cleyera Japonica, is the sacred tree of the Shinto religion.. It is used in Shinto religious ceremonies at the present day.
* Mt. Kagu is the name of a mountain in Yamato. It is here supposed to have a counterpart in Heaven.
.3 In Japanese yata-kagami, which is literally G ephity hand mirror.” The 1 eiey 44 ir’ NOME: One writing says Ma-futsu no Kagami. On its lower branches they hung blue soft offerings and white soft offerings.’ Then they recited their liturgy together. Moreover Ama no Uzume? no Mikoto, -ancestress of the Sarume* no Kimi, took in her hand a spear wreathed with Eulalia grass, and standing before the door of the Rock-cave of Heaven, skilfully performed a mimic dance.‘ She took, moreover, the true Sakaki tree of the Heavenly Mount Kagu, and made of it a head-dress, she took club-moss and made of it braces,’ she kindled fires,’ she placed a tub bottom upwards,’ and gave forth a divinely-inspired utterance.* word ta (for te, hand) may here be a measure of length, an explanation which is favoured by the Chinese character used for it in the “Nihongi.” The hand is a hand’s length, not a hand’s breadth, as with us. The yata-kagami would therefore be “a mirror of large size.”
There are ancient mirrors in Japan with a number of suzu or bells project- ing round them, or of an octagonal shape, and I am disposed to think that the epithet yata has reference to this peculiarity, the corners or projections being taken for handles. Compare the analogous word Yatagarasu (Index).
It is said to be this mirror which is worshipped at Ise as an emblem of the Sun-Goddess. See Satow’s “ Handbook,” second edit., p. 176.
* The blue were of hempen cloth, and the white of the paper-mulberry cloth. By blue probably the colour of undyed hempen stuff is meant. The Japanese word awo, blue, is used very loosely. Some take soft in the metaphorical sense of “ propitiatory.” These offerings are the originals of the Gohei, or strips of paper wreathed round a wand, which are now seen set up in every Shinto shrine.
? Terrible female of Heaven. 3 Monkey-female.
4 This is said to be the origin of the Kagura or pantomimic dance now performed at Shinto festivals.
> The braces or shoulder straps were to support a tray for carrying things, and so assist the arms. The Japanese word is tasuki, which means assistance..
6 A prototype of the nihabi (courtyard fires) of later Shinto worship.
7 The “ Nihongi” strangely omits to say that, as we learn from the “ Kojiki,” she danced on this and made it give outa sound. | 8 In Hirata’s version of the ancient mythical narrative, he introduces here an incantation said in the “ Kiujiki” to have been taught by the Sun-Goddess to Ninigi no Mikoto, but stated in the ‘‘ Ko-go-jiui” to have come down originally from Uzume no Mikoto. It consists of the syllables Hito-futa- mi-yo-itsu-mu-nana-ya-kokono-tari, which Hirata has tried hard to extract some meaning out of. Hito, he says, is man, futa, the lid, i.e. the door of the rock-cave, miyo is the imperative of miru, to see, this phrase meaning “Took! ye Gods at the door!” and so on. That these words are now Tue AGE OF THE Gops, 45 Now Ama-terasu no Oho-kami heard this, and said:—‘‘ Since I have shut myself up in the Rock-cave, there ought surely to be continual night in the Central Land of fertile reed-plains. How then can Ama no Uzume no Mikoto be so jolly?” So with her august hand, she opened for a narrow space the Rock- door and peeped out. Then Ta-jikara-wo no Kami forthwith took Ama-terasu no Oho-kami by the hand, and led her out. Upon this the Gods Nakatomi no Kami and Imibe no Kami' at once drew a limit by means of a bottom-tied rope? (also called a left-hand rope) and begged her not to return again (into the cave).
After this all the Gods put the blame on Sosa no wo no Mikoto, and imposed on him a fine of one thousand tables,’ and so at length chastised him. They also had his hair plucked out, and made him therewith expiate his guilt.
Another version. is:—They made him expiate it by plucking out the nails of his hands and feet.
When this was done, they at last banished him downwards.
In one writing it is said:—‘*‘ After this Waka-hiru-me‘ no Mikoto was in the sacred weaving-hall, weaving the garments of the Deities. Sosa no wo no Mikoto saw this, -and_ forthwith flaying a piebald colt with a backward flaying, flung it into the interior of the hall. Then Waka- hiru-me no Mikoto was startled, and fell down from the loom, wounding herself with the shuttle which she held in her hand, and divinely departed.’ Therefore Ama-terasu no Oho-kami spoke to Sosa no wo no Mikoto and said:— ‘Thou hast still evilintentions.* I do not wish to see thee face to face.’ So she entered the Rock-cave of Heaven and simply the numerals from one to ten cannot be denied, but this, he ar gues, is a later application. The “ Kojiki” gives other aeeaile of the conduct of this Goddess which the “ Nihongi” draws a veil over, * These Gods’ names were properly Koyane no Mikoto and Futo-dama no Mikoto (see above), but here the names of their human descendants are substituted.
® Shiri-kume-naha, now called shime-naha, a rope made of straw of ‘rice which has been pulled up by the roots. See Ch. K. » P- 59.
* By tables are meant tables of offerings, as in the iiasebadiodd * Young-Sun-female, a younger sister of the Sun-Goddess.: 5 1.¢, died. § Lit. a black heart.
i peiler 46 NIHONGI, shut the Rock-door. Hereupon all under Heaven was in continual darkness, and there was no difference of day and night. Therefore the eighty myriads of Gods met in the High-market-place of Heaven and made inquiry. Now there was Omohi-kane no Kami, son of Taka-mi-musubi no Mikoto, who had a talent for’ devising plans. He accordingly considered the matter, and spoke, saying, ‘ Let there be made an image of this Goddess, and let prayer Ture AGE oF THE Gops. 47.
be addressed to it.’ They therefore proceeded to appoint Ishi-kori-dome’ as artisan, who, taking copper of the. Mt. Kagu of Heaven, made therefrom.a Sun-spear. Moreover, he stripped off in one piece the hide of a true stag, and made of it Heavenly bellows. The Goddess which he fashioned by this means is the Goddess Hi no mahe no Kami, who dwells in the province of Kii.”
In one writing it is said:—‘‘ The august Sun Goddess took an enclosed rice-field and made it her Imperial rice- field. Now Sosa no wo no Mikoto, in spring, filled up the channels and broke down the divisions, and in autumn, when the grain was formed, he forthwith stretched round them division ropes.’ Again when the Sun-Goddess was in her Weaving-Hall, he flayed alive a piebald colt and flung it into the Hall. In all these various matters his conduct was rude in the highest degree. Nevertheless, the Sun- Goddess, out of her friendship for him, was not indignant or resentful, but took everything calmly and with forbearance.
When the time came for the Sun-Goddess to celebrate the feast of first-fruits, Sosa no wo no Mikoto secretly voided excrement under her august seat in the New Palace. The Sun-Goddess, not knowing this, went straight there and took her seat. Accordingly the Sun- - Goddess drew herself up, and was sickened. She therefore was enraged, and straightway took up her abode in the Rock-cave of Heaven, and fastened its Rock-door.
Then all the Gods were grieved at this, and forthwith caused Ama no nuka-do no Kami, the ancestor of the Be of mirror-makers, to make a mirror, Futo-dama, the ancestor of the Imibe, to make offerings,* and Toyo-tama,' the ancestor of the Be of jewel-makers, to make jewels. They also caused Yama-tsuchi* to procure eighty precious combs of the five-hundred-branched true sakaki tree, and Nu-dzuchi’ to procure eighty precious combs of the five- hundred-branched suzuki grass. When all these various ‘ The meaning is doubtful, as also whether this Deity is a God or a Goddess..
* i.e, ropes drawn along the divisions of the rice-fields in token of owner- ship. 3 See above, p. 41.
ay Saas 48 NIHONGI.
objects were collected, Ama no Koyane no Mikoto, the ancestor of the Nakatomi, recited a liturgy in honour of the Deity. Then the Sun-Goddess opened the Rock-door and came out. At this time, when the mirror was put into the Rock-cave, it struck against the door and received a slight flaw, which remains until this day. This is the great Deity worshipped at Ise. After this Sosa no wo no Mikoto was convicted, and fined in the articles required for the ceremony of purification. Hereupon these were the things abhorrent of luck of the tips of his fingers, and the things abhorrent of calamity of the tips of his toes.’ Again, of his spittle he made white soft offerings, and of his nose- mucus he made blue soft offerings, with which the purifica- tion service was performed. Finally he was banished according to the law of Divine banishment.”
In one writing it is said:—‘‘ After this the Sun-Goddess had three rice-fields, which were called the Easy’ Rice- field of Heaven, the Level Rice-field of Heaven, and the Village-join* Rice-field of Heaven. All these were good rice-fields, and never suffered even after continuous rain or drought. Now Sosa no wo no Mikoto had also three rice-fields, which were called the Pile-field of Heaven,* the River-border*® Field of Heaven, and the Mouth- Sharp® Field of Heaven. All these were barren places. In the rains, the soil was swept away, and in droughts ‘it was parched up. Therefore, Sosa no wo no Mikoto was jealous and destroyed his elder sister’s rice-fields. In spring, he knocked away the pipes and troughs, filled up the channels and broke down the divisions. He also sowed seed overagain. In autumn, he set up combs,’ and 1 No very satisfactory explanation is given by the commentators of this sentence. Hirata understands the things abhorrent of luck, etc., to be things required for the purification service.
2 Easy to cultivate, says the “‘ Shukai” editor.
3 Mura-ahase, a term of doubtful meaning. Motowori suggests that for ahase we should read yori. The meaning then would be rice-fields adjoin- ing the village. Accommodation land, as we should say.
4 Obstructed with stumps of wood. 6 Exposed to inundation. The “Shiki” explains that combs were stuck up in the rice-fields with ® Exposed to drought?
THE AGE OF THE GoDs. 49