[ p. 63 ]
¶ SECT. XVI.—THE DOOR OF THE HEAVENLY ROCK-DWELLING.
So thereupon the Heaven-Shining-Great-August-Deity, terrified at the sight, closed [behind her] the door of the Heavenly Rock-Dwelling, [^380] made it fast, [^381] and retired. Then the whole Plain of High Heaven was obscured and all the Central Land of Reed-Plains darkened. Owing to this, eternal [^382] night prevailed. Hereupon the voices of the myriad [1] Deities were like unto the flies in the fifth moon as they swarmed, and a myriad portents of woe all arose. Therefore did the eight hundred myriad [2] Deities assemble in a divine assembly in the bed [3] of the Tranquil River of Heaven, and bid the Deity Thought-Includer, [4] child of the High-August-Producing-Wondrous-Deity think of a plan, assembling the long-singing birds of eternal night [5] and making them sing, taking the hard rocks of Heaven from the river-bed of the Tranquil River of Heaven, and taking the iron [6] from [55] the Heavenly Metal-Mountains, [7] calling in the smith Ama-tsu-ma-ra, [8] charging Her Augustness I-shi-ko-ri-do-me [9] [ p. 64 ] to make a mirror, and charging His Augustness jewel-Ancestor [10] to make an augustly complete [string] of curved jewels eight feet [long],—of five hundred jewels, [11]—and summoning His Augustness Heavenly-Beckoning-Ancestor-Lord [12] [56] and His Augustness Great-Jewel, [13] and causing them to pull out with a complete pulling the shoulder [-blade] of a true [14] stag from the Heavenly Mount Kagu, [15] and take cherrybark [16] from the Heavenly Mount Kagu, and perform divination, [17] and pulling up by pulling its roots a true cleyera japonica [18] with five hundred [branches] from the Heavenly Mount Kagu, and taking and putting upon its upper branches the augustly complete [string] of curved jewels eight feet [57] [long],—of five hundred jewels,—and taking and tying to the middle branches [19] the mirror eight feet [long], [20] and taking and hanging upon its lower branches the white pacificatory offerings [21] and the blue pacificatory offerings, His Augustness Grand-jewel taking these divers things and holding them together with the grand august Offerings, [22] and His Augustness Heavenly-Beckoning-Ancestor-Lord prayerfully reciting grand liturgies, [23] and the Heavenly Hand-Strength-Male-Deity [24] standing hidden beside the door, and Her Augustness Heavenly-Alarming Female [25] hanging [round her] the heavenly clubmoss of the Heavenly Mount Kagu as a sash, [26] and making the heavenly spindle-tree her head-dress, [27] and binding the [58] leaves of the bamboo-grass of the Heavenly Mount Kagu in a posy for her hands, and laying a soundingboard [28] before the door of the Heavenly Rock-Dwelling, and stamping till she made it resound and doing as if possessed by a Deity, [29] and pulling out the nipples of her breasts, pushing down her skirt-string usque ad privates [ p. 65 ] partes. [30] Then the Plain of High Heaven shook, and the eight hundred myriad Deities laughed together. Hereupon the Heaven-Shining-Great-August-Deity was amazed, and, slightly opening the door of the Heavenly Rock-Dwelling, spoke thus from the inside: “Methought that owing to my retirement the Plain of Heaven would be dark, and likewise the Central Land of Reed-Plains would all be dark: how then is it that the Heavenly-Alarming-Female makes merry, and that likewise the eight hundred myriad Deities all laugh?” Then the Heavenly-Alarming-Female spoke saying: “We rejoice and are glad because there is a Deity more illustrious than Thine Augustness.” While she was thus speaking, His Augustness Heavenly-Beckoning-Ancestor-Lord and His Augustness Grand-jewel pushed forward the mirror and respectfully showed it to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August-Deity, whereupon the Heaven-Shining-Great-August-Deity, more and more astonished, gradually came forth from the door and gazed upon it, whereupon the Heavenly-Hand-Strength-Male-Deity, who was standing hidden, took her august hand and drew her out, and then His Augustness Grand-jewel drew the bottom-tied rope [31] [59] along at her august back, and spoke, saying: “Thou must not go back further in than this!” So when the Heaven-Shining-Great-August-Deity had come forth, both the Plain of High Heaven and the Central-Land-of-Reed-Plains of course again became light. [32]
[ p. 66 ]
[ p. 67 ]
[ p. 68 ]
[ p. 69 ]
[ p. 70 ]
¶ SECT. XVII.—THE AUGUST EXPULSION OF HIS-IMPETUOUS-MALE-AUGUSTNESS.
Thereupon the eight hundred myriad Deities took counsel together, and imposed on High-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness a fine of a thousand tables, [33] and likewise cut his beard, and even caused the nails of his fingers and toes to be pulled out, and expelled him with a divine expulsion. Again he begged food of the Deity Princess-of-Great-Food. [34] Then the Princess-of-Great-Food took out all sorts of dainty things from her nose, her mouth, and her fundament, and made them up into all sorts [of dishes], which she offered to him. But His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness watched her proceedings, considered that she was offering up to him filth, and at once killed the Deity Princess-of-Great-Food. So the things that were born in the body of the Deity who had been killed were [60] [as follows]: in her head were born silkworms, in her two eyes were born rice-seeds, in her two ears was born millet, [35] in her nose were born small beans, [36] in her private parts was born barley, [37] in her fundament were born large beans. [38] So His Augustness the Deity-Producing-Wondrous-Ancestor [39] caused them to be taken and used as seeds.
[ p. 71 ]
¶ SECT. XVIII.—THE EIGHT-FORKED SERPENT.
So, having been expelled, [His-Swift-impetuous-Male-Augustness] descended to a place [called] Tori-kami [40] at the head-waters of the River Hi [41] in the Land of Idzumo. At this time some chopsticks [42] came floating down the stream. So His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, thinking that there must be people at the head-waters of the river, went up it in quest of them, when he came upon an old man and an old woman,—two of them,—who had a young girl between them, [43] and were weeping. Then he deigned to ask: “Who are ye?” So the old man replied, saying: “I [44] am an Earthly Deity, [45] child of the Deity Great-Mountain-Possessor. [46] I am called by the name of Foot-Stroking-Elder, [47] my wife is called by the [61] name of Hand-Stroking Elder, and my daughter is called by the name of Wondrous-Inada-Princess.” [48] Again he asked: What is the cause of your crying?“ [The old man answered] saying: ”I had originally eight young girls as daughters. But the eight-forked serpent of Koshi [49] has come every year and devoured [one], and it is now its time to come, wherefore we weep.“ Then he asked him: ”What is its form like?“ [The old man] answered, saying: ”Its eyes are like akakagachi, [50] it has one body with eight heads and eight tails. Moreover on [ p. 72 ] its body grows moss, and also chamaecyparis [51] and cryptomerias. Its length extends over eight valleys and eight hills, and if one look at its belly, it is all constantly [62] bloody and inflamed.“ (What is called here akakagachi is the modern hohodzuki. [52]) Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness said to the old man: ”If this be thy daughter, wilt thou offer her to me?“ He replied, saying: ”With reverence, [53] but I know not thine august name.“ Then he replied, saying: ”I am elder brother [54] to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August-Deity. So I have now descended from Heaven.“ Then the Deities Foot-Stroker-Elder and Hand-Stroking-Elder said: ”If that be so, with reverence will we offer [her to thee].“ So His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, at once taking and changing the young girl into a multitudinous and close-toothed comb which he stuck into his august hair-bunch, said to the Deities Foot-Stroking-Elder and Hand-Stroking-Elder: ”Do you distill some eight-fold refined liquor. [55] Also make a fence round about, in that fence make eight gates, at each gate tie [together] eight platforms, [56] on each platform put a liquor-vat, and into each vat pour [63] the eight-fold refined liquor, and wait." So as they waited after having thus prepared everything in accordance with his bidding, the eight-forked serpent came truly as [the old man] had said, and immediately dipped a head into each vat, and drank the liquor. Thereupon it was intoxicated with drinking, and all [the heads] lay down and slept. Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness drew the ten-grasp sabre, [57] that was augustly girded on him, and cut the serpent in pieces, so that the River Hi flowed on changed into a river of blood. So when he cut the middle tail, the edge of his august sword broke. Then, thinking it [ p. 73 ] strange, he thrust into and split [the flesh] with the point of his august sword and looked, and there was a great sword [within]. So he took this great sword, and, thinking it a strange thing, he respectfully informed the Heaven-Shining-Great-August-Deity. [58] This is the Herb-Quelling Great Sword. [59]
[ p. 74 ]
[ p. 75 ]
¶ SECT. XIX.—THE PALACE OF SUGA.
So thereupon His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness sought in the land of Idzumo for a place where he might build a palace. Then he arrived at a place [called] Suga, [60] and said: “On coming to this place my august heart is pure,” [61]—and in that place he built a palace to dwell in. So that place is now called Suga. [60:1] When this Great Deity first built [62] the palace of Suga, clouds rose up thence. Then he made an august song. [^445] That song said: [63]
“Eight clouds arise. The eight-fold fence of Idzumo makes an eight-fold fence for the spouses to retire [within]. Oh! that eight-fold fence.” [64]
[ p. 76 ]
[65] Then he called the Deity Foot-Stroking-Elder and said: “Thee do I appoint Headman [65] of my palace;” and moreover bestowed on him the name of Master-of-the-Temple-of-Inada-Eight-Eared-Deity-of-Suga. [66]
[ p. 77 ]
[ p. 78 ]
¶ SECT. XX.—THE AUGUST ANCESTORS OF THE DEITY-MASTER-OF-THE-GREAT LAND.
Quare, quum incepit in thalamo [opus procreationis] cum Mirâ-Herâ-Inadâ, procreavit Deum nomine Eight-Island Ruler. [67] And again, having wedded the Divine-Princess-of-Great-Majesty, [68] daughter of the Deity Great-Mountain-Possessor, he begot children: the Great-Harvest Deity [69] and the August-Spirit-of-Food. [70] The elder brother the Deity Eight-Island-Ruler wedded Princess-Falling-Like-the-Flowers-of-the-Trees, [71] daughter of the Deity Great-Mountain-Possessor, and begot a child: the Deity Fuha-no-moji-Ku-nu-su-nu. [72] This Deity wedded Princess Hikaha, [73] daughter of the Deity Okami, [74] and begot a child: Water-Spoilt-Blossom-of-Fuka-buchi. [75] This Deity [67] wedded the Deity Ame-no-tsudohe-chi-ne, [76] and begot a child: the Deity Great-Water-Master. [77] This Deity wedded the Deity Grand-Ears [78] daughter of the Deity Funu-dzu-nu, [79] and begot a child: the Deity Heavenly-Brandishing-Prince-Lord. [80] This Deity wedded the Young-Princess-of-the-Small-Country, [81] daughter of the Great-Deity-of-the-Small-Country, [82] and begot a child: the [ p. 79 ] Deity Master-of-the-Great-Land, [83] another name for whom is the Deity Great-Name-Possessor, [84] and another name is the Deity-of-the-Reed-Plains, [85] and another name is the Deity of Eight-Thousand-Spears, [86] and another name is the Deity-Spirit-of-the-Living-Land. [87] In all there were five names. [88]
[ p. 80 ]
¶ Footnotes
Mr. Satow’s translation is as follows:
“Many clouds arise.
The manifold fence of the forth-issuing clouds
Makes a manifold fence
For the spouses to be within.
Oh! that manifold fence.”
[ p. 77 ] In any case the meaning simply is that the multitudinous clouds rose up like a fence or screen behind which the newly-married deities might retire from public gaze, and Moribe suggests that the repetitions are an after-addition made to bring up to the usual number of thirty-one syllables what were originally but the three lines—
Tachi-idzuru kumo mo
Tsuma-gome ni
Yo-he-gahi tsukuru yo!
I.e.—
“The uprising clouds even, to shut up
the spouses, make an eight-fold fence.”
(See his discussion on this song in the “Idzu no Kotowaki Vol. I, pp. 1-3.)—The present writer has already stated in the Introduction (see p. lx) his reasons for always rendering the native word for ”eight“ (ya) by ”eight“ instead of by ”many“ or ”numerous,“ as is done by the two eminent scholars above quoted. With regard to the word Idzumo which they, in deference to the opinions of the native commentators, render by ”clouds which come forth“ or ”forth-issuing clouds“ (the Chinese characters 
with which the word is written having that signification), the present writer cannot persuade himself that such a corruption as idzumo for ide-kumo either retained at the time of the composition of the song, or should now be credited with, the signification which this its supposed etymology assigns to it. The etymology moreover is far from being established, and in this, as in many other cases, the Chinese characters used to write the name of the province of Idzumo, may well have rested on nothing more than a vague similarity of sound, and probably no European scholar would endorse the opinion of the native commentators, to whom the ”Records“ are a sacred book, that the province of Idzumo received its name from this very poem. On the other hand, we need have no difficulty in conceding that the Pillow-Word ya-kumo-tatsu, by which Idzumo is preceded in poetical compositions, did probably here originate.—This song is in the ”Chronicles“ only quoted in a note, for which reason some authorities dispute its antiquity. In the note in question, we find the reading -gome (the ”Records“ have -gomi), the Transitive form instead of the Intransitive. If this were adopted, the translation would have to run thus: . . . . . ”The eight-fold fence of Idzumo makes an eight-fold fence to shut up the spouse[s?] in;“ and probably ”spouse“ should be understood in the Feminine to mean ”wife.”
63:1 p. 65 Motowori says that the word “rock” need not here be taken literally. But it is always (and the translator thinks rightly) so understood, and the compound considered to mean a cave in the rocks, which is also the expression found in the “Chronicles” (
). ↩︎63:2 The word sasu, which is here used, implies that the goddess p. 66 made the door fast either by sticking something against it or by bolting it,—perhaps with one of the metal hooks of which mentioned is made in Sect. LXV (Note 7). ↩︎
63:3 Toko-yo, here properly written
, and a few lines lower down semi-phonetically 
. ↩︎63:4 Motowori supposes “myriad” to be a copyist’s error for “evil.” This clause is a repetition of one in Sect. XII. ↩︎
63:5 The parallel passage in the “Chronicles” has “eighty myriads.” ↩︎
63:6 The Japanese word kohara, translated “bed,” is thus defined in Dr, Hepburn’s Dictionary, 2nd Edit. s v. Kawara: “That part of the stony bed of a river which is dry except in high water.” ↩︎
63:7 Omohi-kane-no-kami, “He included in his single mind the thoughts and contrivances of many,” says Motowori. ↩︎
63:8 I.e., as is generally believed, the barndoor fowl. ↩︎
63:9 The text has the character
, “iron,” which Hirata. reads ma-gane, lit. “true metal,” the common Japanese term being kuro-gane, lit, “black metal,” Motowori prefers to read simply kane, “metal” in general, The main text of the parallel passage in the “Chronicles” omits to mention the metal of which the mirror was made; but “One account” has the character 
, “metal” in general, often in Chinese, but rarely if ever in old Japanese, with the specific sense of “gold.” The “Chronicles of Old Matters” alone, which are of very doubtful authenticity, say that the mirror was made of copper. (Copper was not discovered in Japan till the eighth century of the Christian era, a few years before the discovery of gold). The best and most obvious course is to adhere to the character in the text, which is, as above stated, “iron.” ↩︎63:10 I.e., the mines. The original expression is Ame no kana-yama. ↩︎
63:11 Ama-tsu signifies “of Heaven,” but the rest of this name is not to be explained. Motowori adopts from the “Chronicles” the reading, Ama-tsu-ma-ura, where the character used for ma signifies “true,” and that for ura signifies “sea-shore.” (It should be remarked that the forging of a spear by this personage is referred by the author of the “Chronicles,” not to the “Divine Age” but to the reign of the Emperor Sui-zei.) Motowori also proposes to supplement after the name the words “to make a spear.” Hirata identifies this god with Ama-no-ma-hito-tsu-no-mikoto, His Augustness Heavenly-One-Eye, who is however not mentioned. in the “Records.” Obvius hujus nominis sensus foret “Coelestis Penis,” sed nullius commentatoris auctoritate commendatur. ↩︎
63:12 This name is written in the “Chronicles” with characters signifying Stone-Coagulating-Old-Woman, which however seem to be as p. 67 merely phonetic as those in the present text (
). Motowori proposes the interpretation of “Again-Forging-Old-Woman” ( 
, I-shikiri-tome) which is supported by a tradition preserved in the “Gleanings of the Ancient Story,” where it is related that the mirror, not having given satisfaction at first, was forged a second time. There is a long note on the subjects of this name in Hirata’s “Exposition of the Ancient Histories,” Vol. IX, p. 56, where that author propounds the novel opinion that I-shi-ko-ri-do-me was not a goddess at all, but a god. ↩︎64:13 Tama-noya-no-mikoto. The “Chronicles” write this name with characters signifying “Jewel-House,” but such a reading seems less good. ↩︎
64:14 See Sect. XIII, Note 5. ↩︎
64:15 Ame-no-ko-ya-ne-no-mikoto, also reads Ame-no etc. and Ama tsu etc. The signification of the syllables ko-ya, rendered “beckoning ancestor” in accordance with Motowori’s view connecting the name with the share taken by the god who bore it in the legend here narrated, is obscure. Mr. Satow thinks that Koya may be the name of a place (see these “Transactions” Vol. VII, Pt. IV. p. 400). ↩︎
64:16 Futo-tama-no-mikoto. The name is here rendered in accordance with the import of the Chinese characters with which it is written. Motowori, however, emits a plausible opinion when he proposes to consider tama as an abbreviation of tamuke, “holding in the hands as an offering,” in connection with what we are told below about this deity and Ame-no-ko-ya-ne holding the symbolic offerings. ↩︎
64:17 The word “true” (ma) here and below is not much more than an Honorific. ↩︎
64:18 We might also, though less well, translate by “Mount Kagu in Heaven.” This would suit the view of Motowori, who is naturally averse to the identification of this Mount Kagu with the well-known mountain of that name in Yamato (see Sect. VII, Note 12). But of course an European scholar cannot allow of such a distinction being drawn. ↩︎
64:19 Or perhaps the bark of the common birch is intended. The word in the original is haha-ka. ↩︎
64:20 See Mr. Satow’s already quoted note in Vol. VII, Pt. II, p. 425 et seq, and more especially pp. 430-432, of these “Transactions.” ↩︎
64:21 In Japanese saka-ki. It is commonly planted in the precincts of Shintō temples. ↩︎
64:22 We might also translate in the Singular “to a middle branch,” in order to conform to the rigid distinction which our language draws between Singular and Plural. ↩︎
64:23 p. 68 A note to the edition of 1687 proposes to substitute the characters
for 
and a note in the original tells us to read them not ya-ta, but ya-ata. Hereupon Motowori founds his derivation of ya-ta, from ya-atama, “eight heads,” and supposes the mirror to have been, not eight feet in length, but octangular, while Moribe, who in the case of the jewels accepts the obvious interpretation “eight feet [long],” thinks that the mirror had “an eightfold flowery pattern” (yaha-na-gata) round its border. But both these etymologies are unsupported by the other cases in which the word ya-ta occurs, and are rendered specially untenable by the fact of the mirror and curved beads being spoken of together further on as the 
(Sect. XXXIII, Note 20). ↩︎64:24 In rendering the original word nigi-te (here written phonetically, but elsewhere with the characters
), the explanation given by Tanigaha Shisei, and indeed suggested by the characters, has been followed. Motowori’s view does not materially differ, but he considers “pacificatory” or “softening” to be equivalent to “soft” applied to the offerings themselves, which consisted of soft cloth, the syllable te of nigi-te being believed to be a contraction of tahe which signifies cloth. The white cloth in ancient times was made of the paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), and the blue of hemp. ↩︎64:25 The original word is written with the same character as the te of nigi-te translated “offerings” above. ↩︎
64:26 Or in the Singular “a grand liturgy,” or “ritual.” ↩︎
64:27 Ame-no-ta-jikara-wo-no-kami. ↩︎
64:28 Ame-no-uzume-no-mikoto. The translator has followed the best authorities in rendering the obscure syllable uzu by the word “alarming.” Another interpretation quoted in Tanigaha Shisei’s “Perpetual Commentary on the Chronicles of Japan” and adopted by Moribe in his “Idzu no Chi-waki,” is that uzu means head-dress, and that the goddess took her name from the head-dress of spindle-tree leaves which she wore. The character
, with which the syllables in question (here written phonetically) are rendered ideographically in the “Chronicles,” signifies “metal head-gear,” “flowers of gold or silver.” ↩︎64:29 Tasuki, “a cord or sash passed over the shoulders, round the back of the neck, and attached to the wrists, to strengthen the hands for the support of weights, whence the name, which means ‘hand-helper.’ It was thus different both in form and use from the modern tasuki, a cord with its two ends joined which is worn behind the neck, under the p. 69 arms and round the back, to keep the modern loose sleeves out of the way when household duties are being performed.” (E. Satow). ↩︎
64:30 I.e., making for herself a head-dress of spindle-tree leaves. ↩︎
64:31 The original of these words, uke fusete, is written phonetically, and the exact meaning of uke, here rendered “sounding-board,” is open to doubt. The parallel passage in the “Chronicles” has the character,
, which signifies a “trough,” “manger” or “tub,” and the commentators seem therefore right in supposing that the meaning intended to be conveyed in both histories is that of some kind of improvised wooden structure used for the purpose of amplifying sound. ↩︎64:32 Neither the text nor Motowori’s Commentary (which Hirata adopts word for word) is absolutely explicit, but the imitation and not the reality of divine possession appears to be here intended. In the parallel passage of the “Chronicles,” on the other hand, we seem to be reading of genuine possession. ↩︎
65:33 The subject of the Verb is not clear in many of the clauses of this immensely long sentence, which does not properly hang together. Some clauses read as if the different deities who take a part in the action did so of their own free will; but the intention of the author must have been to let a Causative sense be understood throughout, as he begins by telling us that a plan was devised by the deity Thought-Includer, which plan must have influenced all the subsequent details. ↩︎
65:34 Shiri-kume-naha, i.e., rope made of straw drawn up by the roots, which stick out from the end of the rope. Straw-ropes thus manufactured are still used in certain ceremonies and are called shime-naha, a corruption of the Archaic term, Motowori’s explanation shows that this is more likely to be the proper signification of the word than “back-limiting-rope” (shiri-ho-kagiri-me-naha), which had been previously suggested by Mabuchi with reference to its supposed origin at the time of the event narrated in this legend. ↩︎
65:35 Motowori plausibly conjectures the character
in the concluding words of this passage to be a copyist’s error for 
, and the translator has accordingly rendered it by the English word “again.” As it stands, the clause 
, though making sense, does not read like the composition of a Japanese. ↩︎70:1 p. 70 I.e., “an immense fine.” The student should consult Motowori’s elaborate note on this passage in Vol. IX, pp. 1-5 of his Commentary. Tables of gifts are mentioned in Sect. XXXVII, Note 7 and Sect. XL, Note 13. ↩︎
70:2 Oho-ge-tsu-hime-no-kami. This personage (but without the title of “Deity”) has already appeared in Section V, (Note 8) as the alternative personal name of the Island of Aha. ↩︎
70:3 Panicum Italicum. ↩︎
70:4 p. 71 Phaseolus Radiatus. ↩︎
70:5 Or less probably “wheat.” ↩︎
70:6 Soja Glycine. ↩︎
70:7 Kami-musu-bi-mi-oya-no-mikoto, the same deity as the one mentioned at the beginning of these “Records” under the shorter title of Kami-musu-hi-no-kami. (See Sect. I. Note 6.) ↩︎
71:1 p. 73 Written with the characters
, “bird’s hairs,” but these must surely be phonetic. In the “Chronicles” the same name is written 
. ↩︎71:2 Or Hii, the chief river in Idzumo. The name is supposed by some to have been derived from the name of the god Hi-hayabi (see Section VIII, Note 6). ↩︎
71:3 Or in the Singular, “a chopstick.” ↩︎
71:4 Literally “had placed a young girl between them,” a similar construction to that in Section XIII, (Note 11). ↩︎
71:5 The humble character
“servant” is used by the old man for the First Personal Pronoun. ↩︎71:6
. Being generally used antithetically to 
, “Heavenly Deity,” it seems better to translate the characters thus than by “Country ”Deity“ or ”Deity of the Land." (See Section I, Note 11). ↩︎71:7 Oho-yama-tsu-mi-no-kami, first mentioned in Sect. VI, (Note 17). ↩︎
71:8 Ashi-nadzu-chi, the wife’s being Te-nadzu-chi. “One account” in the “Chronicles” gives Ashi nadzu-te-nadzu (
) as the name of the old father alone, while the mother is called Inada-no-miya-nushi Susa-no-yatsu-mimi. (Inada-no-miya-nushi signifies “Mistress of the Temple of Inada”; the signification of the second compound, which forms the name properly so called is not clear, but should probably be interpreted to mean “Impetuous-Eight-Ears,” the word susa, “impetuous,” containing an allusion to the name of her divine visitor, and “eight ears” being Honorific). ↩︎71:9 Kushi-[I]nada-hime, Inada (i.e. ina-da, “rice-field”) being the name of a place. Kushi signifies not only “wondrous” but “comb,” and is indeed here written with the character for “comb”
, so that there is a play on the word in connection with the incident of her transformation into a comb which is mentioned immediately below, though most authorities agree in considering 
to be here used phonetically for 
, which is the reading in the “Chronicles.” Moribe, however, in his “Idzu no Chi-waki” suggests the etymology Kushi-itadaki-hime ( 
) i.e., “Princess [used as] a comb [for] the head.” ↩︎71:10 p. 74 Derivation quite obscure. Motowori quotes an absurd etymology given in the “Japanese Words Classified and Explained,” which identifies the name of Koshi with the Past Tense of the Verb kuru, “to come”! There is a district (kohori) named Koshi in the modern province of Echigo; but Koshi was down to historical times a somewhat vague designation of all the north-western provinces,—Echizen, Kaga, Noto, Etchiū, and Echigo. A tradition preserved in the “Chronicles” tells us that it was meant to denote the Island of Yezo (or rather, perhaps, the land of the Yezo, i.e. the Ainos). The expression in the first Song in Sect. XXIV, and other similar ones in the early literature show that it was not looked upon as a part of Japan proper. ↩︎
71:11 See Note 13. ↩︎
72:12 A coniferous tree, the Chamæcyparis obtusa, in Japanese hi-no-ki. The cryptomeria is Cryptomeria japonica. ↩︎
72:13 The winter-cherry, Physalis Alkekengi. ↩︎
72:14 For the word “reverence” here and a few lines further on. conf. Sect. IX, Note 4. ↩︎
72:15 He was her younger brother; but see Introduction, p. xxxvii. ↩︎
72:16 In Japanese sake, and archaically ki, written with the character
and generally translated “rice-beer,” but by Dr. Rein “rice-brandy” (Reis-branntwein). The modern sake resembles the Chinese huang chiu ( 
). If we translated it by “rice-beer,” we should of course have to render by “to brew” the Verb kamu or kamosu ( 
) here rendered “to distill.” It should be mentioned that Professor Atkinson who, like Dr. Rein, has studied the subject specially, uses the word “brewing;” but apparently no English term exactly represents the process which the liquor undergoes in the course of preparation. A curious question is suggested by the fact that the old Japanese word for “distilling” or “brewing” liquor is homonymous with the Verb “to chew,” But there is not, beyond this isolated verbal resemblance, any documentary evidence in favour of the Japanese ever having practised a method of making liquor which still obtains in some of the South Sea Islands.—“One account” of the Chronicles of Japan makes Susa-no-wo say “Take all the fruits, and distill liquor.” ↩︎72:17 The author doubtless intended, as Motowori suggests, to speak only of eight platforms,—one at each gate,—and not of sixty-four. But what he actually says is as in the translation. ↩︎
73:19 p. 75 The text is not quite clear, but the above gives the interpretation which the words most naturally lend themselves. Motowori, influenced by the parallel passage in the “Chronicles,” which says explicitly that the sword itself was sent up to the Sun-Goddess, reads the passage thus: “thinking it a strange thing, he sent it up with a message to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August- Deity”; and Mr. Satow follows him in thus translating (see Note 4 to Ritual 8, Vol. IX, Pt. II, 198-200 of these “Transactions,” where the whole of this legend is translated with one or two slight verbal differences from the version here given). In the opinion of the present writer, Hirata’s arguments in favour of the view here taken are conclusive (see his “Sources of the Ancient Histories.” Section LXXII, in the second part of Vol. III, pp. 66-67). That the sword afterwards appears at the temple of the Sun-Goddess in Ise (see end of Section LXXXII), by the high-priestess of which it is bestowed on the legendary hero Yamato-take, is not to the point in this connection, as it is not necessary that all the parts of a myth should be perfectly consistent. ↩︎ ↩︎
72:18 See Section VIII, Note 1. ↩︎
73:20 Kusa-nagi no tachi. For the applicability of this name see Sect. LXXXIII. ↩︎
75:1 p. 76 I.e., “I feel refreshed.” The Japanese term used is suga-sugashi, whence the origin ascribed to the name of the place Suga. But move probably the name gave rise to this detail of the legend. ↩︎
75:2 The real derivation of Suga is unknown, all the native commentators accepting the statement in the text, and Motowori supposing that up to the time of the Deity’s arrival it had borne the name of Inada. We may perhaps conjecture some connection between Suga and Susa-no-wo (“Impetuous Male,” see Motowori’s Commentary, Vol. IX, p. 49), and it may be mentioned that the “Eight-Eared Deity of Suga” is also mentioned as the “Eight-Eared Deity of Susa.” ↩︎
75:3 Or “began to build.” ↩︎
75:4 “Ode” is another rendering of the Japanese term uta, which has been used by the present writer and by others. Uta being however connected with utafu, “to sing,” it seems more consistent to translate it by the English word “song.” ↩︎
75:5 Or perhaps rather “in that song he said.” ↩︎
75:6 This difficult song has been rather differently rendered by Mr. Aston in the Second Appendix to his “Grammar of the Japanese Written Language” (2nd Edition), and again by Mr. Satow in the note to his translation of the Ritual already quoted. Mr. Aston (premising that he follows Motowori’s interpretation) translates it thus:
“Many clouds arise:
The clouds which come forth (are) a manifold fence:
For the husband and wife to retire within
They have formed a manifold fence:
Oh! that manifold fence!” ↩︎76:7 p. 78 Obito, written with the Chinese character
, while the Japanese word is probably derived from oho-bito, “great man.” When used, as it often is, as a “gentile name,” the translator renders it by “Grandee.” ↩︎76:8 Inada-no-miya-nushi Suga-no ya-tsui-mimi-no-kami. It should be stated that Motowori, as usual, objects to the view that mimi signifies “ears” (its proper meaning) in this name. But he has no better explanation to offer, and the Chinese characters give us ya-tsu mimi, “eight ears.” The author of the “Tokiha-gusa” ingeniously proposes to consider ya-tsu mimi as a corruption of yatsuko mi mi (
) “servant august body,” but this cannot be seriously entertained (Conf. Sect. XIII, Note 18). ↩︎78:1 p. 79 Ya-shima-zhi-nu-mi. Ya-shima means “eight islands.” The syllables zhi-nu-mi are obscure, but the translator has little doubt “ruler” fairly represents their import. Motowori takes zhi to be an apocopated and nigori’ed form of shiru, “to rule,” nu to be an apocopated form of nushi, “master,” and mi to be an apocopated form of the Honorific termination mimi. Tanigaha Shisei considers zhimu to stand for shidzumuru, “to govern,” which comes to the same thing so far as the sense is concerned. ↩︎
78:2 Kamu-oho-ichi-hime. The rendering of Oho-ichi as “Great Majesty” rests on a plausible conjecture of Hirata’s, who proposes to, identify ichi with idzu (
). Motowori thinks that Oho-ichi should be taken as the name of a place; but this seems less good. ↩︎78:3 Oho-toshi-no-kami, written
, the obvious rendering of which would be “great year.” But the Japanese term toshi is believed to have originally signified, not “year” in the abstract, but that which was produced each year, viz., the harvest (conf. toru, “to take”). ↩︎78:4 Uka-no-mi-tama. ↩︎
78:5 Ko-no-hana-chiru-hime, so called, says Motowori, because she probably died young, as a blossom that falls from the tree. We might however perhaps take the Verb chiru in a Causative sense, and consider the name to signify "the Princess-Who-Causes-the-Flowers-of-the-Trees-to- Fall. A sister of this goddess appears in the pretty legend narrated in Sect. XXXVII under the parallel name of the Princess-Blossoming-Brilliantly-Like-the-Flowers-of-the-Trees. See Note 3 to that Sect. ↩︎
78:6 Fuha-no-moji-ku-nu-su-nu-no-kami. The import of this name is quite uncertain. Fuha however seems to be the name of a place. ↩︎
78:7 “Hi-kaha-mime. Hi-kaha (lit. ”sun-river“) is supposed to stand for the name of a place in Musashi, which is however written ”ice-river“ (
and not 
), the old Japanese words for ”ice“ and ”sun" being homonymous. ↩︎78:8 p. 80 See Sect. VIII. (Note 9), where the name is given as Kura okami. ↩︎
78:9 Fuka-buchi-no-midzu-yare-hana. If Fuka-buchi were ascertained to be not, as is supposed, the name of a place, we should have to render it “deep pool,” and the whole would mean in English “Water-Spoilt-Blossom-of-the-Deep-Pool.” ↩︎
78:10 Ame-no-tsudohe-chi-ne-no-kami. In this name nothing is clear but the first three syllables, which signify “heavenly.” But if Mabuchi’s conjecture as to the meaning of the rest were accepted, we should have to translate the whole by “Heavenly-Assembling-Town-Lady.” ↩︎
78:11 This is the meaning plausibly assigned by Motowori to the original O-midzu-nu-no-kami. ↩︎
78:12 Fute-mimi-no-kami, plausibly conjectured by Tominobu to stand for Futo-mimi, etc., which gives the sense here adopted. ↩︎
78:13 Funu-dzu-nu-no-kami. Motowori believes Funu to be the name of a place, and interprets the name to signify “Master of Funu.” But this seems highly uncertain. ↩︎
78:14 Ame-no-fuyu-kinu-no-kami (Motowori’s reading) or Ama-no, etc. (Hirata’s reading). The translation of the name follows Hirata’s explanation, which is based on Motowori’s, and according to which the characters
(“winter garments”) in this text, and 
read Fuki-ne in the “Chronicles,” are merely phonetic, while the meaning is derived from a comparison of the sounds given by each. Though himself believing in the soundness of Hirata’s conclusion, the translator must admit that it is not indisputable. ↩︎78:15 Sasu-kuni-waka-hime, or Sashi-kuni, etc. The former reading, which Hirata’s adopts, seems best. The meaning of sasu, here rendered “small,” is open to doubt. ↩︎
78:16 Sasu-kuni-oho-[no-]kami, or Sashi, etc. The syllable no in the Japanese reading seems to be a superfluous addition of the modern commentators. ↩︎
79:17 Oho-kuni-nushi-ne-kami. ↩︎
79:18 Oho-na-muji-no-kami, to which Tominobu proposes to give the sense of “Great Hole-Possessor,” in connection with the story of the mouse-hole in which he took refuge from the fire lit by the Impetuous-Male-Deity (Susa-no-wo) for his destruction (see Sect. XXIII). But the interpretation followed in the translation is the most likely as well as the orthodox one, this Deity being entitled the possessor of a Great Name or of Great Names on account of his renown in Japanese mythic story. ↩︎