“ But the life allotted me by Heaven has unexpectedly approached an end. Passing swiftly as a four-horse carriage passes a crack in the road, it may not be stayed. Alone I lay me down on the waste moor with none to say a word to me. ”

“ Here he heard that on Mount Ibuki in Afumi there was a savage Deity. So he took off his sword, and leaving it in the house of Miyazu-hime, went on afoot. When he arrived at Mount Ibuki, the God of the mountain took the shape of a (VII. 29.) great serpent, and posted himself on the road. Hereupon Yamato-dake no Mikoto, not knowing that it was the master God who had become a serpent, said to himself:—"This serpent must be the Savage Deity's messenger. Having already slain a master God, is a messenger worth hunting after?" ”

“ Sometimes they draw together their fellows and make inroads on the frontier. At other times they take the opportunity of the harvest to plunder the people. If attacked, they conceal themselves in the herbage; if pursued, they flee into the mountains. Therefore ever since antiquity they have not been steeped in the kingly civilizing influences. Now We mark that thou art mighty of stature and thy countenance is of perfect beauty, thou hast strength sufficient to raise tripods, thy fierceness is like thunder and lightning, wherever thou dost turn thy face, there is none to stand before thee ”

“ Amongst these Eastern savages the Yemishi are the most powerful, their men and women live together promiscuously, there is no distinction of father and child. In winter they dwell in holes, in summer they live in nests. Their clothing consists of furs, and they drink blood. [66] Brothers are suspicious of one another. In ascending mountains they are like flying birds; in going through the grass they are like fleet quadrupeds. When they receive a favour, they forget it, but if an injury is done them they never fail to revenge it. ”

“ Morning and night we tremble and fear. But the people are like wriggling worms, and will not reform the savagery of their hearts. In the provinces and districts there are no Lords, in the villages there are no Chiefs. ”

“ When he arrived at the Yemishi frontier, the chiefs of the Yemishi, Shima-tsu-kami and Kuni-tsu-kami, [78] encamped at the harbour of Take, with the intention of making resistance. But when they saw the Prince's ship from afar, they feared his majesty and power, and knew in their hearts that they could not gain the victory over him. They all flung away their bows and arrows, bowed down towards him, and said:—"When we look upon thy face, we see that it is more than human. Art thou perchance a Deity? ”

“ This we know, that whereas in outward form thou art Our child, in reality thou art a God. Truly Heaven, commiserating Our want of intelligence and the disturbed condition of the country, has ordained that thou shouldst order the Heavenly institution, and save the monarchy from extinction. ”

“ In view of the possibility of there being madmen, who might watch for an unprotected space in the ramparts, we remain on guard beneath the Gate [94] and provide against emergencies." Then the Emperor spake and said:—"Splendid!" So he showed them an extraordinary affection.
Autumn, 8th month, 4th day. Waka-tarashi-hiko no Mikoto was appointed Prince Imperial. On this day Takechi no Sukune was appointed Prime Minister.
(VII. 33.) The cross-sword Kusanagi, which was at first worn by Yamato-dake no Mikoto, is now in the shrine of Atsuta in the district of Ayuchi, in the province of Ohari. ”

“ She bore to him the Imperial Prince Toyo-kuni-wake. He was the first ancestor of the Miyakko of the Land of Hiuga.
A.D. 87. 17th year, Spring, 3rd month, 12th day. The Emperor made a progress to the district of Koyu, [39] where he visited the little moor of Nimo. Then looking down towards the east, he said to his courtiers:—"This country faces directly the quarter of the Rising Sun." Therefore he named that country Hiuga. [40] On this day he mounted upon a great stone in the middle of the moor, and feeling a longing for the capital, made this poetry:—
Oh! ”

“ Again he made inquiry respecting the fire:—"Whose fire is this?" But no owner could be found, and thereupon it was known that it was not a fire made by man. Therefore that country was called Hi no Kuni. [47]
6th month, 3rd day. He crossed over from the district of Takaku to the village of Tamakina. At this time he killed a Tsuchi-gumo of that place called Tsudzura.
16th day. He arrived at the Land of Aso. [48] The level tracts of that Land were wide and far-reaching, but no dwellings of men were to be seen. The Emperor said:—"Are there any people in this country?" ”

“ Henceforward let there be established Lords in the provinces, and let there be Chiefs placed in the villages. Accordingly let men of ability of the provinces be taken and appointed Chiefs over provinces and districts, so as to form a defence for the Inner Country. ”

“ The Emperor died, aged 107.
↑ Great road or great conduct. ↑ Oho-iratsume. ↑ There seems to have been a question which of twins was to be considered the elder. One idea was that the last born should be senior, because he occupied the higher place in the womb. ↑ The Chinese character used here is 碓, which properly means a pestle, and is more particularly applied to that arrangement of a mortar and pestle in which the latter is set on a pivot and worked by the foot.
Pestle and Mortar.This is called the Kara-usu in Japan. ”

“ They cannot be allowed to dwell in the inner country." So he caused them to be stationed without the home provinces, in any places which they pleased. They were the ancestors of the present Saheki [95] Be of the five provinces of Harima, Sanuki, Iyo, Aki, and Aha.
(VII. 34.) In the beginning Yamato-dake no Mikoto took the Imperial Princess Futachi-iri-hime, and made her his consort. [96] She bore Prince Ineyori-wake, next the Emperor Tarashi-naka-tsu-hiko, [97] next Nuno oshi-iri-hime no Mikoto, and next Prince Waka-take. ”

“ It is by the last of these names that he is best known to posterity. ↑ A Chinese phrase. ↑ In this passage the province now known as Kii is called indifferently Ki or Kiï. ↑ Oto-hime means simply "younger lady." There are frequent cases in the "Nihongi" where a woman seems to have no other name than "elder lady" or "younger lady." ↑ Iratsume. ↑ Divine-comb. ↑ Wake, separation, branch, was a title which implied descent from the Imperial line. ”