her. But Hohodemi's curiosity was too strong for him. He peeped in, and behold! his wife had become changed into a great sea-monster (or dragon), eight fathoms long. Deeply indignant at the disgrace put upon her, Toyo-tama-hime returned hastily to her father's palace, abandoning her new-born child to the care of her sister, and barring behind her the sea-path in such a way that from that day to this all communication between the realms of land and sea has been cut off.
The child thus born was the father of Jimmu Tenno, the first human sovereign of Japan.
Hohodemi's troubles with his elder brother were renewed on his arrival home. He was obliged to use against him two talismans given him by his father-in-law. One of these had the virtue of making the tide flow and submerge Ho no Susori and thus compel him to sue for mercy. (Another account says that Hohodemi whistled and thereby raised the wind and the sea). Then by a second talisman the tide was made to recede, and Ho no Susori's life was spared. He yielded complete submission to his younger brother, and promised that he and his descendants to all generations would serve Hohodemi and his successors as mimes and bondservants. The Nihongi adds that in that day it was still customary for the Hayato (or Imperial guards) who were descended from Ho no Susori to perform a mimic dance before the Mikados, the descendants and successors of Hohodemi, in which the drowning struggles of their ancestor were represented.
The Castle-gate and the tree before it, at the bottom of which is a well which serves as a mirror, form a combination not unknown to European folklore.[1] The student will also note the partiality evinced for the younger of two brothers,
- ↑ "Then the giant's dochter came to the palace where Nicht, Nought, Nothing was, and she went up into a tree to watch for him. The gardener's dochter going to draw water in the well saw the shadow." Mr. Andrew Lang's Custom and Myth, p. 91.
