pheasant the weeping woman; and, having thus arranged matters, they disported themselves[1] for eight days and eight nights, At this time the Deity Ajishiki-taka-hiko-ne[2] came and condoled on the mourning for the Heavenly-Young-Prince, whereupon the Heavenly-Young-Prince’s father and wife who had come down from Heaven bewailed themselves,[3] saying: “My child is not dead, no! My lord is not dead, no!” and with these words clung to his hands and feet, and bewailed themselves and lamented. The cause of their mistake was that the two Deities closely resembled each other in countenance: so therefore they made the mistake. Thereupon the Deity Ajishi-ki-taka-hiko-ne was very angry, and said: “It was only because he was my dear friend that I came to condole. Why should I be likened to an unclean dead person?”—and with these words he drew the ten-grasp sabre[4] that was augustly girded on him, and cut down the mourning-house, and kicked away [the pieces] with his feet. This was on what is called Mount Mourning[5] at the source of the River Awimi[6] in the land of Minu.[7] The great sword with which he cut [the mourning-house to pieces] was called by the name of Great-Blade-Mower,[8] another name by which it was called being the
- ↑ The parallel passage of the “Chronicles” tells us that “they wept and wailed and sang for eight days and eight nights.”
- ↑ See Sect. XXVI, Note 2. He was brother to the Heavenly-Young-Prince’s wife.
- ↑ The author of the “Perpetual Commentary on the Chronicles of Japan” tells use that these tears were tears of joy. Doubtless such is the meaning of the text; yet the repetition of the words “bewailing” and “lamenting” is curious.
- ↑ See Sect. VIII. Note 1.
- ↑ Mo-yama. No such mountain is now known.
- ↑ Awimi-gaha. No such river is now known. According to the characters with which it is written the name signifies “Knot-grass-Seeing River.”
- ↑ Afterwards called Mino. This province probably received its name, as the author of the “Explanation of Japanese Names” suggests, from mi nu, i.e., “three moors,” from the large moors of Kagami, Awo, and Seki-ga-hara which it contains. The modern commentators prefer to derive it from ma nu, “true moor.”
- ↑ Oho-ha-kari. The name might also be rendered “Great Leaf-Mower.” The translator has followed Hirata in omitting the nigori from the syllable ka.
