it very strange. Then His Augustness Fire-Subside saw the handmaidens, and begged to be given some water. The handmaidens at once drew some water, put it into a jewelled vessel, and respectfully presented it to him. Then, without drinking the water, he loosened the jewel at his august neck, took it in his mouth, and spat it into the jewelled vessel. Thereupon the jewel adhered to the vessel, and the handmaidens could not separate the jewel [from the vessel]. So they took it with the jewel adhering to it, and presented it to Her Augustness Luxuriant-Jewel-Princess. Then, seeing the jewel, she asked her handmaidens, saying: “Is there perhaps some one outside the gate?” They replied, saying: “There is some one sitting on the top of the cassia-tree above our well. It is a very beautiful young man. He is more illustrious even than our king. So, as he begged for water, we respectfully gave him water; but, without drinking the water, he spat this jewel into [the vessel]. As we were not able to separate this [from the other],[1] we have brought [the vessel] with [the jewel] in it to present to thee.” Then Her Augustness Luxuriant-Jewel-Princess, thinking it strange, went out to look, and was forthwith delighted at the sight. They exchanged glances, after which she spoke to her father, saying: “There is a beautiful person at our gate.” Then the Sea-Deity himself went out to look, and saying, “This person is the Sky’s-Sun-Height, the august child of the Heaven’s-Sun-Height,”[2] led him into the interior [of the palace], and spreading eight layers of rugs of sea-asses’[3] skins, and spreading on the top other eight layers of silk rugs, and setting him on the top of them, arranged merchandise on tables holding an hundred,[4] made an august banquet, and forthwith gave him his daughter Luxuriant-Jewel-Princess in marriage. So he dwelt in that land for three years. Hereupon His Augustness Fire-
- ↑ Or, taking the character 是 as an initial Particle, “So, as we were not able to separate [one from the other].”
- ↑ See Note 2 to this Section.
- ↑ This is a literal translation of the Chinese characters 海驢, by which the Archaic word michi, here written phonetically, is elsewhere represented. Perhaps the sea-lion (Otaria arsina) or a species of seal may be intended.
- ↑ See Sect. XXXVII, Note 7.
