Subside thought of what had gone before,[1] and heaved one[2] deep sigh. So Her Augustness Luxuriant-Jewel-Princess, hearing the sigh, informed her father, saying: “Though he has dwelt three years [with us], he had never sighed; but this night he heaved one deep sigh. What may be the cause of it?” The Great Deity her father asked his son-in-law, saying: “This morning I hear my daughter speak, saying: ‘Though he has dwelt three years [with us], he had never sighed; but this he heaved one deep sigh.’ What may the cause be? Moreover what was the cause of thy coming here?” Then [His Augustness Fire-Subside] told the Great Deity exactly how his elder brother had pressed him for the lost fish-hook. Thereupon the Sea-Deity summoned together all the fishes of the sea, great and small, and asked them, saying: “Is there perchance any fish that has taken this fish-hook?” So all the fishes replied: “Lately the tahi[3] has complained of something sticking in its throat[4] preventing it from eating; so it doubtless has taken [the hook].” On the throat of the tahi being thereupon examined, there was the fish-hook [in it]. Being forthwith taken, it was washed and respectfully presented to His Augustness Fire-Subside, whom the Deity Great-Ocean-Possessor then instructed, saying: “What thou shalt say when thou grantest this fish-hook to thine elder brother [is as follows]: ‘This fish-hook is a big hook, an eager hook, a poor hook, a silly hook.’[5] Having [thus] spoken, bestow it
- ↑ Literally, “thought of the first things.”
- ↑ As the character for “one” is thrice repeated in this passage, Motowori is probably right in saying that it should be given its proper signification, and the translator therefore renders it by the Numeral “one” rather than by the Indefinite Article “a.”
- ↑ Pronounced tai in modern parlance. Perhaps we should rather read aha-dahi, “red tahi,” as in the parallel passage of the “Chronicles.” Both these fishes belong to the family Sparoidei, the former being the Pagrus cardinalis, the latter probably the P. major.
- ↑ Or, “of a fish-bone in its throat.”
- ↑ Tanigaha Shisei, quoting from Urabe no Kaneyoshi, comments thus on the parallel passage in the “Chronicles,” where the whole of this legend is given several times in slightly varying forms: “By big hook is meant one that will not serve its purpose [because too big]; eager signifies that which [endeavours to, but] cannot advance; silly means unintelligent: hence we have a hook which, not serving its purpose, will be of no use whatever, but rather a road to lead [him who possesses
