Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/292

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Ōjin.
261

towards him over the sea. Presently they entered the harbour of Kako in Harima. The Emperor addressed his courtiers, saying:—'What stags are these which come in numbers swimming over the great sea?' Then the courtiers all looked at them and wondered. So a messenger was sent to make examination. The messenger, when he came there, saw that they were all men, only they had for clothing deer-skins with the horns attached. He inquired of them, saying:—'What men are ye?' They replied, saying:—'Ushi, the Kimi of Morogata, being old in years, has ceased his service, but he cannot forget the Court. Therefore he offers his own daughter, Kami-naga-hime.' The Emperor was delighted, and sending for her, made her follow the Imperial ship. For this reason, the men of that time called the place where they reached the shore the harbour of Kako[1] It was perhaps at this time that the practice began of using the word kako as a general name for sailors."

A.D. 283. 14th year, Spring, 2nd month. The King of Pèkché sent as tribute a seamstress named Maketsu.[2] She was the first ancestress of the present seamstresses of Kume.[3] This year the (X. 10.) Lord of Yutsuki[4] came from Pèkché and offered his allegiance. Accordingly he addressed the Emperor, saying:—"Thy servant was coming to offer allegiance with one hundred and twenty districts of the people of his own land, when the men of Silla prevented them, and they were all forced to remain in the land of Kara." Hereupon Katsuraki no Sotsuhiko was sent to bring the men of Yutsuki from Kara. Now three years passed, and Sotsuhiko did not come.

A.D. 284. 15th year, Autumn, 8th month, 6th day. The King of Pèkché sent A-chik-ki with two quiet horses as tribute. So they were fed in stables on the acclivity of Karu. Accordingly A-chik-ki was appointed to have charge of their foddering.

  1. Kako is written with characters which mean deer-little-one.
  2. I have here followed the traditional kana pronunciation. The Corean pronunciation of the Chinese characters would be Chin-mo-chin. Another reading makes two women.
  3. In Yamato.
  4. Yutsuki is the traditional rendering of the characters 弓月. This in Corean would be Kung-wöl.