YAMATOTAKE MEETS THE DEITY OF MOUNT IBUKI
Hereupon he said: "As for the deity of this mountain, I will simply take him empty-handed"[1] and was ascending the mountain, when there met him on the mountainside a white boar whose size was like unto that of a bull.[2] Then he lifted up words,[3] and said: "This creature that is transformed into a white boar must be a messenger from the deity.[4] Though I slay it not now, I will slay it when I return" and so saying, ascended. Thereupon the deity caused heavy ice-rain[5] to fall, striking and perplexing His Augustness Yamato-take. (This creature transformed into a white boar was not a messenger from the deity, but the very deity in person. Owing to the lifting up of words, he appeared and misled Yamato-take.[6]) So when, on descending back, he reached the fresh spring of Tamakura-be[7] and rested there, his august heart awoke somewhat.[8] So that fresh spring is called by the name of the fresh spring of Wi-same.
YAMATO-TAKE SICKENS AND DIES
When he departed thence and reached the moor of Tagi, he said: "Whereas my heart always felt like flying through
- ↑ I.e., "without weapons," and specially without the magic sword which he had left behind in Princess Miyazu's house.
- ↑ Or "ox," or "cow," the original word not distinguishing between the sexes.
- ↑ The Japanese expression koto-age shite, here rendered "lifted up words," very frequently has the signification of "lifting up a prayer" to some superhuman being. In this passage, however, it conveys no more than its proper etymological meaning.
- ↑ Viz., the god of Mount Ibuki.
- ↑ Perhaps "hail" may be intended by this expression, and so Motowori decides.
- ↑ The commentators disagree as to whether this note should or should not be considered to form part of the original text. Motowori so considers it.
- ↑ The literal meaning of this name is "jewel-store-tribe"; but complete uncertainty attaches both to the etymology of the word and to the position of the place.
- ↑ He had been misled and dazed, but now came to himself again. Thence, according to the etymology of our author, the name of Wi-same, which signifies "dwelling (resting) and awaking," given to the spring.
