Kojiki (Chamberlain, 1882)/Section 41

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Kojiki (1882)
by Ō no Yasumaro, translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain

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Ō no Yasumaro4691833Kojiki1882Basil Hall Chamberlain

[Sect. XLI.—Submission of His Augustness Fire-Shine.]

Hereupon [His Augustness Fire-Subside] gave the fish-hook [to his elder brother], exactly according to the Sea-Deity’s words of instruction. So thenceforward [the elder brother] became poorer and poorer, and, with renewed savage intentions, came to attack him. When he was about to attack [His Augustness Fire-Subside, the latter] put forth the tide-flowing jewel to drown him; on his expressing grief, he put forth the tide-ebbing jewel to save him. When he had thus been harrassed, he bowed his head,^[1] saying: “I^[2] henceforward will be Thine Augustness’s guard by day and night, and respectfully serve thee.” So down to the present day his various posturings when drowning are ceaselessly served up.^[3]

↑ I.e., “did humble obeisance by prostrating himself on the ground.” The Old Printed Edition has 稽白 instead of 稽首白, and the kana gloss kamugahe-matsu, i.e. “reflected and said”: but this reading, though interesting, is less good.
↑ Written with the humble character 僕, “servant.”
↑ I.e., “Prince Fire-Shine’s descendants the Hayabito (see Sect. XXXVIII, Note 11) still constantly perform before the Court dances and posturings symbolical of the antics which their divine ancestor went through for the amusement of his younger brother, after the latter had saved him from drowning. “One account” in the “Chronicles” relates these antics at full, telling us that they represented the straits to which he was put as the waters gradually rose higher and higher; and we learn from other passages in the same work and in the “Chronicles of Japan Continued” that the Hayabito did really down to historical times combine the office of Court Jesters with that of Imperial Guardsmen.

[1] I.e., “did humble obeisance by prostrating himself on the ground.” The Old Printed Edition has 稽白 instead of 稽首白, and the kana gloss kamugahe-matsu, i.e. “reflected and said”: but this reading, though interesting, is less good.

[2] Written with the humble character 僕, “servant.”

[p125-3] I.e., “Prince Fire-Shine’s descendants the Hayabito (see Sect. XXXVIII, Note 11) still constantly perform before the Court dances and posturings symbolical of the antics which their divine ancestor went through for the amusement of his younger brother, after the latter had saved him from drowning. “One account” in the “Chronicles” relates these antics at full, telling us that they represented the straits to which he was put as the waters gradually rose higher and higher; and we learn from other passages in the same work and in the “Chronicles of Japan Continued” that the Hayabito did really down to historical times combine the office of Court Jesters with that of Imperial Guardsmen.

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