made to divine by means of the Greater Divination, and thus to do his service.[1]
(II. 23.) At this time Ama-terasu no Oho-kami took in her hand the precious mirror, and, giving it to Ame no Oshi-ho-mi-mi no Mikoto, uttered a prayer, saying:—'My Child, when thou lookest upon this mirror, let it be as if thou wert looking on me. Let it be with thee on thy couch and in thy hall, and let it be to thee a holy[2] mirror.' Moreover, she gave command to Ame no Ko-yane no Mikoto and to Futo-dama no Mikoto, saying:—'Attend to me, ye two Gods! Do ye also remain together in attendance and guard it well.' She further gave command, saying:—'I will give over to my child the rice-ears of the sacred garden,[3] of which I partake in the Plain of High Heaven.' And she straightway took the daughter of Taka-mi-musubi no Mikoto, by name Yorodzu-hata-hime, and uniting her to Ame no Oshi-ho-mi-mi no Mikoto as his consort, sent her down. Therefore while she was still in the Void of Heaven,[4] she gave birth to a child, who was called Ama-tsu-hiko-ho no ninigi no Mikoto. She accordingly desired to send down this grandchild instead of his parents. Therefore on him she bestowed Ame no Ko-yane no Mikoto, Futo-dama no Mikoto, and the Deities of the various Be,[5] all without exception. She gave him, moreover, the things belonging to his person,[6] just as above stated.
After this, Ame no Oshi-ho-mi-mi no Mikoto went back again to Heaven. Therefore Ama-tsu-hiko-ho no ninigi no
- ↑ The Greater Divination was by observing the cracks in a deer's shoulder-blade which had been exposed to fire. This is also a practice of the Chinese and Mongols, but in China it is more common to use the shell of a tortoise for this purpose, as is sometimes done in Japan also. See Legge's "Chinese Classics," Vol. III., p. 335, 336. Ban Nobutmno has devoted a work in two volumes to this subject, entitled 正卜考.
- ↑ The same word as is used above for religious abstinence.
- ↑ The yu-niha, in which rice was grown under conditions of strict ceremonial purity for the festival of first-fruits.
- ↑ Not the Takama no hara, or Plain of High Heaven, but the Oho-sora or Great Void, the space between Heaven and Earth. She was on her way downwards.
- ↑ The hatter, shield-maker, etc., mentioned above.
- ↑ The regalia, or mirror, sword and jewel are doubtless meant.
