the worship of the Gods which he ordered Ika-shiko-wo to have made by the hands of the eighty Mononobe, and appointed Oho-tata-neko Master of the worship of Oho-mono-nushi no Oho-kami. Moreover he made Nagaochi Master of the worship of Yamato no Oho-kuni-dama no Kami.
After that, he divined that it would be lucky to worship the other Gods. So he took the opportunity of separately worshipping the assemblage, of eighty myriads of Deities. He also settled which were to be Heavenly shrines and which Earthly shrines, and allotted land and houses for the service of the Gods. Thereupon the pestilence first ceased; the country at length had peace, the five kinds of grain were produced, and the peasantry enjoyed abundance.
B.C. 90. 8th year, Summer, 4th month, 6th day. A man of the village of Takahashi, named Ikuhi, was appointed Brewer to the Great Deity.
Winter, 12th month, 20th day. The Emperor caused Oho-tata-neko to worship the Great Deity. On this day, Ikuhi, in person, presented to the Emperor sacred sake, with a song, as follows:—
Is not my sacred sake:
'Tis sacred sake brewed
By Oho-mono-nushi,
Of Yamato,
How long ago!
How long ago![1]
Having thus sung, they feasted in the Shrine of the God. As soon as the feast was over, the various high officials sang as follows:—
(V. 8.)
(Of sweet sake fame),
Even its morning door
We would go forth from—
The door of the Hall of Miwa.
Hereupon the Emperor sang as follows:—
- ↑ "How long ago" is in Japanese Ikuhisa, an obvious allution to the Brewer's name, Ikuhi, in short a pun.
