and seeing the swan, said:—"What thing is this?" The Emperor, observing that the Imperial Prince had gained his speech on seeing the swan, was rejoiced, and commanded his courtiers, saying:—"Which of you will catch this bird and present it to me?" Thereupon, Amano Yukaha Tana, the ancestor of the Tottori[1] no Miyakko, addressed his Majesty, saying:—"Thy servant will surely catch it, and present it to thee." So the Emperor declared to Yukaha Tana, saying:—"If thou present this bird to me, I will certainly reward thee liberally." Now, Yukaha Tana, looking from afar towards the quarter whither the swan had flown, followed in search of it to Idzumo and there captured it.
(VI. 14.) Some say "To the land of Tajima."
11th month, 2nd day. Yukaha Tana presented the swan to the Emperor. Homutsu-wake no Mikoto played with this swan and at last learned to speak. Therefore, Yukaha Tana was liberally rewarded, and was granted the title of Tottori no Miyakko.[2] In consequence there was further established the Be of bird-catchers, the Be of bird-feeders,[3] and the Homu-tsu Be.
B.C. 5. 25th year, Spring, 2nd month, 8th day. The Emperor commanded the five Daibu,[4] Takenu Kaha-wake, ancestor of the Abe no Omi, Hiko-kuni-fuku,[5] ancestor of the Wani no Omi, Oho-kashima, ancestor of the Nakatomi no Muraji, Tochine, ancestor of the Mononobe no Muraji, and Take-hi, ancestor of the Ohotomo no Muraji, saying:—"The sagacity of our predecessor on the throne, the Emperor Mimaki-iri-hiko-iniye, was displayed in wisdom: he was reverential, intelligent and capable. He was profoundly unassuming, and his disposition was to cherish self-abnegation. He adjusted the machinery of (VI. 15.) Government, and did solemn worship to the Gods of Heaven and Earth. He practised self-restraint and was watchful as to
- ↑ Tottori for tori-tori, i.e. bird-catcher, is the name of a number of places in Japan, notably of the capital of the province of Inaba.
- ↑ Lord of the bird-catchers. The Chinese character for title is 姓, which means properly family name, surname. But, as this instance shows, such appellations were primarily official designations. Then they became hereditary titles, and in the last place were attenuated into mere surnames.
- ↑ Tori-kahi-be.
- ↑ Daibu, great man, is a general term for high officials.
- ↑ Both these men are named in Sūjin Tennō's reign, 10th year, eighty-five years before.
