Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/237

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
206
Nihongi.

jump over it." But when he came to the middle of the sea a storm suddenly arose, and the Prince's ship was tossed about, so that he could not cross over. At this time there was a concubine in the Prince's suite, named Oto-tachibana-hime. She was the daughter of Oshiyama no Sukune of the Hodzumi House. She addressed the Prince, saying:—"This present uprising of the winds and rushing of the waves, so that the Prince's ship is like to sink, must be due to the wishes of the God of the Sea. I pray thee let me go into the sea, and so let the person of thy mean handmaiden be given to redeem the life of the Prince's Augustness." Having finished speaking, she plunged into the billows. The storm forthwith ceased, and the ship was enabled to reach the shore. Therefore the people of that time called that sea Hashiri-midzu.[1]

(VII. 25.) Hereupon Yamato-dake no Mikoto, going by way of Kadzusa, changed his route, and entered the Land of Michi no oku.

At this time a great mirror was hung upon the Prince's ship. Proceeding by the sea route, he went round to Ashi no ura and crossed aslant to Tama no ura.[2] When he arrived at the Yemishi frontier, the chiefs of the Yemishi, Shima-tsu-kami and Kuni-tsu-kami,[3] encamped at the harbour of Take, with the intention of making resistance. But when they saw the Prince's ship from afar, they feared his majesty and power, and knew in their hearts that they could not gain the victory over him. They all flung away their bows and arrows, bowed down towards him, and said:—"When we look upon thy face, we see that it is more than human. Art thou perchance a Deity? We desire to know thy name." The Prince answered and said:—"I am the son of a Deity of visible men." Hereupon the Yemishi were all filled with awe. They gathered up their skirts and, plunging into the waves, of their own accord assisted the Prince's ship to reach the shore. Then, with their hands bound behind them, they submitted themselves for punishment. He therefore pardoned their offence, and having made prisoners their chieftains, caused them to be his personal attendants. The Yemishi having been

  1. Running-water.
  2. In Shimōsa.
  3. Literally, Gods of the Islands and Gods of the Continent.