Prince Yatsuri no Shiro-hiko, of the Emperor Oho-hatsuse Waka-take, of the Imperial Princess Tajima no Tachibana no Oho-iratsume, and of the Imperial Princess Sakami.
At an earlier period, when the Empress was at home with her mother, she was walking alone in the garden, when the Miyakko of the Land of Tsuke passed along the road which was beside the garden. He was on horseback, and looking over the hedge, he addressed the Empress, and said mockingly:—"What an excellent gardener thou art." He also said:—"Pray, madam, let me have one of those orchids." The (XIII. 5.) Empress accordingly plucked an orchid root, and gave it to the man on horseback, asking him for what purpose he wanted the orchid. The man on horseback answered and said:—"I am going to the mountain, and it is to brush away the midges." Then the Empress reflected on this within her mind, and recognized the want of respect in the words of the man on horseback. So she addressed him, saying:—"Sir,[1] I shall not forget this."
Afterwards, in the year in which the Empress attained the felicitous rank, she sought out the man on horseback who had asked her for an orchid, and having stated his former offence, wished to have him put to death. Hereupon the man who had asked for the orchid knocked his forehead on the ground, and making a deep obeisance,[2] said:—"Truly thy servant's guilt is deserving of ten thousand deaths. At that time, however, I did not know that thou wert of high rank." Hereupon the Empress remitted the penalty of death, but deprived him of his title and called him Inaki.[3]
A.D. 414. 3rd year, Spring, 1st month, 1st day. An envoy was sent to Silla to procure a good physician.
Autumn, 8th month. The physician arrived from Silla, and was forthwith made to treat the Emperor's disease. No long time after, he was healed of his disease. The Emperor was
- ↑ The Chinese character translated "sir" means literally head or chief. The Japanese word intended is probably Obito or Obuto, which, I take it, is an abbreviation of Oho-bito, great man. In Chinese Tajen (in Corean Tain), i.e. great man, is used as a personal pronoun in addressing men of rank. Our own word "master" (magister, magnus) has a somewhat similar history.
- ↑ Kowtow in Chinese.
- ↑ Inaki was a lower title than Miyakko.
