In face and demeanour he resembled the Emperor. The Emperor knew that he was a God, and therefore proceeded to inquire of him, saying:—"Of what place art thou Lord?" The tall man answered and said:—"I am a God of visible men.[1] Do thou first tell thy princely name, and then in turn I will inform thee of mine." The Emperor answered and said:—"We are Wake-take no Mikoto." The tall man next gave his name, saying:—"Thy servant is the God Hito-koto-nushi."[2] He finally joined him in the diversion of the chase. They pursued a deer, and each declined in favour of the other to let fly an arrow at him. They galloped on, bit to bit, using to one another reverent and respectful language, as if in the company of genii. Herewith the sun went down, and the hunt came to an end. The God attended on the Emperor and escorted him as far as the Water of Kume. At this time the people all said:—"An Emperor of great virtue!"
Autumn, 8th month, 18th day. The Emperor made a progress to the Palace of Yoshino.
28th day. He made a progress to Kahakami no Ono,[3] where he commanded the forest wardens to drive the wild beasts. He lay in wait hoping to shoot them himself, when a gad-fly came swiftly flying. Then a dragon-fly flew thither suddenly, bit the gad-fly, and went away with it. The Emperor was pleased at its attention, and commanded his Ministers, saying:—"Do ye on Our behalf compose an ode in praise of this (XIV. 14.) dragon-fly." As none of the Ministers made so bold as to compose an ode, the Emperor forthwith composed a short piece,[4] saying:—
Told in the Great Presence,
How in Yamato
On the Peak of Womura
Four-footed game was lying:
- ↑ i.e. who has assumed mortal form.
- ↑ Lit. one-word-master. The "Kojiki" expands this into "The Deity who dispels with a word the evil, and with a word the good." See Ch. K., p. 319. The "Kiujiki" makes him a son of Susanowo.
- ↑ The little moor of the upper stream.
- ↑ 口號. This was the name of a particular kind of Chinese poetry of four or eight lines.
