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when the male Deity spoke first and said:—"How pretty! a lovely maiden!" Postemo cupiebant coire, sed artis nescii erant. Tum erat motacilla^[1] quae advolavit, atque concussit suum caput et suam caudam. Quod cum vidissent duo Dei, imitati sunt eam, et in hoc modo artem coeundi potiti sunt.

In one writing it is said:—"The two Deities were united and became husband and wife. First of all, the islands of Ahaji and Aha being considered the placenta,^[2] they produced the island of Oho-yamato no Toyo-aki-tsu-shima, next the island of Iyo, next the island of Tsukushi, next, as twins, the islands of Oki and Sado, next the island of Koshi, next Oho-shima, and next Kojima."

In one writing it is said:—"First there was born the island of Ahaji, next the island of Oho-yamato no Toyo-aki-tsu-shima, next the island of Iyo no futa-na, next the island of Oki, next the island of Sado, next the island of Tsukushi, next the island of Iki, and next the island of Tsushima."

In one writing it is said:—"The island of Ono-goro being considered the placenta, there was born the island of Ahaji, next the island of Oho-yamato no Toyo-aki-tsu, next the island of Iyo no futa-na, next the island of Tsu-kushi, next the island of Kibi no ko, next, as twins, the islands of Oki and Sado, and next the island of Koshi."

In one writing it is said:—"The island of Ahaji being considered the placenta, there was born the island of Oho-yamato Toyo-aki-tsu, next the island of Aha, next the island of Iyo no futana, next the triplet islands of Oki, next the island of Sado, next the island of Tsukushi, next the island of Kibi no ko, and next Oho-shima."

In one writing it is said:—"The female Deity spoke first and said:—'How pretty! a lovely youth!' She

1. Anglice, wagtail.
2. The Japanese word for placenta is ye or yena. Ye is also Japanese for elder brother. The Kiujiki has in the corresponding passage 兄 or elder brother.