The Age of the Gods.
31
by a relation.'[1] And the God of the Spittle[2] which he thereupon spat out was called Haya-tama no wo.[3] Next the God of his purification was called Yomo-tsu-koto-saka no wo;[4] two gods in all. And when he came to contend with his younger sister at the Even Pass of Yomi, Izanagi no Mikoto said, 'It was weak of me at first to sorrow and mourn on account of a relation.'
Then said the Road-wardens of Yomi, 'We have a message for thee, as follows: 'I and thou have produced countries. Why should we seek to produce more? I shall stay in this land, and will not depart along with thee.' At this time Kukuri[5]-hime no Kami said something which Izanagi no Mikoto heard and approved, and she then vanished away.
(I. 26.) But, having visited in person the Land of Yomi, he had brought on himself ill-luck. In order, therefore, to wash away the defilement, he visited the Aha gate[6] and the Haya-sufu-na[7] gate. But the tide in these two gates was exceeding strong. So he returned and took his way towards Wodo[8] in Tachibana. There he did his ablutions. At this time, entering the water, he blew out and produced Iha-tsu-tsu[9] no Mikoto; coming out of the water, he blew forth and produced Oho-nawo-bi[10] no Kami. Entering a second time, he blew out and produced Soko-tsutsu[11] no Mikoto; coming out he blew forth and produced Oho-aya-tsu-bi[12] no Kami. Entering again, he blew forth
- ↑ Referring to the threat of slaying 1000 people in one day, and the counter-threat of making 1500 children to be born in one day.
- ↑ A Japanese authority says that at the present time spitting is (Essential in the purification ceremony. Another says, "This is the reason why at the present day people spit when they see anything impure." Cf. Tylor's "Primitive Culture," Vol. I., p. 103; Vol. II., p. 441.
- ↑ Quick-jewel-male.
- ↑ Yomi-of-thing-divide-male.
- ↑ Hirata derives this from hiki, hear, and iri, enter, the meaning being that of mediation.
- ↑ Now known as the Naruto passage, a strait famous for its rapid tides.
- ↑ Quick suck-name. In the Bungo Channel.
- ↑ Little-gate.
- ↑ Rock-of-elder.
- ↑ Great-remedy-person.
- ↑ Bottom-elder.
- ↑ Great-pattern-of-person.
