objects were collected, Ama no Koyane no Mikoto, the (I. 44.) ancestor of the Nakatomi, recited a liturgy in honour of the Deity. Then the Sun-Goddess opened the Rock-door and came out. At this time, when the mirror was put into the Rock-cave, it struck against the door and received a slight flaw, which remains until this day. This is the great Deity worshipped at Ise. After this Sosa no wo no Mikoto was convicted, and fined in the articles required for the ceremony of purification. Hereupon these were the things abhorrent of luck of the tips of his fingers, and the things abhorrent of calamity of the tips of his toes.[1] Again, of his spittle he made white soft offerings, and of his nose-mucus he made blue soft offerings, with which the purification service was performed. Finally he was banished according to the law of Divine banishment."
(I. 45.) In one writing it is said:—"After this the Sun-Goddess had three rice-fields, which were called the Easy[2] Rice-field of Heaven, the Level Rice-field of Heaven, and the Village-join[3] Rice-field of Heaven. All these were good rice-fields, and never suffered even after continuous rain or drought. Now Sosa no wo no Mikoto had also three rice-fields, which were called the Pile-field of Heaven,[4] the River-border[5] Field of Heaven, and the Mouth-Sharp[6] Field of Heaven. All these were barren places. In the rains, the soil was swept away, and in droughts it was parched up. Therefore, Sosa no wo no Mikoto was jealous and destroyed his elder sister's rice-fields. In spring, he knocked away the pipes and troughs, filled up the channels and broke down the divisions. He also sowed seed over again. In autumn, he set up combs,[7] and
- ↑ No very satisfactory explanation is given by the commentators of this sentence. Hirata understands the things abhorrent of luck, etc., to be things required for the purification service.
- ↑ Easy to cultivate, says the "Shukai" editor.
- ↑ Mura-ahase, a term of doubtful meaning. Motowori suggests that for ahase we should read yori. The meaning then would be rice-fields adjoining the village. Accommodation land, as we should say.
- ↑ Obstructed with stumps of wood.
- ↑ Exposed to inundation.
- ↑ Exposed to drought?
- ↑ The "Shiki" explains that combs were stuck up in the rice-field with
