had intercourse with Mizo-kuhi[1] hime of the island of Mishima (some call her Tama-kushi-hime), and had by her a child named Hime-tatara I-suzu-hime no Mikoto, who became the Empress of the Emperor Kami-Yamato Ihare-biko Hohodemi.[2]
Before this time, when Oho-na-mochi no Kami was pacifying the land, he went to Wobama in Isasa, in the province of Idzumo. He was just having some food and drink, when of a sudden there was heard a human voice from the surface of the sea. He was astonished, but on seeking for it there was nothing at all to be seen. After a while a dwarf appeared, who had made a boat of the rind of a kagami[3] and clothing of the feathers of a (I. 63.) wren.[4] He came floating towards him on the tide, and Oho-na-mochi no Mikoto taking him up, placed him on the palm of his hand. He was playing with him, when the dwarf leaped up, and bit him on the cheek. He wondered at his appearance, and sent a messenger to report the matter to the Gods of Heaven. Now when Taka-mi-musubi no Mikoto heard this, he said:—'The children whom I have produced number in all one thou-
- ↑ Mizo-kuhi means water-channel pile. Tama-kushi is jewel-comb.
- ↑ Otherwise called Jimmu Tennō. See below, beginning of Book III.
- ↑ Some plant, very likely having gourd-shaped fruit. Vide Ch. K., p. 85.
- ↑ The "Kojiki" says goose skins. The wren was no doubt substituted as more in accordance with the dwarfish stature of Sukuna-bikona.
Dr. Schlegel in his "Problèmes Géographiques" mentions a Chinese notice of a Han-ming-kuo, the inhabitants of which sew together skins of birds for clothing. He identifies this country with the Kuriles, where modern travellers have found this to be the custom. The bird whose skins are thus used is the Procellaria gracilis (petrel).
cassia-tree mentioned in it is certainly Chinese." Is it possible that wani is for the Corean wang-i, i.e. "the King," i being the Corean definite particle, as in zeni, fumi, yagi, and other Chinese words which reached Japan viâ Corea? We have the same change of ng into n in the name of the Corean who taught Chinese to the Japanese Prince Imperial in Ojin Tennō's reign. It is Wang-in in Corean, but was pronounced Wani by the Japanese. Wani occurs several times as a proper name in the "Nihongi." Bear (in Japanese kuma) is no doubt an epithet indicating size, as in kuma-bachi, bear-bee or bear-wasp, i.e. a hornet; kuma-gera, a large kind of wood-pecker, etc.
